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Barbara Soky: The Screen Icon Who Defined Nigerian Television Drama

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Barbara Soky is a veteran Nigerian actress and singer whose performances in the 1980s and 1990s made her a household name. She remains one of the defining faces of the golden era of Nigerian television drama.

Early Career and Breakthrough

Barbara Soky first attracted public attention as Rosemary Hart in Inside Out, an NTA drama that gave her an early platform. While often described as her “first major role,” records suggest she had appeared in smaller productions before this breakthrough, making Inside Out one of her earliest but not necessarily her debut television appearance. Her natural charm and screen presence quickly set her apart and prepared the stage for the iconic roles that followed.

Rise to Stardom

Her portrayal of Yinka Fawole in Mirror in the Sun, one of Nigeria’s most beloved soap operas of the 1980s, established her as a national star. Alongside actors such as Funsho Adeolu and Clarion Chukwura, Soky brought life to family drama that resonated across Nigerian households.

She went on to play Daphne Wellington-Cole in Ripples (1988–1993), another landmark NTA production created by Zeb Ejiro. The series became a staple of evening television, and Soky’s sophisticated performance helped shape its enduring popularity.

Music Career

In 1986, at the height of her acting fame, Soky explored a different side of her artistry by releasing the album Going Places. The project leaned into pop and highlife influences, reflecting the musical tastes of urban Nigeria at the time. While not as commercially enduring as her acting career, the record added to her reputation as a multi-talented entertainer.

Hiatus and Return

After years of success, Soky took a step back from the limelight in the late 1990s. Her extended hiatus left fans nostalgic for her screen presence. Reports suggest her return began gradually in the 2000s with roles in Nollywood films, though her high-profile re-entry was much later, with the reboot Ripples: The New Generation, which premiered in 2023. Her reappearance connected a new generation of viewers with the legacy of Nigerian television drama.

Legacy

Barbara Soky’s career reflects the golden era of Nigerian soap operas, when family dramas like Mirror in the Sun and Ripples defined evening entertainment. She stands as a bridge between early television drama and modern Nollywood, remembered for her elegance, versatility, and pioneering contributions to Nigeria’s screen culture.

Her story is one of reinvention: a star who dominated television in the 1980s, explored music in the mid-1980s, stepped away at her peak, and later returned to reconnect with audiences who never forgot her.

Sources:
Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) archives (Mirror in the Sun, Ripples)
Daily Times of Nigeria (1980s

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Lifestyle

Genevieve Nnaji slams viral tweet urging Igbo men to marry non-Igbo women

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Nollywood icon Genevieve Nnaji has fired off a sharp response after a man on X (formerly Twitter) advised Igbo men to stop marrying Igbo women and instead seek wives from other African countries.

The controversy began after a photo of a Rwandan woman said to be engaged to an Anambra man went viral.

Resharing the image, the user wrote, “Dear Igbo men, instead of marrying an Igbo woman who’ll falsely accuse you of r4ping your daughter, better look outside for a wife.

“Go to East Africa, especially Rwanda, and pick a damsel. They’re all over social media, and you can link up with them.”

Genevieve, who rarely comments on online drama, responded, “In other words, instead of checking yourself and taking accountability, go for the unsuspecting and carry on with your evil. Got it.”

Another user attempted to challenge her, claiming the original tweet was aimed at “false rape accusers” and that Genevieve was avoiding the real issue.

“His tweet was clearly against false rape accusers, but instead of holding the evil women accountable and demanding change, you chose to tweet this?”

But the actress hit back with equal clarity: “The same way a woman can’t tell an abusive man apart from a good one is the same way you shouldn’t say avoid all Igbo women. ‘Not all women’.”

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Don’t handle your family feud like I did, Phyna advises Imisi

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Reality TV star Phyna has offered words of encouragement to fellow Big Brother Naija winner Imisi amid a family feud between the latter and her mother.

In an X post on Monday, Phyna wrote,”To Imisi, @imisiofficial and to anyone walking through the same fire… I’m praying for your strength.

“My own experience broke me, but I’m slowly rising.

“And I’m rooting for you with everything in me, don’t handle it like I did, build strong and focus on you baby girl.”

The post comes against the backdrop of a family dispute in which Imisi’s mother accused her daughter of hatred and revealed the poor condition of the home where she currently lives, despite Imisi winning N150 million after her Big Brother victory.

Imisi replied in Yoruba,”This is why Aunty Debola said you should not show your face to the world. I can’t be saying all that now, you are in the midst of people. Just overlook everything and leave social media.

“Don’t worry, I will send you money to rent a new house. I am tired of all this drama. I am still recovering from the stress of Big Brother.

“Should I be facing another stress now? Please forgive me, I am your daughter.”

Recall Imisi’s mother has publicly expressed frustration on social media, saying she does not need her daughter’s money after being sidelined following the win.

She also blamed Imisi for recounting her childhood experiences, which she claims involve untrue allegations of parental neglect and sexual assault.

In a video, she showed the old house she currently resides in, saying she is content with her situation, a revelation that sparked online controversy.

In 2023, after Phyna’s BBNaija win, her father, Felix Otabor, revealed in an interview that he was distressed by his daughter’s actions following her BBNaija win.

Otabor said Phyna had asked him to stop working as a hearse driver and requested that he sell his cars, promising to improve the family’s life.

He said he later struggled financially after selling the vehicles, losing his business momentum and community position, and has not seen his daughter since her victory.

He described feeling sidelined while she enjoyed her wealth.

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Ned Never Slept Outside Because I Held Him Well In The Other Room – Regina Daniels

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Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels, has opened up about her marriage to her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko.

It was reports that the embattled wife revealed why their seven-year relationship remained faithful despite his polygamous lifestyle.

In a reply to a comment on her Instagram page, Daniels said that during their years together, Nwoko never slept with other women outside their home because she held him well in the other room.

She wrote: “Yes i think he loved me but a toxic one! Because tell me why a polygamous man forgot what it meant to be in polygamy, except for the media.

“Just because it boosted his ego of being seen with multiple women which is easy by me because anyone that sees a man as an odogwu sees the wife as what? He basically had to beg that he share days at ours and other days with his other wives because they begged for his attention.

“Y’all should pls forget this yeye social media comparison because my ex man never slept outside one day in our 7 years of marriage. You know why? Because as a delta babe, I hold am well for the other room ladies use your skills that’s all men want actually!”

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