Popular Nigerian actor, Timini Egbuson has disclosed that he prefers dating Nigerian women living abroad, rather than those at home.

He made the revelation in a recent interview on Menisms Podcast.

He claimed that the fierce competition that women in Nigeria face when it comes to dating makes it preferable to date them overseas.

Speaking of his experience, he said “This is me talking from my personal experience, honestly I feel like you would get a better dating experience from a Nigerian girl living abroad than those living here.

“My reason is because Nigerian girls living in London, Canada or America are the minority in the dating pool over there. So there are options

“So when an abroad based Nigerian babe catches you, you are honestly the catch and she would be happy to take care of you. But over here, they have options. Even the ones that aren’t the best looking.”

Nigerian singer, Davido has relished a Rolex wristwatch gift from Atletico Madrid player, Memphis Depay.

The striker reportedly gifted Davido a multi-million naira Rolex wristwatch after he performed at his 30th birthday party recently.

Confirming the reports via his Instagram story, Davido claimed it was the first time he ever received a gift despite several Nigerian celebrities giving him cash gifts during his birthday years back which he later donated to charity.

The singer further claimed that he has always been the one giving to people.

He wrote, “N*gga bought me a rolex on his own birthday! I never receive gifts, I’ve always been the one to gift people.“I love and appreciate you @memphisdepay.”

Controversial Nollywood actor turned pastor, Yul Edochie, has finally reacted to the critics of his fake prophecy about the AFCON 2023 final.

Yul had earlier before the match on Sunday, predicted that the Nigeria Super Eagles would defeat Ivory Coast in the final.

In a post on his Instagram page, he said “Today’s game will not get a penalty shootout. Nigeria will comfortably defeat the Ivory Coast.”

However, the Super Eagles suffered a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast.

Following the loss, Nigerians on social media took to Yul’s page to express their disappointment and label his prophecy as fake.

Reacting amid the backlash, Yul in a post on his page said “It is well. Thank you Super Eagles. Getting to the finals is as good as winning. We are proud of you all. Great performance in the tournament.

“Win or lose, good or bad, we’ve been here. I love my country Nigeria. Better days ahead. Giant of Africa.”

Nigerian afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, has revealed that he won’t leave his wife if she cheats on him.

According to him, infidelity is not a deal breaker in their marriage.

His wife, Yetunde, who also appeared with him on the Valentine edition of the TVC programme, Your View, recently, said would also not leave if the singer cheats on her.

Mrs Kuti said, “There is nothing my husband is going to do that would make me leave him. Even if he cheats on me I won’t leave him. I am not going to leave my husband because he cheated on me. Nah, that can’t happen.”

Mr Kuti inferred: “We don’t believe in cheating. What is cheating? Love is not ownership.”

One of the hosts asked Seun Kuti, “Would you leave her [your wife] if she cheats on you,” to which he replied, “No. What has that got to do with anything?”

Buzzing American singer-songwriter, Victoria Monet has named ‘Ojuelegba’ by Nigerian singer, Wizkid as her favourite Afrobeats song.

Monet also revealed that Wizkid, Burna Boy and South African singer, Tyla who scooped the maiden Best African Music Performance award at the 66th Grammys are her favourite Afrobeats artists.

She disclosed this in a recent interview with popular Nigerian dancer and socialite, Pocolee.

She said, “Burna Boy and Wizkid are my favourite Afrobeats artists. I can’t pick one. And Tyla too.

“Wizkid’s ‘Ojuelegba’ is my favourite Afrobeats song of all time.”

Victoria Monét won the Best New Artist category at the 66th Grammys, beating Ice Spice, Fred Again, Coco Jones, Jelly Roll and others to clinch the golden gramophone.

Controversial Nollywood actor-turned-cleric, Yul Edochie has declared himself the most handsome pastor in the African continent.

Edochie launched his online Ministry, The Salvation Ministry, weeks ago.

Sharing a photo of himself via his Instagram page recently, the thespian claimed that because of his handsomeness, many are predicting that his church will be dominated by female members.

He captioned the photo: “Most handsome Pastor in Africa. Dem say na women go full my church.”

His post elicited mixed reactions, with many expressing their doubts via the comment section while others commended his assertiveness.

Popular skit maker Sabinus has taken the bold step of suspending himself from a Showmax billboard to prove his love for actress Sharon Ooja.

