₦airaland Forum

Nigerian streamers Carter Efe and Peller always seemed to be friends and industry colleagues. They created the extreme content of destroying each other’s expensive cars for views. The stunt worked. It led to Carter Efe landing a multi-million-naira fight deal with Portable, which the former won.

When Peller was asked who he wanted to win the fight between Carter Efe and Portable, he chose Carter without batting an eyelid. He celebrated with his friend when he won the fight.

Months after the fight, Carter Efe granted an interview to Madame Joyce on the Cocktails & Takeaways podcast in the UK. He openly took jabs at Peller. He criticised him for being pressured into marriage and claimed that the highly celebrated marriage was not genuine. He linked this to the demand for relationship content from their fans. He also said he was the pioneer of relationship content while he was with his former partner.

Some excerpts from the interview read:

“There was a time I could not do content if I don’t see my woman. If I don’t see my woman, I cannot shoot content.”

“You don’t have to attach me to anyone. Like, don’t attach my glory also to someone else.”

“Some people don’t even care. Even when you people are quarrelling, they will say they want two of you together in that video. I have to, like, use my own brain and say no.”

“Do you know how many times I’ll cry before we shoot?” he said.

Carter Efe appeared to make sense. Fast-forward to September 27, and Carter Efe received his American girlfriend, Taylor Jasmine, who is also a streamer, just like Peller’s wife, Jarvis. He has since been producing romantic content with her. Wasn’t this the same thing he criticised Peller for? Was he secretly jealous of Peller’s success? Is this a case of joining them because you can’t beat them?

Recall that when Peller was handed an uncompleted building by King Ochacho instead of the fully furnished N400 million mansion that was reportedly promised to him, Carter Efe was among the prominent voices to mock Peller online. This raises questions about the nature of their relationship and whether there was more rivalry between the two than many people realised.

Human beings are attracted to love stories. Love content cuts across all age groups. Even if you don’t believe in the story or know how it will end, you may still find it entertaining. Carter Efe appears to have taken his own approach a step further by bringing a foreign woman into the scene.

He knows for sure that Nigerians love anything foreign. As long as a product was not locally made, many people assume that the quality is better. People have called it the colonial mentality. Bringing an American woman, with all the foreign vibes that come with it, will likely be appealing to Nigerians. Carter Efe appears to have quietly taken his colleague, Koolu, off the stage as he enjoys this new blend of romantic content with the young American. Peller, on the other hand, has moved to Canada with Jarvis.

From all indications, perhaps Carter Efe and Peller were never as close as many people thought. If reports that Peller is considering legal action against Carter Efe over the use of his name for social media buzz are accurate, then whatever friendship existed between them appears to have entered a very different phase.

Perhaps the bigger question is this: was Carter Efe genuinely opposed to the relationship-content model, or did he simply dislike seeing Peller succeed with it?

When singer Banky W dropped Lagos Party in April 2009, off his sophomore album, The W Experience, it was a smashing hit. It was so good that he had to do a remix. To this day, the song still rings a bell in our heads. It is evergreen and will always be.

Banky W has left the Lagos street to shift his attention to politics and Christian ministry. The song was a revelation of how crazy and buzzing the Lagos party scene could be. Despite the over 61–63% poverty rate in Nigeria, where the West are made to believe Nigerians can hardly feed themselves properly, the Lagos party offers a different reality. It gives what people in London, New York, California, Johannesburg, and Kingston would recognise in terms of social life.

Nigerian socialite Pretty Mike is somewhat like Dan Bilzerian — the American social media personality, poker player and businessman known for posting an extravagant lifestyle surrounded by luxury cars and women. He could also be likened to the late Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, who famously lived with multiple girlfriends at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. Pretty Mike reminded us that Lagos was still up there in the world when it comes to social life.

The local economy might be gloomy because of bad governance, but life goes on. When life threw lemons at Nigerians, they made lemonade. That’s the Naija spirit!

Pretty Mike lavishly hosted the Lagos All White Party, which took place on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Pretty Mike knows how to manipulate the Nigerian media space. He uses women as bait, and it always works. This time around, he showcased some of the women with the biggest buttocks and dangling breasts at the show.

