Nigerian R ‘N’B singer, Bankole ‘Banky W’ Wellington has shared shocking details behind his absence from limelight.
In a lengthy post on his Instagram page, the actor revealed his ordeal with cancer, adding that he had a surgery last month to remove a rare strain of skin cancer tumors found in his skin. He had the first two surgeries 10 years ago but the cancer resurfaced this year. Thankfully, he had a successful operation and is now back on his feet. See his post below.
“A wise man once said this: “Scars. A sign that you had been hurt. A sign that you had been healed.” Scroll through the pictures to see mine. I’m sharing these because they’re proof of what God has brought me through. And because somewhere out there, I know there’s someone who needs to hear this.
For those who’ve been wondering why I’ve been away so long..I had my 3rd surgery on a rare strain of skin cancer tumours in my shoulder last month. The first 2 times were over 10 yrs ago, then it recently resurfaced. But this isn’t a sad story as much as it is a reminder, and a testimony.
A reminder that you should never take life for granted. You only get 1 shot. Some people went to sleep and never woke up. Many others have lost the battle to cancer and other illnesses. Many are still fighting. U never know when your time will be up so don’t waste another minute. It’s also a testimony about the goodness of God. I think I had to go through this again to remember how merciful God is to me; Lord knows I don’t deserve it but He saves me time and again anyway. I keep saying I need to write a book. I really, really do.
The past few weeks of recovery have been tough, but beautiful. I’m finally back on my feet, feeling stronger and ready to get back to life. I’m especially thankful to my Nurse Susu for loving me and being by my side every step of the way – I don’t deserve U ??, my parents & siblings, in-laws & close friends for the love, support and prayers, my Pastors – Pastor Tony Rapu & Pastor Del Balogun of TPH, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya and Pastor Bayo Adeyokunnu – for constantly praying with and for me. And of course to Dr Wodajo & Dr Miralli & their teams – who God used to operate on me successfully.
I’m thankful for life, provision and healing. Pls dont feel bad, or msg me with any worries.. God has done it, just thank Him for me.
The pain will eventually go away but the scar won’t – and I’m glad because it’s a reminder to me of what God has done, and evidence to you of what He CAN do. I’m not stronger or better than anyone. I’m just a living testimony that no matter what u face, U can survive & thrive, by God’s grace.”
You are a survivor Banky!
Photos: Falz, Banky W, others arrive London for One Africa Music Fest.
One Africa Music Fest host Banky W as well as headliners Cassper Nyovest, Victoria Kimani, and Falz arrived at London Heathrow Airport this morning, ready for the first ever One Africa Music Fest taking place in London this Saturday, May 13. They were met by a handful of teeming fans and media. The large travelling party also included the festival organizers Upfront and Personal, the One Africa Fest project team, UK project managers, press officers and an array of photographers.
Other stars performing at the One Africa Music Fest that have also been jetting into the UK this week include Ghana’s biggest rap superstar Sarkodie, Congelese legend Awilo Longomba as well as 9ice and Atumpan. More stars expected to arrive in the UK over the next couple of days include Jidenna, Davido, Tekno, P-Square, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Alikiba, Flavour N’abania, with Phyno and M.I.
Saturday’s One Africa Music Fest is set to be one of the biggest and most exciting festivals to ever hit the UK, and fans, press and media all have the opportunity to meet & greet the headline artists ahead of the monumental event on Saturday, at the One Africa Artist Welcome Party & Fashion Event taking place on Friday, May 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Park Lane, Mayfair. For more information about the welcome part, visit www.weareoneafrica.com.
Photos from Banky W and Adesua Etomi’s Introduction ceremony
Love birds, Bankole ‘Banky W’ Wellington and Adesua Etomi whose engagement story broke the Internet few days ago had their Introduction on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at the Guest House Ikoyi, Lagos.
"Love You Till Eternity and Beyond" Adesua Etomi confirms engagement to Banky W
Awww! The internet has gone into a frenzy over the engagement of ‘Wedding Party’ movie stars, Bankole ‘Banky W’ Wellington and Adesua Etomi. So, Banky W made the announcement first on his istagram page , an minutes later came Adesua’s confirmation. Goodluck to the couple. Read Adesua’s account below.
I went to an event in 2015 and I suppose that was the beginning of something amazing because once banky saw me, he decided that he was going to be my biggest fan.