The move is the latest in a series of activities Sabinus has embarked on over the last 24 hours to win Sharon’s love. The stunts have now been revealed as a tease for the newly acquired Showmax Original, Dead Serious starring both powerhouses.

The chain of events started with Sabinus publishing a video on social media about looking for a girl to love on the street of Lagos. Frustrated by his fruitless search, he looks online and sets his sights on Sharon Ooja, reaching out to propose spending Valentine’s Day with her. He captions the post, “This Valentine’s, I no go gree for anybody. It’s either @sharonooja or nothing”.

Sabinus then engages popular social media matchmaker Lege Maimii to help win Sharon over. True to Lege’s style of matchmaking, he holds a hilarious Instagram live session with Sabinus and Sharon to help bring Sabinus’ dream to life.

Following the Instagram live session, Sharon challenges Sabinus to take on two key challenges to prove his love for her – suspend himself on a billboard in Lagos and eat ten hot peppered chicken wings.

French prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation after actress Judith Godrèche filed a complaint against film director Benoît Jacquot accusing him of historical rape.

Ms Godrèche, 51, accuses Mr Jacquot, 77, of raping her when she was 14 in 1986 and of subsequent offenses in a relationship lasting into the 1990s.

The complaint was lodged on Tuesday, her lawyer told AFP news agency.

Mr Jacquot has said he “firmly” denies her “allegations and accusations”.

In the early part of her career, Ms Godrèche was known for her roles in two films made by the director, The Beggars (1987) and The Disenchanted (1990).

She had recently evoked her relationship with Benoît Jacquot, without referring to him by name, in an autobiographical TV show called Icon of French Cinema.

Last month she named him on social media, saying she had decided to do so after viewing a documentary from 2011 in which the director had talked about his relationship with an adolescent.

Interviewed by Le Monde newspaper, Mr Jacquot said he “firmly denies the allegations and accusations of Judith Godrèche”.

Contacted by AFP on Wednesday, he let it be known that he stood by his words in the newspaper and did not wish to react any further.

Ms Godrèche’s complaint was lodged with the Juvenile Protection Brigade in Paris, her lawyer Laure Heinich told AFP.

Judith Godrèche has made numerous films of which The Overnight (2015), The Spanish Apartment (2002) and The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) are some of the best known.

Benoît Jacquot has been directing films since the mid-1970s with his 2012 drama Farewell, My Queen opening the 62nd annual Berlin International Film Festival.

A student who tracks the private jets of celebrities says Taylor Swift’s lawyers have threatened to sue him for sharing her flight information online.

Jack Sweeney uses publicly available data to track the take-offs and landings of planes belonging to the wealthy and posts them one day later.

The tracking amounts to “stalking”, Swift’s lawyers claim.In 2022, Twitter banned Mr Sweeney after Elon Musk accused him of sharing his “assassination coordinates”.

Swift’s lawyers have issued a cease-and-desist letter to Mr Sweeney, a 21-year-old student at the University of Central Florida, demanding that he stop sharing the location of her private jet.

The letter, issued in December, says that the information poses “an imminent threat to the safety and wellbeing” of Swift, calling it a “life-or-death matter” for her.

It cites numerous stalkers she has dealt with in her career, and says the data gives criminals “a roadmap to carry out their plans”.

The BBC has not independently reviewed the letter, whose contents have been reported by US media.

In a statement to the BBC, Mr Sweeney said “nowhere do I intend for harm”.

“I actually think Swift has some good songs. I believe in transparency and public information, ” he said.

He added that he received the threatening letter after media outlets began scrutinising Swift’s carbon footprint.In 2022, Swift topped the list of celebrities with the highest private jet CO2 emissions, according to digital marketing firm Yard.

The organisation found that her jet emission were about 1,185 times more than the average person’s total annual emissions.

Last month, a 33-year-old man was arrested on stalking charges outside Swift’s home.

A spokeswoman for Swift told US media that the posts about her jet were partly to blame.

“We cannot comment on any ongoing police investigation but can confirm the timing of stalkers suggests a connection,” said spokeswoman Tree Paine.

“His posts tell you exactly when and where she would be.

“The BBC has contacted Swift’s lawyers for comment.Swift’s travel plans have also drawn increased attention from fans in recent months due to her highly publicised concert tour.

On Sunday, she is due to fly to Las Vegas to see her boyfriend play in the NFL Super Bowl, one day after her concert in Tokyo.

