The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • TikTok forms US joint venture to avert ban over Chinese ownership

    TikTok forms US joint venture to avert ban over Chinese ownership

    Video and photo-sharing platform TikTok has created a new joint venture, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, with majority American ownership to continue operating its business in the United States and avoid a potential ban linked to its Chinese roots.

    The new entity is expected to serve more than 200 million users and 7.5 million businesses across the country, with enhanced safeguards for data protection, algorithm security, and content moderation.

    Former US President Donald Trump welcomed the agreement and claimed credit for facilitating the deal, while also expressing appreciation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for approving the arrangement.

    “I am so happy to have helped in saving TikTok!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social late Thursday.

    Read Also: Tonto Dikeh warns TikTok impostor, threatens legal action over alleged scams

    “It will now be owned by a group of Great American Patriots and Investors, the Biggest in the World, and will be an important Voice.

    “I would also like to thank President Xi of China for working with us and, ultimately, approving the Deal,” he added.

    The joint venture is owned by a group of American investors, including Silver Lake, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi-based AI investment fund MGX, each holding 15% stakes, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake.

    Oracle will store US user data in its secure cloud environment, with cybersecurity audited by third-party experts.

  • ‘Seek education, solid management’ – Woli Arole advises Peller

    ‘Seek education, solid management’ – Woli Arole advises Peller

    Comedian and actor Woli Arole has advised TikToker Peller after his attempts to meet American streamer IShowSpeed in Lagos failed.

    Arole, on Instagram, praised Peller’s audacity but advised him to get solid management, seek education, and surround himself with wise counsel.

    He wrote, “My words to @peller089. I celebrate your audacity despite you being BIG here in Nigeria, you wanted to meet “Ishow Speed” when he came to Nigeria, that’s some guts there!. Despite what seems like an embarrassment, you still tried again. A lot of people bashing Peller don’t even have half of his influence, money, or reach, so we must talk to him with grace, not just to rubbish him.

    Read Also: Woli Arole opens up on keeping family life private

    “My candid Advice to you, Peller: Please get a solid Management. Please seek education; it will solidify your brand. Please have elderly people in your team. Seek solid Branding. Overall, don’t stop. Be careful how you talk; words carry power. Be cautious of pride; it can make anyone fall. Learn to listen when you’re talked to, too. Life is more than fame. Peller, you’re our goat here. God bless you!!!”

    He reposted an old video of Peller saying he’d ignore IShowSpeed if he came to Nigeria, cautioning Peller to be mindful of his words and actions, citing the dangers of pride.

    Peller’s attempts to meet IShowSpeed involved running alongside his convoy, trying to climb a vehicle, and riding a horse through traffic.

    The Cubana Chief Priest also defended Peller, saying there’s no shame in trying to achieve goals. 

  • Bolaji Ogunmola ranked third among top 10 Nollywood producers of 2025

    Bolaji Ogunmola ranked third among top 10 Nollywood producers of 2025

    Actress and film producer Bolaji Ogunmola has been ranked among the top 10 Nollywood producers of 2025, clinching the third position on the Nigeria Box Office list.

    In a post shared on Instagram, Ogunmola expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing it as a testament to years of dedication and perseverance in the film industry.

    She reflected on the hurdles encountered along the way, including sleepless nights, professional setbacks, and persistent prayers, noting that the journey has shaped her growth and resilience.

    The producer added that she remains proud of her progress and is optimistic about achieving greater milestones in the future.

    Read Also: Bolaji Ogunmola blasts airline after being stranded in Ekiti for 24 hours

    “Blessed and Thankful. Creating stories, making sure these stories are being told, financing it, sleepless nights, Certain setbacks, and even when it looks like it won’t happen…fervent prayers that these decisions are the best move at the time.

    “Looking back right now, I regret nothing!!! It’s all part of the process. Oluwaseun. So much work to be done, we are literally just starting, but I am absolutely thankful for how far I have come. Eyes forever on The. Just look at the number of women in this category, love this a lot”, she wrote.

  • Wizkid, Asake release joint EP ‘Real (Vol. 1)’

    Wizkid, Asake release joint EP ‘Real (Vol. 1)’

    Afrobeats singers Wizkid and Asake have released their highly anticipated joint EP, Real Vol. 1, featuring four tracks; Turbulence, Jogodo, Iskolodo, and Alaye.

    The EP followed the success of their lead single, Jogodo, which dropped last week, January 16 and garnered massive streaming numbers.

    Read Also: Fela, Wizkid comparison: A storm in a teacup?

    The duo announced the EP’s arrival on Instagram, sharing a promotional video and captioning it “Real EP Vol. 1 ti jade bayi”.

    This collaboration marks another milestone in their musical partnership, which has produced hits like MMS and Bad Girl.

    Both artists have had impressive individual runs in 2025, with Wizkid’s Morayo being the most streamed album on Apple Music Nigeria, and Asake’s Why Love topping the charts as the most streamed song.