He slid into my DM and sent the funniest message and that was how we became friends. At the time, I wasn’t interested in anything but a friendship and he was very respectful of that and so we stayed just friends for about a year and a half.
Our friendship opened my eyes to a lot of things. Opened my eyes to the type of man Olubankole is and WHAT A MAN. WHAT A MIGHTY GOOD MAN.
Olubankole, Your Heart is pure and good, to the very core. You are proof that God is real, you are proof that what’s on the inside is greater and so much more powerful than what we see on the outside and you are the evidence of what I hoped for. I bless God for entrusting my heart in your hands because I know it’s safe. You are everything i prayed for and so much more.
Thank you for praying with me, fasting with me, always making time for me, laughing with me, and caring more about me than yourself. Thank you for being kind, loving and full of Integrity.
And i’d like to say one more thing. I’m SO SORRY that it took me sooo long to realise that it was you. It has always been you. It couldn’t have been anyone else.
In February 2017, you said you couldn’t be without me and asked me to be your wife and I said YES cause I can’t be without you.
It will be an absolute pleasure and one of the greatest blessings of my life to walk the path of life with you.
Thank you for being who you are.
My goodluck charm, my King, my lover, my bestfriend.
I love you till eternity and beyond.
No, This Is not a movie.
Future Mrs W.
Banky W and Adesua Etomi are engaged in real life.
Ok! This is one news i never (most people actually) never saw coming.
Music act, Bany Wellington and fast-rising actress, Adesua Etomi are now engaged. And No, this is not from a music video shoot or a new movie. It’s the real deal and we can’t (who are we sef) even keep calm right now. The celebrities played the role of a couple role in box office movie, The Wedding Party, alas, they were prepping us for something more exciting. I have no idea why I am this happy, they don’t even know me but, anyways, Bank W took us through their love journey. Read below.
We crossed paths 2 or 3 times since 2012, but I wasn’t paying enough attention. Destiny was staring me right in the face and I was too caught up in my own hustle and paper chase, to know it. In June 2015 however, God brought you my way again, and this time, I really SAW you. I was smitten by your grace, aura, and beauty. So smitten infact, that even though I didn’t get to say a word to you that day (because you were seated far across the room), I immediately called my best friend @captdemuren and told him I’d found my next girlfriend. LOL. He laughed.
I asked one or two people about you.. your manager Isioma, who I’d worked with previously, and then I did some research myself. Googled you, stalked your instagram.. the whole 9 yards, and the more I found out, the more you seemed like a breath of fresh air.
Now I personally don’t like being “hooked up”, so I decided to approach you myself by sliding into your DM a few days later. Introduced myself, made some silly attempts to make you laugh, told you I planned to become your biggest fan, and asked if we could be friends. Thank God you laughed at my silly jokes, and thank God you graciously agreed to become my friend. At the time, I was COMPLETELY lying about only wanting to be friends, by the way.. but I figured it was a safe place to start.
Since that DM, I’ve spoken to you pretty much every single day for almost 2 years. Sometimes, in the morning, at night and in between. We clicked instantly, and you quickly became one of my favourite people on earth, and one of my closest friends. It got to the point where my day wouldn’t quite feel right without speaking to you. I needed your friendship. I needed, and still need, the bond we share. It completes me.
I knew pretty early in the process that I wanted to spend forever with you. Prayed about it fervently. But it took you FOREVER (okay fine.. maybe a year and a half or so) to see things my way. But I kinda knew all along.. I was just waiting for you to catch up.
In that time, I got engaged to you in my “made for you” music video… and by pure coincidence, we both got cast to get married in the wedding party movie.. but all the while we were the very best of friends. I guess, in our case, real life will now imitate art.
I’m not sure what the future will bring, but I’m completely sure that I am ready to face it with you by my side. I pray that God continues to build me into the kind of man that you deserve. I love you Susu.. I feel safe and at peace with you. You mean the world to me. Thank you for agreeing to be my lover and best friend. Thank you for agreeing to be my wife.
PS: The timing of this may make some people think this is promo for another video, or a movie. It isn’t.
Ironically, everyone who has seen us together in art, or in life, always insists that we have amazing chemistry. I guess you can say we have been hiding in plain sight. I fell in love with an Actress. Now my life is a movie.
