A Rundown Of The Happenings For The Week

This week, many were left dazed, which some confirmed, will last them a lifetime. In a rare special moment, many around the world agreed, in unison, that it was a week of tragic losses, iconic wins, the celebration of African talent.

Here is a rundown of the week:

Justice is served
Jelani Maraj, the brother of rapper Nicki Minaj was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl at his Long Island home. The victim testified during the trial that Maraj repeatedly raped her in 2015 while her mother was at work. Prosecutors said the DNA evidence recovered from the girl’s pyjama pants was linked to Maraj. The girl’s younger brother also testified at the trial that he witnessed one assault. Meanwhile, Maraj said in court Monday that he had an alcohol problem and asked for a “second chance.”

Feud ending
At the Grammy awards which held this week, Nigerians placed their bet on the “African Giant” Burna Boy who lost to Angelique Kidjo. Of all the reactions to the win, it was Burna Boy’s “industry enemy”, AKA, a South African rapper who Nigerians opined, would unleash on OluwaBurna. However, AKA, reacting to the new wrote, “What you should have done is focus on the positive instead of thinking about me and my country. In any case, Burna is still a champion. We still consider him a winner.” And if we consider Kidjo’s Yoruba heritage, Nigeria won after all.

Black Mamba recoils
The marriage between Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine Bryant which has spanned over two decades, came to a tragic end when the NBA legend died in a helicopter crash. Millions around the world gathered at the Staples Center to remember the Laker legend and his daughter were on their way to a youth basketball game at the time of the crash. Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others including the Orange County’s Orange Coast College (OCC) baseball coach were killed in Sunday’s crash.

End of the road
For a while, there have been speculations that the Esiris – Dr Sid and Simi – have called it quits. But, there were no official statements or evidence to back it up which made it look like baseless rumours. Now Simi has let the cat out of the bag, confirming what their fans feared. She announced their split with a post on her Instagram while discrediting claims that accused her of domestic violence, and that their main priority now will be “focused on working together as co-parents”. So far, Dr Sid hasn’t released any statement.

Lipstick ban
You can throw your lipsticks now as lipsticks have now been adjudged radical in a Pakistan university. The University of Azad Jammu in Pakistan-administered Kashmir triggered an outcry on social media after it banned female students from wearing lipstick on campus. Protesters took to social media to condemn the university’s new policy as rights activists, civil society groups and social media users referred to the move as oppressive. In a society where there have been attempts to segregate female students, the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s administration declined to comment on the decision.