The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • Nigerian culture irreplicable – Simi

    Nigerian culture irreplicable – Simi

    Afrobeats singer Simisola Kosoko popularly known as Simi has declared profound pride in being Nigerian, stating how it is impossible for non-Nigerians to replicate the culture.

    In a recent appearance on the ‘90s Baby Show’, the “Joromi” hitmaker stated: “My favourite thing about Nigeria is just the spirit of Nigerians. You can’t replicate it. Nobody else can be a Nigerian other than a Nigerian.”

    She observed that Hollywood’s portrayals of African accents typically imitate East or South African dialects, rarely attempting a Nigerian one.

    “Even when they are faking African accents in Hollywood movies, they never actually fake a Nigerian accent.

    “They always fake East Africa and South African accents. Being a Nigerian doesn’t just come as naturally, it just feels like home.

    “That is why I wish the country was better. Because I feel like no one would want to leave,” she added.

  • Why I quit smoking – Yemi Alade

    Why I quit smoking – Yemi Alade

    Afropop star Yemi Alade has revealed how she developed a short-term cigarette addiction while in university but quit after it began harming her voice and required her to hide the habit in public.

    During an interview with Chude Jideonwo, the Johnny singer explained that her experimentation with smoking as a teenager quickly escalated into a nightly routine before bed.

    She said the need to conceal cigarettes when out in public created discomfort that ultimately led her to stop.

    Alade also noted the negative impact on her vocal health, a critical concern for her career.

    “Some people say I don’t smoke, I don’t this, I don’t that. When I was in the university I tried smoking. I did not work out. But before it did not work out, it worked out a bit too much. I started needing to smoke before I go to bed. I was getting addicted to that lifestyle. But also, in public, I would hide the cigarette.

    “So, I was like, ‘What’s this life; the discomfort that I can’t go to bed without smoking and then when I go out, I am going to hide the cigarette? As a teenager in the university trying to figure out life, I also made certain decisions for myself that if I’m going to hide to do something, I will not do it. Because I like to be aware of my environment and my decisions. And I just said I don’t think cigarettes are for me.

    “They are not for me. And they harmed me, they affected my voice anyways. So I stopped. Smoking for me did not last up to a year,” she stated.

  • Mob beats DJ Chicken in Sagamu after crash injures two

    Mob beats DJ Chicken in Sagamu after crash injures two

    TikTok star DJ Chicken has been beaten by an angry mob in Sagamu on Saturday after his vehicle struck a motorcycle and reportedly injured a man and a woman.

    The collision happened shortly after noon on a narrow street in the town.

    Witnesses said DJ Chicken was driving fast when he hit the bike, sending the rider and his female passenger sprawling onto the pavement.

    His car sustained heavy front-end damage.

    Within minutes, residents and other motorcyclists surrounded the scene.

    Video footage shows the entertainer dressed only in a white singlet and underwear, being pulled from the driver’s seat, slapped repeatedly, and forced to sit on the ground as the crowd shouted accusations of reckless driving.

    DJ Chicken, visibly shaken with blood on his face, pleaded for calm but was held down until calmer voices intervened.

    He was eventually allowed to leave, though his condition remained unclear.

    The injured motorcyclists were taken to a local hospital but their status has not been confirmed.

    The incident has reignited online criticism of DJ Chicken’s past behavior, with some users citing prior allegations of dangerous driving.

    Others condemned the mob assault, calling it “jungle justice.”

  • Olamide praises Wizkid’s son Boluwatife’s new snippet

    Olamide praises Wizkid’s son Boluwatife’s new snippet

    Rapper Olamide has endorsed Wizkid’s first son Boluwatife’s music debut by reposting a video of the 14-year-old just days after the teenager dropped a viral studio snippet teasing his debut single.

    Boluwatife, who goes by the stage name Champz, shared the freestyle preview for his upcoming track “Champions Arrival” on Instagram, blending confident rap bars over an Afrobeats-infused beat and quickly amassing over a million views.

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    The clip, showing the young artist in a relaxed studio session, drew immediate praise for his vocal flow and self-assured delivery, with fans drawing parallels to his father’s early sound while noting his unique edge.

