The Nation Newspaper

Author: Yewande Fasan

  • I trekked from Awoyaya to Oriental, Solidstar recounts ordeal with drugs

    I trekked from Awoyaya to Oriental, Solidstar recounts ordeal with drugs

    Singer Solidstar has recounted how addiction to hard substances dealt with him in a terrible way.

    In a recent interview with Nedu and his co-hosts on the Honest Bunch podcast, Solidstar narrated how he got introduced to ice (a hard substance) by some young boys in 2021.

    Ice, also known as crystal methamphetamine, is a stimulant drug, which means it speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and body.

    Narrating his story, the singer said the drug ruined his life and music career.

    He also recalled walking from Awoyaya in Ibeju Lekki in Lagos to the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island, an estimated seven-hour trip on foot during his battle with drug addiction.

    Read Also: Singer SolidStar solicits funds over an undisclosed ailment

    “A lot of things happened to me. A couple of young boys introduced me to this substance called ice. This was three years back. The thing really affected me a lot,” he said.

    “Sometimes this substance will tell me you are king, you are this, you are that, make I no dey pay for stuffs. Can you imagine say I waka from Awoyaya to Oriental Hotel”, he said.

  • I asked God for three signs before marrying David – Queen Atang

    I asked God for three signs before marrying David – Queen Atang

    Former BBNaija housemate Queen Mercy Atang, has shared how God showed David Oyekanmi will be her husband.

    The Nation reported that the two got married over the weekend.

    During their wedding dinner at Venice Lounge, Victoria Island, Queen revealed that she received three signs from God before agreeing to marry David.

    The reality TV star said although she had been friends with him since 2016 when they met at a beauty pageant, “I never really thought David would be my husband”.

    The 28-year-old said she agreed to marry David when she got her third sign which was for him to have “a successful interview”.

    Read Also: You fought to win my love, Queen Atang hails husband

    “David has always been in my corner. I met David in 2016 in a pageantry Miss Nigeria International, which I happened to win the pageant. He has always been there. Whatever I am doing I will tell him. I was about to go for Big Brother I told him. He knows everything about it,” she said.

    “But I have never really thought of David will be that husband one day. At some point, we had feelings for each other but I just felt that it would just be like one of those feelings.

    “I told God I needed three signs before going into this relationship. And I saw two signs but the third one did not come and I told him babe this is not it. I am not seeing the third sign. I am not going into something I am not sure. He said ‘Do not worry. Keep praying’. And that he is very certain that this is it. And I am his wife. I kept on praying not knowing that the third sign. I was looking for was him.

    “So he told me that he wanted to go for an interview. And I now said let me pray about it. I just prayed and asked God if David was mine. This thing he is about to do let it come to pass. And he it did not take up to how many minutes he called me that he has gotten it.”

    Queen announced that their white wedding will be held in October 2024.

  • I accommodated Sydney Talker, Lord Lamba but they never supported my career – Oluwadolarz

    I accommodated Sydney Talker, Lord Lamba but they never supported my career – Oluwadolarz

    Skit maker Oluwadolarz, has alleged  no one in the industry supported his musical career especially when he released his EP. 

    He claimed he housed many of his colleagues in the comedy industry in the past.  

    Oluwadolarz said contrary to the belief that there is love between skit makers in the country, it is “pure competition” behind the facade.

    Speaking in a recent interview with Echoo Room, the skit maker lamented that his colleagues in the content creating industry didn’t support his debut EP despite reaching out to them.

    He particularly mentioned that the duo of Sydney Talker and Lord Lamba who lived with him in the past also didn’t support him.

    He said his experience has led him into working on a documentary in which his life story and the lack of support in the content creating industry will be showcased.

    Oluwadolarz said: “I am working on a documentary. It’s going to be about my story; people that I’ve supported in the industry that did not turn up for me.

    “I dropped an EP and not one single skit maker or comedian supported it despite reaching out to them. Funny enough, I still support them when they reach out to me even after I dropped my EP and they didn’t support.

