Right from time immemorial, stories abound of how talented but unknown and unconnected young artistes rose to fame through the help and benevolence of benefactors whom they will later turn against and even try to malign after gaining fame and fortune using the help and shoulders of those benefactors, In the contemporary Nigerian entertainment orbit, many such instances abound.
However, a worrisome trend that has crept into the Nigerian entertainment circles is that of blaming and smearing the names and hard -earned reputation of such benefactors when any misfortune incidental or self inflicted now befalls their former proteges who in most cases are innocent and have since moved on after falling out with such artistes.
One of such cases is the recent attempt in the social media space to malign the name of Honourable Ola Fetuga, following the unfortunate untimely death of his former protege, Aduke Ajayi aka Aduke Gold, a few weeks ago.
It will be recalled that Hon. Ola Fetuga had practically adopted the then budding but unknown and unconnected orphan teenager then known as Aduke Penkele and used his connections to nurture her to stardom, introducing her to such powerful Lagos personalities like Opeyemi Bamidele, Late Femi Olawale Onimole, ex- Ifako Ijaiye House of Representative member, and others, who gave her scholarship to study at the University.
While it is not good to denigrate the dead who can no longer speak for themselves, it is equally damaging to out of sympathy for the departed to malign the name and reputation of the living most especially when they are innocent of such innuendos.
From facts extracted from Enquirer Magazine, September, 6, 2010 interviews with the now late Aduke Gold and Honourable Fetuga that the falling out came about after Aduke Gold Haven meet more influential personalities started feeling caged by the agreement or contract she signed with the active involvement of her senior brother.
Hon. Fetuga and Aduke Gold then parted ways after a very acrimonious and public disagreement and each went their separate way has become common in our clime, people became quick to start looking for hidden non existent cockroaches under non existent rocks since the unfortunate death of Aduke Gold and the easy target became her former benefactor Hon. Ola Fetuga.
Though Hon. Ola Fetuga has refused to make any public statement on the issue out of respect for his former protege,
However, it has emerged that just two and half weeks before her death, Aduke Gold had reached out to Rev. Akin Akinola and pleaded with the cleric to help facilitate a reconciliation meeting with him, Ola Fatuga so she can beg him for forgiveness.
According to Rev. Akinola whom this medium was able to contact on phone, Hon. Fetuga had agreed to the meeting and the week the reconciliation was to be held was the week Aduke Gold unfortunately passed on.
A close source to Hon. Fetuga confided to this medium that Hon. Fetuga’s most painful regret is that if he had known things will turn out the way they did, he would have ensured that the meeting was held immediately. When this medium contacted Rev. Akinola on this Aduke Gold’s reconciliation meeting, with Hon. Fetuga, he confirmed it, and also declared to us that, he made mention of it publicly during his speech at the burial of the deceased few ago.
– *Akin Sokoya*