In February of 2017, I asked Adesua Tolulope Oluwaseun Etomi to be my wife. She said Yes.
Read singer, Banky W's thoughts on the Presidential election
It has been quite an interesting time in our Nation’s History. Exhilarating for some, disappointing for others… but interesting nonetheless. The announcement of the 2015 Election results has dominated every news medium, traditional and social media platform in the last few days.
Alongside most Nigerians worldwide, I was glued to my television throughout the process as INEC members slowly read out each result from each state, and then as the Chairman Mr Jega gave the final results and declared the winner
Now that the dust has settled a little, it’s time to share some of my random thoughts on what has just happened and celebrate/highlight some of the key factors.
Here’s to the President-elect, General Muhammudu Buhari.
Congratulations Sir on your victory. Yours is a lesson of perseverance. After contesting and failing in 2003, 2007 and 2011, some would have understandably thrown in the towel on this particular goal. But it’s never failure until you give up, give in and quit trying. There’s a lesson for all of us in this. When you get knocked down, you get back up, dust yourself off, re-strategize, and try again.
That’s precisely what he did, and now he’s the President-Elect. He’s got a tough job ahead of him…the economy is coming upon harsh times; oil prices have crashed and foreign reserves have been depleted. The Unemployment rate and poverty index in Nigeria is at an all time high. General Buhari’s administration have their work cut-out for them, and here’s hoping they hit the ground running.
It’s time to cut the excesses of times past… time to focus on what’s truly important to the Nigerian people, and make significant strides in the right direction. Everything needs improvement. Security, Employment, Power, Education… you name it. Change is what we voted for, and change they must deliver.
Here’s to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Many of us have been vocal critics of the present administration over the past couple of years… but you’ve left a legacy of conducting/overseeing/allowing two free & fair elections to hold in Nigeria. That’s more than any other President can say in our Nation’s history. You’ve also been gracious in defeat, and your move to quickly congratulate the opposition has probably helped ease the atmosphere in these tense times.
That these elections have been MOSTLY violence-free, is no small feat. Your position, that neither you nor any politician’s ambition, is worth the blood of any Nigerian, is noble, applaudable, and appreciated. If you’re going to go out, this is the way to do it.. with your head held high and your dignity intact.
Here’s to Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Muhammudu Jega. You’ve overseen such an intricate, tense, political process and come out mostly spotless. In recent times your job has probably been the most powerful and the most stressful in Nigeria, and yet
you handled your affairs as cool as the other side of the pillow.
Never once losing your temper, never once succumbing to pressure or drama, never once letting people see you sweat. Your attitude, manner, and competence in dealing with highly sensitive tasks and times, is one that is exemplary to all Nigerians. This is how to become a living legend. Our hope, however, is that INEC will improve upon this exercise and learn some very necessary lessons.
The process to collate, calculate and announce results took entirely too long. It’s 2015… we can’t at this point, be that adverse to the use of excel sheets and calculators. Too much time passed between when votes were cast and when the results were announced that could be interpreted as an avenue for rigging to occur.
The situation and allegations in States such as Rivers, and some areas in the North and East, should also be looked into for the purpose of eliminating any areas of malpractice in the future.
Here’s to the young people that were actively involved in the political process this time around. It was encouraging to see more of us participate. For instance, one of the parties used peers of mine like Adebola Williams and Chude Jideonwo (and their media platforms) to handle their PR and campaign activities with great success; while other parties used spokespeople who some say may
have done more harm than good.
Sites like LindaIkeji’s blog, Bella Naija, and YNaija, were just as, if not more important to candidates and voters, than traditional newspapers and media. This shows the innate tremendous power and influence that young people and our platforms have. Don’t be surprised when you see some of these young people being appointed in strategic powerful positions in the near future.
Here’s to the Nigerian People. This 2015 Election marks the first time in our history, that an incumbent President has been voted out of power. That in and of itself is a mark of a true democracy, and
a sign that power still belongs to the people.
My hope is that this will serve notice to the incoming administration at the Federal, State and Local levels. Gone are the days when our leaders can do whatever they like, and expect to remain in power with little to no backlash.
Gone are the days when no matter how bad your actions are, or how bad a state we find ourselves in, we just say “it’s Naija” and “God dey”. The time has come where we must now hold our leaders accountable for the offices we have elected them into, and this election was the first step in that direction.
