BBC Pidgin of Tuesday, 13 June 2023

Source: BBC

Di complicated and controversial legacy of late Italy four-time Prime Minister Berlusconi

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy flamboyant media mogul and politician wey die aged 86 Silvio Berlusconi, Italy flamboyant media mogul and politician wey die aged 86

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy flamboyant media mogul and politician, don die at di age of 86 years.

Berlusconi na Italy Prime Minister four times and each time wey e be like say im political career don finish, im go bounce back.

Nine years afta dem ban am from public office for tax fraud, im return back to parliament, as Italy elected Senator before im turn 86 years for September 2022.

For im lifetime, na mostly tori about im private life – im like to surround imsef wit small small girls, and dis cause enof scandal – na im dey make international news headlines.

In die for hospital for hospital for Milan, afta dem bin treat am for lung infection and leukaemia.

Im burial service go occur for Milan Cathedral on Wednesday, Milan diocese confam.

Berlusconi na also di former owner of AC Milan - ex-captain Paolo Maldini don say: "Thank you for evri tin, president."

Berlusconi complicated and controversial legacy

Dem born Berlusconi for Milan for 1936.

Im rise to become popular as media tycoon. E build very big business empire wey include TV networks, publishing companies and advertising agencies.

Berlusconi enta politics for di 1990s and quickly make name for imsef as man wey sabi and charismatic campaigner.

For politics na character wey bin cause division, im supporters admire am for im business sense and im popularity, but im critics hate am for im alleged corruption, sex scandals, and no respect for rule of law.

Throughout im political career, Berlusconi face plenty legal troubles, including charges of bribery, tax fraud, and sex wit underage prostitute.

On several occasions courts convict am, im manage to avoid prison due to im age and di statute of limitations wey don expire.

Despite all im legal palava, Berlusconi bin still remain major force for Italian politics and im na influential figure for Italy current governing coalition, wey Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni dey lead.

Im legacy still be subject of debate, as some dey hail am as champion of free enterprise and defender of Italian values, odas see am as di symbol of corruption and moral decay.

Berlusconi death mark di end of one era for Italian politics and media.

E leave complicated and controversial legacy wey go be topic of debate for years to come.

Berlusconi alleged link wit di mafia

Berlusconi bin claim say im bin dey fight organised crime, and no be say im get link to am.

Im bin face different kain accuse dem say im get historic link to di mafia - including by former mafia members wey later become informants.

E face investigate many times on im alleged involvement wit several mafia bombings for 1993 across three Italian cities, wey kill 10 pipo.

Berlusconi chop accuse many times for encouraging violence. Im bin always deny di accuse say im get any involvement.

In fact, im bin claim say im crack down on organised crime wen im bin dey power.

Wetin go happun to Berlusconi empire?

During im lifetime, Silvio Berlusconi build very big empire wey bin include media, real estate, finance, cinema and sport.

According to Forbes, im business assets worth about €6bn (£5.15bn).

But im no ever show who go lead im business empire afta im death.

Di future of im business interests go fit depend on how im choose to distribute di 61% stake wey im bin get for di family holding company Fininvest between im five children from two marriages.

All of dem go get equal share or more for di two eldest children, Marina and Pier Silvio, wey get management positions for di empire since early 1990s?

Pipo wey close to di family bin describe Silvio Berlusconi as "di glue" wey keep im children united.

So far, e neva get any quarrel over who go take over di empire – di expectation be say dis go fall on di oldest child Marina, 56, wey pipo consider to be di closest to Silvio.

Di big question na weda dem go fit maintain di family unity now wey im don die, and which kain impact e go get on di future of di TV business wey Berlusconi take build im wealth.