  • Nigeria loses billions to piracy, NCC reveals

    Nigeria loses billions to piracy, NCC reveals

    •MultiChoice sensitises youth

    Multichoice Nigeria has intensified efforts to curb intellectual property theft with an anti-piracy sensitisation programme for teenagers at Kuramo Senior College, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.

    Speaking at the event, Lynda Alphaeus, a director at the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), said Nigeria loses billions of naira annually to piracy, a loss many Nigerians underestimate despite its far-reaching impact on the creative sector.

    “It not only affects the monetary value that would have gone to the creators; it also affects the economy generally because those who would have been employed by those creators are not being employed in the fashion industry, arts, or different types of categories,” she said.

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    Alphaeus stressed that the effects cascade beyond creators. When creative revenues collapse due to piracy, jobs are lost before they are even created. She added that engaging teenagers is strategic, noting that “when children have a change of mindset, a part of the war is already won.”

    Caroline Oghuma, Executive Head of Corporate Affairs, at MultiChoice, reaffirmed this position, stating that the company remains committed to public education on piracy.

    “Piracy is not a victimless act; and the fight against piracy must begin in classrooms. The future of Nollywood, Nigerian music and other forms of creative expression lies in the hands of these young people. If they learn to respect creativity now, they’ll help secure the future of our creative economy.” she said.

    In recent years, a UNESCO report estimated that between 50 and 70% of revenue in Nigeria’s film market is lost to piracy, a staggering figure in one of the country’s fastest-growing industries. It is this reality that makes the fight against piracy urgent, and why initiatives like MultiChoice’s sensitisation remain critical in safeguarding the future of Nigerian storytelling.

  • Wale Sax to ‘Raise A Sound’ for God in November

    Wale Sax to ‘Raise A Sound’ for God in November

    Saxophonist and Gospel music minister, Wale Adekoya aka Wale Sax, has announced November 2 as the date for his annual concert, themed: ‘Raise A Sound.’

    Wale Sax, who made the announcement during an interview, revealed the Solution Arena, on Ikorodu Road as the venue of the concert.

    According to him, organizing the concert is an instruction from God to raise an Altar of Praise where people will gather and give praise to Him.

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    He urged other people who want to organize programmes like this to let it be born out of instruction from God, because doing this type of event is cost-effective, and it’s only God that can raise people to support a vision like this.

    “So, my advice to anyone who wants to do a program like this is to believe in God and his divine provision.”

    He further revealed that other entertainers and gospel music ministers expected at the concert include Sola Adeshina, Olabest, Olamilekan, Dr. Segun Ajidara, Mike Abdul, and Adam Songbird.

    “Everyone should expect a special move from God, as God Himself will be rejoicing over us with singing (Zeph 3 vs 17) as we raise our Sounds to Him, he added.”

  • Dignitaries to grace Lancelot Imasuen’s book launch in Lagos

    Dignitaries to grace Lancelot Imasuen’s book launch in Lagos

    As part of  the activities lined up in celebration of DGuv at 30, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen will be unveiling a trip-in-motion, a memoir that chronicles his experience in the landscape of Nollywood on Thursday, 27th November, 2025 at the iconic Mike Adenuga’s elegant edifice, Alliance Française, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    The book, written by renowned poet and author of ‘The Broken Cross and Bush Radio,’ Godson Osarenren, and will be unveiled in Lagos as the climax to a two-week long celebration of Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen 30-years behind the camera.

    Distinguished guests, Nollywood’s best, diplomats, captains of industries, top politicians, socialites, and friends of Lancelot Imasuen are all expected to grace this high octane and star-studded event.

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    At the event, Imasuen will be giving awards to appreciate men and women who have supported his lifelong career in the make-believe world. Notable among them are; Late Captain Hosa Okubor, Senator Daisy Danjuma, Sir Emmanuel Isikaku who was the first person that funded Lancelot’s film in the year 1996, and several other notable individuals, as the launch is intended to be a packed event.

    Lancelot’s 30-years behind the camera celebration will start on November 15th, 2015 with an open street casting that is going to happen in various major streets in Benin and ending at the place where he grew up as a young child. Then, the colloquium, which will be the major event, will take place in Benin, which will see the unveiling of Oduwa Imasuen Lancelot, OIL Foundation. A Foundation that is poised to help resuscitating and rejuvenating dramatic and film clubs across various schools in Edo State.