    “When Sydney Talker came to Lagos, he lived with me for like three, four months. So Sydney is a friend of mine. We were close at the time but he didn’t support my music. Nobody supported my music. 

    “Bae U just posted it on his story that I just dropped an EP and that was all. Officer Woos shot a skit with me to promote the EP but I couldn’t post it because it would be the only promotional video as other skit makers weren’t ready to support me.

    Read Also: How Layiwasabi snubbed my messages – Oluwadolarz

    “I was supposed to shoot another skit with Shanks to promote the EP but I called and he said he was busy so I just had to let it go. 

    “Even Lord Lamba. Funny enough, he was living with me at that point. He came as a guest for my birthday and he started living with me. And I’m so happy for him now. Looking at him now, he is so big in the industry now.”

  • I’m taking a sabbatical leave next year – Actor Timini

    I’m taking a sabbatical leave next year – Actor Timini

    Actor Timini Egbuson has announced he will be going on a sabbatical next year after years of  hard work in the movie industry.

    He stated this in a recent podcast interview with content creator, Kamsi Nnamani.

    He said he has been going from set to set over the years and only managed six hours of sleep a day.

    The thespian noted that it was high time he took a break.

    Egbuson said: “I only rest when I go out at night. I only sleep five hours to six hours a day. And then keep the work going. But next year I’m going on a sabbatical. I have been acting for the past fourteen years consistently. 

    Read Also: Why I’m bigger than Zubby Michael in film industry – Timini

    “There has never been a downtime or a time when I’m just chilling. And I did not say that with pride. I say that with all humility. It has just been God.”

    He said he stumbled into acting by following his sister, actress Dakore Egbuson-Akande to sets.

    He added he would initially go to sets to protect her but then he fell in love with acting.

  • I charge more but drive less cars than colleagues-Funsho Adeolu

    I charge more but drive less cars than colleagues-Funsho Adeolu

    Actor Funsho Adeolu has claimed he charges more money per movie than most of his counterparts but they ride bigger cars than him. 

    The seasoned actor, in an interview with Teju Babyface, queried the source of income of his female colleagues in the industry.

    He noted how some of these actresses only come on set so they can pretend that the industry is what funds their lifestyle.

    Read Also: Actors who veer into politics not real actors – Funsho Adeolu

    “I charge more money per movie than most Nollywood actresses but they ride bigger cars than I do. They can’t say they make all that money from acting movies to fund their lifestyle.

    “People that if I collect N200,000 in a job, they can’t collect N20,000, they are riding bigger cars than I am riding.

    “What they do is come on set, show themselves on TV, so they have the opportunity to,” he said. 

  • Why I’m bigger than Zubby Michael in film industry – Timini

    Why I’m bigger than Zubby Michael in film industry – Timini

    Actor Timini Egbuson has defended his claim of being ‘the biggest actor in Africa’ by explaining why he believes his colleague, Zubby Michael, does not hold that title. 

    The Nation reported that the duo engaged in a heated debate on the subject during the first episode of the Prime Video original reality show, ‘Ebuka Turns Up Africa.’ 

    Speaking in a recent interview with Cool FM, Lagos, alongside Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Egbuson emphasized his superiority over Michael in terms of the quality of movies, box office performance, and recognition among industry experts. 

    When asked by the host Do2tun why he believes he’s a bigger actor than Zubby, Egbuson said: “If you watched the show, what you will first realise is that I wasn’t talking about Zubby. I speak my sh*t every time and everywhere I go. I considered myself the biggest actor, it wasn’t about Zubby. It’s about bigger than everybody else.

    “So, Zubby took it personally which is obvious, because he is also an actor who thinks he is big.

    “But if we now decide to break it down statistically, in terms of the quality of movies that we shoot, the range of movies that we shoot, the number of movies that we’ve shot, the box office record, popularity among industry experts and consistency. If you put them together, there is no way that Zubby would score higher than me.”

  • I lost my virginity at 24 – Tolanibaj

    I lost my virginity at 24 – Tolanibaj

    BBNaija reality star, Tolani Shobajo, popularly known as Tolanibaj, has revealed that she lost her virginity at the age of 24.