Mr Sweeney’s post do not provide any information about who is traveling on the planes, or where the travellers go once they land.

He has also tracked the private flights of other wealthy Americans, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.

Legendary dramatist, folk singer and playwright Jimi Solanke has died at 81.

Born on July 4, 1942, in Ipara Remo, Ogun State, he died on Monday, February 5, 2024, after a brief illness, reports said.

Solanke was said to be en route to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital when he passed on.

Dickson Awolaja, a member representing the Remo North State Constituency at the Ogun Assembly, confirmed his death to The Punch on Monday.

He said, “I got wind of the demise of Pa Jimi Solanke not long ago. His death is no doubt another big loss to us in Remo North and Ogun State as a whole, given his worthy contributions to the development of our dear nation. May his soul rest in peace.”

Solanke is the founder and Artistic Director of Ibudo Asa in Ipara Remo, Remo North Local Government, Nigeria.

Nigerian reality TV star and media personality, Natacha Anita Akide, aka Tacha, says Barbadian rapper, Nicki Minaj remains the greatest female rapper of all time despite her Grammy woes.

The Grammy organisers on Sunday night “mistakenly” announced ‘Barbie World’ by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice as the winner of the Best Rap Song category before later changing it to ‘Scientists & Engineers’ by Killer Mike and ‘Andre 3000’ featuring Future and Eryn Allen Kane.

The blunder angered fans of Nicki Minaj who hasn’t won a Grammy in her over 20 years career.

Reacting, Tacha, who is a fan of Nicki Minaj, shared a picture of the ‘Anaconda’ crooner via her X handle on Sunday night with the caption: “Nicki Minaj still remains the GOAT.”

Grammy-nominated Nigerian singers, Davido and Ayra Starr, have congratulated their South African counterpart, Tyla for winning the maiden Best African Music Performance category at the 66th Grammys.

NPG reports that Ayra Starr, Davido, Burna Boy, Asake, and Olamide missed out on the award as Tyla claimed the historic gramophone on Sunday night.

However, the duo congratulated Tyla on her victory via their respective social media handles.

“Congratulations on your win @Tyllaaaaaaa ! Big One for Africa! Keep soaring!,” Davido wrote on his X page.

On her X handle on Monday morning, Ayra Starr wrote: “Congratulations to my babessssss @Tyllaaaaaaa.”

Tyla and Ayra Starr have previously collaborated on her hit song, ‘Girl Next Door.’

Ayra Starr stated in an interview days before the award ceremony that she had already prepared her Grammy acceptance speech.

In a surprising turn of events at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, on Sunday, Nigerian music sensations, including Davido and Burna Boy, faced a disappointing defeat as they lost in all their nominated categories.

Ayra Starr, Olamide and Asake also failed to make the list of winners.

The news sparked widespread disappointment and frustration among fans and the Nigerian music community. Social media platforms have been flooded with expressions of disappointment, as fans lament the loss of their favourite stars.

The Best African Music Performance category saw South Africa’s Tyla emerge victorious with her song ‘Water’.

Also, in the much-anticipated Best Global Music Album category, Davido and Burna Boy fell short, with Shakti’s ‘This Moment’ clinching the coveted award.

The hashtag, #GrammySnubNaija, trended on X, with fans venting their frustration over what they perceived as a missed opportunity for Nigerian music to gain international recognition.

X became a virtual town square for fans to voice their disappointment, frustration, and disbelief.

@NaijaMusicLover tweeted, “I can’t believe what I just witnessed. All our hopes dashed in one night. Davido and Burna Boy deserved better.”

X user @AfrobeatsQueen shared a meme of a shocked face, captioned, “Me watching the Grammys realising they really snubbed our Nigerian kings. #ShameOnGrammys.”

@NaijaJollofQueen wrote, “This is beyond heartbreaking. Our artistes have been making waves globally, and the Grammys failed to acknowledge their impact. Disappointed but not defeated. We’ll keep shining.”

In a thread of passionate tweets, @MusicAficionado stated, “It’s not just about winning awards. Nigerian music has influenced the world. Our artistes have elevated the game. Grammy or not, we are a force to be reckoned with. #NaijaStandUp.”

Despite the disappointment, some X users emphasised the need to focus on the bigger picture.