  • Music is about impact, not numbers – Jaywon

    Music is about impact, not numbers – Jaywon

    Afrobeats singer Jaywon has addressed young artists on the true meaning of music,  following the online feud between Seun Kuti and Wizkid drama.

    In an Instagram post, Jaywon lamented that many young artists focus solely on metrics like streams and recognition, thinking it makes them the best.

    He emphasised that music’s value lies in its impact, ability to change minds, and touch souls. 

    Read Also: Gospel, Afrobeats artists copy ‘This Year’ template – Jaywon

    Jaywon cited legends like Bob Marley and Fela as examples of artists who’ve made lasting impacts, noting their music remains relevant forever.

    “The problem with a lot of you youngins and small minds is thinking music is only about numbers. You believe that because you’ve got streams, recognition, a strong PR machine, and money to throw around.

    “That automatically makes you the best artist in the world, Lol. Music isn’t about numbers. It’s about impact, changing minds and touching souls. That’s why Legends like Bob Marley and Fela still matter. Their music is forever”, he wrote.

  • Actress Bimpe Akintunde seeks prayer on journey to self-forgiveness

    Actress Bimpe Akintunde seeks prayer on journey to self-forgiveness

    Actress Bimpe Akintunde has shared her journey towards self-forgiveness, asking fans to pray for her as she seeks healing, peace and clarity.

    The actress, on Instagram, emphasised the importance of forgiving oneself to move forward in life.

    The mother of two revealed she’s embarking on this journey for personal growth, trusting God to guide her.

    Read Also: Actress Sarah Martins hospitalised after health scare

    She encouraged others to practice self-forgiveness, saying it’s essential for healing and moving on.

    She wrote: “Forgiving yourself for an expensive and unforgettable mistake is a very long journey. I am embarking on this journey for Healing, peace of mind, clarity and Strength to keep moving on in life. 

    “I ask all of my lovers all over the world to pls put me in prayers as I embark on this FORGIVENESS Journey, and I trust God to make it an easy journey for me.

    “Remember, you have to forgive yourself to forgive anyone who offends you, too. I am using this opportunity to beg everyone who has made any Mistake in their journey of life to please forgive themselves to make life easy for themselves as they continue with the journey of life”.

  • Wike’s son bags Master’s degree from London varsity

    Wike’s son bags Master’s degree from London varsity

    Joaquin Wike, son of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has graduated with a Master of Science degree in Management and Technology Change from King’s College London.

    The pictures from the graduation ceremony were shared on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on his X (formerly Twitter) page.

    Olayinka wrote, “FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike’s son, Joaquin bags MSc Degree in Management and Technology Change at King’s College London”.

    Read Also: Adeyanju backs Wike over construction of Apo-Karshi road

    The ceremony was attended by his family members and prominent politicians, including Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.

    He added: “PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, PDP National Vice Chairman (South South), Chief Dan Orbih, Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Jordan Wike, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Wike and Daughter, Jazmyne, were there to rejoice with him today.”

    This followed his brother Jordan’s recent graduation with a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from Queen Mary University of London.

  • Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ breaks Oscar’s record with 16 nominations

    Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ breaks Oscar’s record with 16 nominations

    Ryan Coogler’s vampire period horror film ‘Sinners’ has broken Oscar’s record with 16 nominations, including best picture, according to the Academy on Thursday.

    The film, set in the Mississippi Delta and starring Michael B. Jordan, explores themes of Black American history, music, and the supernatural.

    “Sinners” surpasses the previous record of 14 nominations held by “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land.”

    Read Also: Full list of 2026 OSCAR nominations

    Michael B. Jordan received a best actor nomination for his role in the film, which also picked up nods for screenplay, score, and best casting, a new category added to the Oscars.

    “One Battle After Another” came second with 13 nominations, including best actor for Leonardo DiCaprio.

    Other top contenders include “Frankenstein,” “Marty Supreme,” and “Sentimental Value” with nine nominations each, and “Hamnet” with eight.

  • Full list of 2026 OSCAR nominations

    Full list of 2026 OSCAR nominations

    The organisers of the 98th Academy Awards announced the initial slate of nominations for the 2026 Oscars on Thursday, with actors Lewis Pullman and Danielle Brooks revealing the full list across all 24 categories.

    Leading the pack as early frontrunners are Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, which secured 13 nominations, and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which broke Oscar history with a record-breaking 16 nominations, the most ever for a single film, surpassing the previous tie of 14 held by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land.

    The 98th Oscars ceremony is scheduled for March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood, with Conan O’Brien returning as host.