    According to her, she lost her virginity “very late” because she didn’t explore in her early 20s.

    She disclosed this in the latest episode of the Bahd And Boujee Podcast co-hosted by her and actress, Moet Abebe.

    Tolanibaj said: “I didn’t explore enough in my early 20s. In fact, I lost my virginity very late. I was like 24. And I lost it out of curiosity. I could have been 30 and still be a virgin. I kid you not.

    “I just wasn’t eager to see what people were talking about until I turned 24. I had sex and I was like, ‘So this is even it?’”

  • I regret meeting some people while I was young – Halima Abubakar

    I regret meeting some people while I was young – Halima Abubakar

    Popular actress, Halima Abubakar, said she regretted meeting certain people in the earlier stages of her life.

    Halima, in an interview with Punch, said the people she met while growing up were useless, saying that she regretted meeting them.

    She, however, encouraged women in the movie industry to keep striving hard and avoid listening to people about what they should do with their money.

    Read Also: Grateful actress Halima Abubakar steps out for first time in two years

    She said: “Everybody I met when I was a young person was useless, and I regret meeting them. That might be because I am too real. I cannot stand a lot of them, and I don’t care how they see me.

    “Women should keep striving hard. Nobody should tell you what to do with your money. Things are changing gradually, even though we are not fully there yet. I am proud of the females currently making waves in the industry.”

    According to Halima, many men in the entertainment industry viewed women as mere s3x objects, rather than capable professionals.

    She said: “Men have a bad notion about women in the industry. They downgrade women, especially the young ones that are trying to make it. They see women as s3x objects. Many of them feel that women are not capable of doing good jobs.

    “The thespian also stated that cabals were destroying the industry, “If a lady decides to do a movie, she will hear things like, ‘She thinks she has grown’. A friend could even be the one to throw one under the bus, spilling secrets one does not want people to know.”

  • I got paid everyday for a week, says Adekunle Gold

    I got paid everyday for a week, says Adekunle Gold

    Afrobeat sensation, Adekunle Kosoko, popularly known as Adekunle Gold has revealed how he gets paid every day for one week. 

    He took to his X platform to announce that in the past week, he got paid every day.

    Read Also:Adekunle Gold sheds tears over sold-out London show

    Gold stated: “I’ve gotten paid every day for a week straight! Every day is a payday hits even harder now!” 

  • Many Nigerians didn’t believe Anthony Joshua will win – Do2dtun

    Many Nigerians didn’t believe Anthony Joshua will win – Do2dtun

    Following the recent victory of Nigerian-British boxer, Anthony Joshua, against former Franco-Cameroonian UFC star, Francis Ngannou, popular media personality Oladotun Ojuolape Kayode, aka Do2dtun, has claimed that many Nigerians didn’t believe Joshua was going to triumph.

    The Nation reported that Joshua knocked out the former UFC heavyweight champion in the second round of the bout in Saudi Arabia.

    Nigerians thronged to social media to celebrate Joshua’s victory over Ngannou with the Federal Government also sending a congratulatory message to him via social media.

    Read Also: Anthony Joshua: I want winner of  Fury/Usyk fight

    However, reacting via his X handle, Do2tun insisted that most Nigerians didn’t support Joshua initially.

    He wrote: “Be honest, so many Nigerians didn’t believe Anthony would win this fight. I did. I said to my friends, ‘Boxing is technical & just cos Francis knocked out Fury who I still think hasn’t fought a good contender doesn’t mean he will beat Anthony.’ We need to do better.”

    Sharing a screenshot of his tweet on his Instagram page, Do2tun opined that Anthony Joshua was right not to have mentioned Nigeria in his victory speech where he acknowledged Britain, Cameroon, and Saudi Arabia.

    The OAP wrote: “Success has a lot of family members. Failure is an orphan. Such is life but I’d rather choose one with my full chest.

    “Let’s stay in one place. He [Anthony Joshua] didn’t shout us out but do we truly deserve it? Tonnes even bet against him. Chai Naija for show.”