@AfrobeatInsider tweeted, “Let’s not forget the impact Nigerian music has made globally. Awards are just one part of the journey. Our artistes have opened doors for Afrobeats worldwide. The movement continues.”

Burna Boy received four nominations this year: Best Melodic Rap Performance (Sittin’ on Top of the World with 21 Savage); Best Global Music Performance (Alone); Best African Music Performance (City Boys) and Best Global Music Album (I Told Them).

The Nigerian music star also made history as the first Afrobeats musician to perform at the 2024 Grammys but failed to notch any award.

Also Davido, who got his first nominations for Best Global Music Album (Timeless); Best African Music Performance (“Unavailable” featuring Musa Keys), and Best Global Music Performance (Feel), failed to win any award.

Both Asake and Olamide’s Amapiano song did not also make it to the winning list after its nomination in the Best African Music Performance category.

Also, Ayra Starr’s Rush song was not able to make a winning impression despite her nomination for the inaugural Best Music Performance category.

Popular Nigerian singer Kingsley Okonkwo, aka Kcee, has revealed that he started his career as a disc jockey.

Speaking in the latest episode of the Afrobeats Podcast, the ‘Limpopo’ crooner said he and his brother and co-founder of Five Star Music, Emeka Okonkwo, aka E-Money, were disc jockeys before switching careers.

He said: “My father was a DJ, a record seller. I grew up in a home where my father sold records. So all the old-school artists, I know them [their music]. I was selling their records when I was about 5 or 6 years old.

“When I was in secondary school, I was already handling a full record store and playing at parties. I and E-Money were DJs. So, I listened to a lot of artists.”

He credited his father with shaping his music career.

Kcee said the secret to his longevity in the music industry is his “ear for a hit song.”

The Universal Music Group, home to various major international artistes, pulled its songs from TikTok on Thursday.

This comes just two days after the music group published an open letter saying that “TikTok is trying to build a music-based business without paying fair value for the music.”

Universal disclosed that as it approached the expiration of its previous contract with TikTok, dated January 31, 2024, it had discussed a contract renewal with the social media platform, which included “appropriate compensation for our artistes and songwriters, protecting human artistes from the harmful effects of AI, and ensuring online safety for TikTok’s users.”

The music group accused TikTok of offering unsatisfactory payment for music and of allowing its platform to be “flooded with A.I.-generated recordings” as well as “developing tools to enable, promote, and encourage AI music creation on the platform itself,” which would massively dilute the royalty pool for real human artistes.

However, in a statement on Tuesday, TikTok responded to Universal, also accusing the company of putting “their own greed above the interests of their artistes and songwriters,” adding that Universal had “chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.”

The clash between the music group and the social media platform led to the removal of music and videos of Universal recordings from the app on Thursday, which TikTok confirmed.

Following the removal of Universal’s music, TikTok users noticed that recordings by Universal artistes were deleted from TikTok’s library, and existing videos that used music from Universal’s artistes had their audio muted entirely and were labelled “This sound isn’t available” or “Sound removed due to copyright restrictions.”

Universal songs were also unavailable for users to add to new videos.

Meanwhile, official pages of Universal artistes like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, whose new albums are scheduled to release next month, had their tabs on the app either entirely bare or reduced to a handful of brief snippets instead of their various tracks that are usually displayed.

As representatives of Universal and TikTok refuse to make any new statements concerning the withdrawal of music from the platform and their negotiations, the number of videos that would be affected by the change and the degree of the fallout remains unknown; however, some videos using Universal recordings appeared to be unaffected.

Nigerian actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, has been convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment for spraying and stepping on the new Naira notes at a social event in Lagos.

This was disclosed in a statement posted on the official X handle of the EFCC on Thursday.

According to EFCC, she was sentenced and convicted by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, February 1, 2024.

The statement partly read, “She was first arraigned on February 13, 2023, by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on two-count charges, to which she pleaded ‘not guilty.’

“She was subsequently granted bail on February 15, 2023.

“One of the court reads: ‘That you, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, on the 28th day  of January 2023, at Monarch Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand  Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same in the  said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.’

” The statement however revealed that at the resumed hearing on Thursday, Omoseyin, changed her “not guilty” plea to “guilty”, in view of the overwhelming evidence against her.

Delivering judgment, Justice Aneke sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment, effective from Thursday, with an option of N300,000 fine to be paid into the consolidated revenue account of the federation.