Popular Nollywood actress and producer, Azeezat Shorunmu, has narrated how her vocal cords became permanently damaged.

The actress, who was previously known with a different voice on screen, explained that the incident that permanently took her voice occurred while on the movie set.

Speaking during her recent appearance on Oyinmomo TV, Azeezat explained that she was forced to scream under extreme emotional strain when she heard that actress Surutu lost her child on the very day filming was set to start.

Recounting the ordeal, the actress revealed that she tried various means including medical and spiritual intervention to restore her voice.

She explained that her voice was no longer the same when it eventually returned, but now speaks with a raspy tone that became her new signature sound.

“Everyone knows that this is not my real voice.

“It happens while shooting the movie ‘Apase’. Mummy Surutu lost her child that very morning we were to commence shooting.

“And she has been paid already. I was confused and didn’t know what to do upon hearing the news. It was when I was shouting that I lost my voice.

“My voice was blocked throughout the production. Normally, a blocked throat lasts for a short period.

“But mine did not open, it became worse after four months. That was when I realised that it was a painful thing to be dumb. It hurts when you want to express yourself, but you cannot.

“I used various things, including anointing oil. By the time the vocal cord was through, it didn’t come out as my voice again. It became this tiny and cracked voice”, stated.

A 35-year-old housewife, Sarah Gideon was arraigned on Thursday before a Kaduna Magistrate Court for allegedly stealing a goat in the Narayi area of the state.

The accused, who pleaded not guilty to one count of theft, was alleged to have attempted to steal the goat from one Martins Bobai’s residence in the Karji area, on Tuesday.

According to the Prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Luka, Gideon was allegedly working on a farm close to the complainant’s place of residence when she was said to have untied the goat that was in front of the house, and was about to escape with it.

“There was a neighbour that observed the accused pulling the goat away, and he raised the alarm which led to the accused being arrested immediately,” Luka told the court.

He further told the court that the defendant did not give a satisfactory explanation when the police questioned her at the Barnawa Police Division.

The charge according to the prosecutor violates Section 217 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017.

Presiding over the matter, Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum, and adjourned the case until August 14 for further hearing.

A three-year-old boy, Chibuike Uba, has died after falling into an uncovered soakaway in the Babarinsa area of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.

The heartbreaking event happened on Wednesday when Chibuike’s mother, Utoro, visited her aunt in the community from her residence in the Epe area of the state.

It was gathered that the young mother was packing her belongings to return home when her son left the room to join his aunt, who had stepped outside to make a phone call.

Upon her return, the aunt inquired about the child’s whereabouts, assuming he had gone back inside. However, Chibuike was nowhere to be found, prompting an immediate search.

During the search, Utoro discovered her son’s slippers beside an uncovered soakaway located in a neighbouring compound.

The property reportedly lacks fencing, allowing easy access to the hazardous pit. She immediately raised an alarm and efforts were made to rescue the child.

Utoro recounted the ordeal in an emotional tone to our correspondent on Thursday, saying:
“I visited my aunt and was packing my bags to head back home when she received a call and my son followed her outside. I continued packing, assuming he was still with her.
“When she came back inside, I asked about my son’s whereabouts, and she claimed he had returned inside. I said no and quickly rushed outside to search for him but couldn’t find him.
“That was when I noticed his slippers near the soakaway on the next compound beside the house because it has no fence. I immediately shouted that my baby was inside the soakaway. That was how we quickly made efforts to pull him out and rushed him to the hospital.”

Chibuike was initially taken to a nearby private hospital in the Sapati area, where he was referred to the General Hospital in Akodo. Despite being placed on oxygen upon arrival, medical personnel later confirmed his death.

Utoro blamed negligence for the incident, alleging that her aunt had previously warned the landlord about the danger posed by the open soakaway. She said the warnings went unheeded.

“My aunt called the man and said she had repeatedly warned him to close the soakaway, but he kept promising to.
“Even the plank that my aunt used to cover it was damaged by the flood. As I speak to you, the soakaway is still open,” she said.