    Below is the full list of categories and nominees:

    Best Picture

    Bugonia

    F1: The Movie

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    The Secret Agent

    Sentimental Value

    Sinners

    Train Dreams

    Best Actor

    Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme

    Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

    Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

    Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

    Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

    Best Actress

    Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

    Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

    Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue

    Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value

    Emma Stone, Bugonia

    Best Supporting Actor

    Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another

    Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein

    Delroy Lindo, Sinners

    Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

    Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value

    Best Supporting Actress

    Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value

    Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value

    Amy Madigan, Weapons

    Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

    Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

    Read Also: Tom Cruise wins first Oscar with honorary award

    Best Director

    Chloé Zhao, Hamnet

    Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme

    Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another

    Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value

    Ryan Coogler, Sinners

    Original Screenplay

    Robert Kaplow, Blue Moon

    Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident

    Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme

    Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value

    Ryan Coogler, Sinners

    Adapted Screenplay

    Will Tracy, Bugonia

    Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein

    Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet

    Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another

    Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, Train Dreams

    Animated Feature

    Arco

    Elio

    KPop Demon Hunters

    Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

    Zootopia 2

    Documentary Feature

    The Alabama Solution

    Come See Me in the Good Light

    Cutting Through Rocks

    Mr Nobody Against Putin

    The Perfect Neighbor

    International Feature

    The Secret Agent, Brazil

    It Was Just an Accident, France

    Sentimental Value, Norway

    Sirāt, Spain

    The Voice of Hind Rajab, Tunisia

    Editing

    Stephen Mirrione, F1: The Movie

    Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme

    Andy Jurgensen, One Battle After Another

    Olivier Bugge Coutté, Sentimental Value

    Michael P. Shawver, Sinners

    Cinematography

    Dan Laustsen, Frankenstein

    Darius Khondji, Marty Supreme

    Michael Bauman, One Battle After Another

    Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners

    Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams

    Original Score

    Jerskin Fendrix, Bugonia

    Alexandre Desplat, Frankenstein

    Max Richter, Hamnet

    Jonny Greenwood, One Battle After Another

    Ludwig Goransson, Sinners

    Casting

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    The Secret Agent

    Sinners

    Production Design

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Costume Design

    Avatar: Fire and Ash

    Frankenstein

    Hamnet

    Marty Supreme

    Sinners

    Visual Effects

    Avatar: Fire and Ash

    F1: The Movie

    Jurassic World Rebirth

    The Lost Bus

    Sinners

    Sound

    F1: The Movie

    Frankenstein

    One Battle After Another

    Sinners

    Sirât

    Makeup and Hairstyling

    Frankenstein

    Kokuho

    Sinners

    The Smashing Machine

    The Ugly Stepsister

    Original Song

    Dear Me from Diane Warren: Relentless; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

    Golden

    from KPop Demon Hunters; Music and Lyric by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon, and Teddy Park

    I Lied to You from Sinners; Music and Lyric by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Goransson

    Sweet Dreams of Joy from Viva Verdi; Music and Lyric by Nicholas Pike

    Train Dreams from Train Dreams; Music by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner; Lyric by Nick Cave

    Live-Action Short

    Butcher’s Stain

    A Friend of Dorothy

    Jane Austen’s Period Drama

    The Singers

    Two People Exchanging Saliva

    Documentary short

    All the Empty Rooms

    Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud

    Children No More: “Were and Are Gone”

    The Devil Is Busy

    Perfectly a Strangeness

    Animated Short

    Butterfly

    Forevergreen

    The Girl Who Cried Pearls

    Retirement Plan

    The Three Sisters

  • Yeni Kuti weighs in on Wizkid, Seun feud, defends father’s legacy

    Yeni Kuti weighs in on Wizkid, Seun feud, defends father’s legacy

    Yeni Kuti, daughter of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, has broken the silence on the escalating feud between her brother Seun Kuti and Grammy-winning singer Wizkid.

    Speaking on TVC’s Your View on Thursday, Kuti expressed disappointment that Wizkid involved her late father in the dispute.

    Yeni recalled Wizkid’s early days as a backup singer at the Shrine, emphasising her affection for him.

    Read Also: I’m bigger than Fela, Wizkid replies Seun Kuti

    “I love Wizkid a lot, he is my paddy na. He is my small friend. I remember when he started at the Shrine, he was a backup singer. I cannot stop liking Wizkid.”

    The feud began with a social media exchange between Seun Kuti and Wizkid, drawing public attention.

    Yeni said she wished Wizkid had ended it earlier, emphasising Fela’s enduring influence, and expressed concern about the timing, ahead of Fela’s Grammy celebration, saying it’s Nigeria that’s being tarnished.

    “I wish when all these started, he had put a stop to it before it became what it is now. We are just about to celebrate our icon at the Grammy, and you are all doing all this rubbish, as if you are trying to dirty something. It’s not Fela or Fela’s family you are dirtying, it’s Nigeria. If you have a problem with someone, why are you now calling Fela out?,” she said.

    Fela’s legacy, Yeni said, is what’s highlighting his greatness, “Fela has done his own 27 years, 27 years, and you are still calling his name. That is just the answer to his greatness”, Yeni added.