In Nigeria, a woman might not be considered too facially gifted, but the size of the bum is important. It is like an antidepressant to randy men. It attracts them regardless of distance. It is synonymous with when a shark smells blood hundreds of miles away in the water. This is why the trend of Brazilian Butt Lift continues to be strong in Lagos despite the risks involved. Several women have suffered major health complications and, in some cases, died after undergoing surgeries to enhance their derrières.

The party featured women in some of the most scandalous outfits you could find on the continent. Massive and sparsely covered buttocks were on display. Some busty women let it all out, to the extent that some videos reportedly had to be restricted on YouTube. The event was like a galaxy of stars. Popular male and female celebrities congregated. But the attendance of these celebrities hardly grabbed the headlines. The sight of bums — the biggest of the biggest — wouldn’t allow people to focus on the fashion or the programmes lined up for the event.

Pretty Mike boldly slapped the gigantic backside of one of the women on the red carpet. One would expect her to be furious, but she laughed about it and took a selfie with him. Once you are big, you are big.
At some point, some of the women turned their backs to the camera and shook their backsides with excitement like starving dogs that had just sighted fat bones.

Those women have nothing to lose. It appears they expected Mr Right and, since he never came, they decided to suspend the wait and disturb Lagos. Most of them are not the kind of women you could take home to Mama, but certainly, you could take them home on a Friday night after a long day at work, with some alcohol in your system. They are mostly the ‘Constituency Projects’ of some Nigerian lawmakers.

There is a big market for transactional sex in Lagos. The industry is worth billions of naira. It is an industry scorned by almost everybody who ‘nicodemously’ participates in its economic activities. Men in Lagos State alone spent an estimated ₦661 billion, around $431 million, on transactional sex and related expenses in 2024, according to a survey titled The Economy of Sex in Lagos State by MO Africa Consulting.

If you want to make it in the Lagos market, you apparently need that humongous bum capable of threatening to collapse a toilet seat, like the ones paraded by the women at Pretty Mike’s party.

Well, maybe the Lagos All White Party was never really an all-white party after all. It was a BBL summit.

Bahamas95:
Their approach is simply to jump into the ring and start fighting like chickens. They don't take the time to train properly or learn boxing techniques and tactics.

Recently, I woke up to an apology video by Warri Pikin. She apologised to her fans and her husband over a controversial stage performance she had with dancehall singer Timaya. I didn't bother to watch the video that caused the ruckus. Yesterday, I was stunned to see an emboldened Warri Pikin saying her apology was for show and that she doesn't care about people's views. Her audacity annoyed me. In my head, I was like, "Why don't you let sleeping dogs lie?"

Social media star, Geh Geh, fired a ruthless rebuttal at her on Sunday evening in a video that was capable of putting ideas into her husband's head. As I listened to the video, my wife was furious. Women don't really like Geh Geh because they feel he is against them. To an extent, Geh Geh made so much sense.

I was forced to go and search for the controversial video of Timaya and Warri Pikin. On watching the video, my stance changed like a Nigerian activist who has been bribed. I didn't see any big deal.

The performance was respectful. I think both parties were lost in the moment. The crowd was cheering, and Warri Pikin wanted to finish on a high note. I didn't really see any grabbing of the derrière, as people painted it on social media. Timaya held her and lowered her down respectfully. He also apologised to her afterwards, and it was so funny. The crowd felt entertained. Timaya must love the response he got from the audience.

Since then, social media users have been heaping attacks on her and her husband. I feel bad for her. I feel she is only paying the price for fame. If she were not Warri Pikin, a comedian with huge popularity, no one would have cared. People would have enjoyed the entertainment value and moved on.

But because she is established, people are throwing stones and sticks at her like a mango tree with ripe fruit. There are hundreds of similar videos online, and no one has batted an eyelid. Did the women in those videos fall from the sky? No!

The video footage reminds me of when my senior Oyinbo colleague jumped into my arms at work after we survived a major incident that could have put the establishment in the newspapers.