We must pay attention… we must care. Not just about the office of the President, but the Governors, Senators, House of Reps, and Local Government positions. This is the only way we will see Nigeria truly change for the better. If we the people, just… care, again.
Now is the time to keep track of campaign promises that were made and see if they’re delivered on. The reason Nigeria keeps recycling. the same problems and issues with no end insight, decade after decade, is because of failed leadership and citizen apathy. Our leaders were corrupt and we just didn’t care. Let’s hope that change, indeed, has come.
To those of us that voted, whether your candidate won or lost, thank you for playing a very significant and important role in our Nation’s Democracy and History. Thank you for letting your voice be heard.
Thank you for braving the inconvenient, tense, and sometimes harsh, conditions to make sure you voted and that those votes were counted. We laughed together and we fought; we stood in line together under the burning sun, then the rain, then the sun again; we discussed and we argued… but we voted.
Nigeria has a current population of about 182+ Million people; only 29+ million of which voted in the recent elections. The winner of the elections had 15+ million votes. That means, only 8% of our
population chose the direction of our country for the next 4 years. That’s not good enough.
I was watching the elections coverage, and it was sad to see that state by state, the eligible, registered voter turnout was less than 50%. That’s not good enough. Some people will say that we voted along tribal lines; I say that most young people, who do not have the tribal prejudices that older generations have, simply didn’t show up.
Time and again, I’d be among groups of young people and ask who has picked up their PVC. 9 times out of 10, I’d be the only one. We have to do better. We seem
to be content with tweeting, and instagram-ing, and arguing and pointing fingers… but when it comes to the most basic of our civic responsibilities… when it comes to actually playing a part in bringing about a better Nigeria that we all seek, we’re nowhere to be found. Social Media activism is simply not enough.
Some young people tried, but were frustrated by the inefficiencies in the PVC collection process. My heart goes out to you if you truly tried, but for some reason couldn’t get your card. Others were just “too busy” to go through what was required. To these ones, I say this: We saw pictures of Billionaires such as Aliko Dangote and Wale Tinubu voting. You are not busier than Dangote. If these ones could put their affairs on hold to register and vote, then clearly, we all need to get our priorities straight.
Some may say that elections here are rigged… well, you make it incredibly easy for someone to rig elections by not showing up. All the unused ballot papers can very easily be stamped for whoever they feel like. It becomes increasingly hard to rig when we show up en-masse.
I pray, and work towards the day, when all the young people who are eligible, actually care enough to get up, go out and register to vote… and in that day, when we all actually do vote, we will truly be in charge of our Nation’s destiny. We’ll see a Nigeria that has a chance to cast away the burdens, problems and prejudices of times past, and finally live up to our potential.
– Banky Wellington
PS: Here’s to General Buhari’s daughter, Zahra… in the immortal
words of FahlzTheBadGuy… ‘Ello Bae
Singer, Banky W shares new photos to mark birthday
Looking good is serious business. Ask Banky ‘Wellington’. Mr Capable as fondly called shared these lovely pictures as he turned 34 today.
Photo of the day: Be careful, Banky W and Lynxxx might get you arrested.
From the caption, singers, Banky W and Lynxxx took this picture at a film school in New York. Looks like a new video is in the offing too.
Credit: Banky W (Instagram)
Photo: Singer, Bank W flaunts parents
Singer, Bankole ‘Banky W’ Wellington has unveiled his parents. Mr Capable, as fondly called shared a pic of him and his parents on his official instagram page with the above caption.
Media entrepreneur, Gbemi Olateru-Gbagi celebrates 30th birthday in style
30 hearty cheers to the Quintessential media entrepreneur! Beat FM multi-award winning On-Air personality, Gbemi Olateru-Gbagi who turned 30 few days back, July 18th to be precise rang in her birthday milestone in style looking gorgeous in a dress made by Kunbi Oyelese.
The lavish dinner party which was held at Otres Restaurant, in Lagos had Tiwa Savage, Niyola, Banky W, Omawumi, Ebuka, Kunbi Oyelese, Noble Igwe, Olisa Adibua, Toolz, Steve Babaeko, Toke Makinwa, Chris Ihidero, Tosyn Bucknor and many others in attendance.