  • Mc Lively, Groovy anchor star-studded El-Clasico watch party

    Mc Lively, Groovy anchor star-studded El-Clasico watch party

    It was an evening of football, fun, and fanfare as skincare giant Beiersdorf, makers of Nivea, hosted a glamorous El-Clasico Watch Party at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos bringing together celebrities, influencers, and football lovers for a thrilling viewing experience.

    Hosted by popular comedian Mc Lively alongside reality show star Groovy, the event combined live match excitement with a touch of entertainment flair, featuring pre- and post-match analysis sessions that kept guests fully engaged throughout the night.

    The event, powered by Nivea Men, marked the second edition of the brand’s El-Clasico celebration in Nigeria, following a successful debut that deepened its connection with fans of both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

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    Speaking at the gathering, Mr. Dele Adeyole, Country Manager, Beiersdorf Nigeria, described the initiative as a unique blend of sports and consumer engagement.

    “This is the second time Nivea Men will be hosting El-Clasico. Beiersdorf, the global manufacturer of Nivea products, is the inventor of modern skincare, and we aspire to be the best skincare company in the world,” Adeyole said.

    “The care we give to the skin goes beyond the surface — we care for our consumers. That’s why we’ve brought them out to enjoy the biggest soccer event next to the World Cup and Champions League. It’s all about the connection between two iconic brands — Real Madrid and Nivea.”

  • Oladips opens up on encounter with EFCC

    Oladips opens up on encounter with EFCC

    Nigerian rapper Oladips has opened up about his unpleasant encounter with the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging that he was unlawfully arrested and extorted millions of naira in 2024.

    The “Lalakukulala” singer made the revelation during a recent interview, where he recounted how the  EFCC officials broke into his Lagos residence in the middle of the night.

    “It was around 3 AM when they broke my kitchen door and gained access to my apartment,” Oladips said. “I already knew they were in the estate operating in other people’s apartments, but I wasn’t worried because I don’t do fraud.”

    According to him, the operatives demanded his laptop, but he explained that he only owned two mobile phones.

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     He claimed he was taken to the EFCC office, where officials, upon finding no evidence of fraud, began questioning him about tax payments.

    “I was locked up for five days in a very smelly cell but was later granted bail after paying millions,” the rapper recounted.

    Oladips also revealed that fellow artiste Zlatan Ibile ensured he had food throughout his detention by sending him meals daily.

    He described the experience as both humiliating and traumatizing, adding that although he contemplated taking legal action against the anti-graft agency, he decided against it due to the complexities of Nigeria’s justice system.

    “I would have sued the EFCC, but you know how the system is — I would just keep spending money,” he said.

  • How I got into debt after marketer’s death, by Otolo

    How I got into debt after marketer’s death, by Otolo

    Veteran Nollywood actor Mustapha Bakare, aka Otolo, has opened up about one of the most difficult moments in his career.        In a recent expose, the 68-year-old Baba Otolo revealed how he was plunged into heavy debt following the sudden death of his movie marketer.

    Speaking in a recent interview, the actor recounted that he had taken a ₦4 million loan from Oceanic Bank to finance a personal film project. He said the movie had just been released when tragedy struck.

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    “I’ve worked with a lot of marketers, but there’s one who I really love and respect — her name is Lady Prince,” he said. “When I wanted to produce my movie titled ‘Ise Oru,’ I went to Oceanic Bank to collect a loan of ₦4 million. After shooting the movie and releasing it, within two months, the marketer slumped and died.”

    Otolo explained that he made several attempts to reach a financial agreement with the late marketer’s husband, but all efforts failed, leaving him with the full burden of repayment.

    “The bank started asking for their money, which I didn’t have,” he said. “When the pressure became too much, I relocated to Oshogbo, Osun State.”

    The actor noted that it was during this period of distress that he met popular clergyman Agbala Gabriel, who came to his rescue and helped him offset a major part of the debt.

    “He helped me refund a huge part of the money to the bank,” Otolo added with gratitude.