She was a well-respected and boundary-conscious woman who was married with kids. Very intelligent, proactive and hands-on. She remains one of the best professionals I have ever worked with.

On this occasion, an incident left her panicking. I was shocked to see her running across the communal areas with a radio, shouting for help. She was out of ideas. I summoned courage and told myself, "Not today," and I confronted the situation with a Nigerian colleague.

Someone was slowly losing breath. All of a sudden, the person was revived. She couldn't believe her eyes. She looked up and screamed like a player who had just scored a last-minute goal in a Champions League final.

I got up, opened my arms to her, and she jumped in and held me tightly. On a normal day, I wouldn't even shake hands with her. I used to struggle to maintain eye contact with her. The hug was beyond normal, but it was just about the moment. I can't read any meaning into it.

After the incident, the relationship returned to its normal setting, but the respect increased on her part.

My concern is the position of her husband. Even if he has thick skin, the social media commentary may eventually get to him. The comments may also influence his family members and those in his inner circle. He has been indirectly disrespected.

Warri Pikin also has children who are old enough to have an understanding of the issue. It will hurt to see their mother being dragged around like a Boko Haram fighter. Even the Federal Government wouldn't treat terrorists like this; it 'rehabilitates' them.

In the absence of more stimulating and sensational content online, people are reading too much meaning into the video. Many are assuming her legs are free to be accessed by Timaya if he wants. I feel bad for her; this is the golden price of fame.

Celebrities work so hard to gather followers on social media, but in the event of a mishap or the slightest scandal, the same people they have worked so hard to keep can turn against them.

Dear Warri Pikin, if you are reading this, please stay strong and calm. This is part of the occupational hazards of fame. Stop responding to your critics, and this will blow over in a couple of weeks like it never happened.

OAkanni001:
Mr. Broker and Fintech Expert,

You just confidently spew gibberish up there and you even went ahead tagging people as olodo when it is so glaring that reverse is the case.

I did not and do not intend to buy shares in the Dangote Refinery for personal reasons. That does not mean those who choose to invest are gullible. But nonetheless I will give reasons why you're wrong.

1. On the claim that Dangote's investment is poorly timed because the world is moving away from petrol, Your point is flawed because it overlooks the fact that the Dangote Refinery is an integrated petrochemical complex, not a pure petrol plant.

In addition to gasoline, it produces jet fuel for aviation, LPG for households, asphalt for construction, and petrochemical feedstocks for plastics and other industries.

Do you think an experienced industrialist of Aliko Dangote’s track record won't consider market trends?

Global oil demand forecasts from OPEC, EIA, and others all point to continued demand or modest decline not outright phase out that you as an armchair expert just predicted.

2. Your submission that an increase in Dangote refinery share price will result to an increase in cost of living cannot be verified substantially because there is no direct, automatic link between the refinery’s share price and Nigerian living costs. Living costs are influenced by many factors such as exchange rates, fiscal policy, logistics, taxes, and global commodity prices.

It is the job of the government to protect its citizens from economic shocks that might result from global changes in oil prices through subsides and other economic measures as done in other countries.

The two variables do not correlate in any way.

3. That shows that you don't understand Nigerians enough to know that those content are just cruise.

concerning the nature of agreement, it is called passive investment and it is a standard passive equity ownership common worldwide.

it is allows the entrepreneur, management or controlling shareholder to execute strategy without excessive bureaucracy While giving investors access to the company financial benefits.

Investors in such companies trust the founders based on previous track records. Take for instance, investing in Elon Musk's SpaceX and Dangote refinery.


So, to cap it all, before you go about calling people olodo, ensure that you have sufficient knowledge on the matter because all I see is you publicly exposing your ignorance.

Thanks for your attention to this matter.

We were informed that King Ochacho gifted social media sensation Peller a N400m mansion in Abuja. As expected, much attention was drawn on social media to the announcement. It sounded too good to be true. Later, reports emerged that the house actually belonged to Ochacho’s son and that Peller was allowed to stay there for free until his son eventually needed it. The deal still sounded good, as many felt Peller had been given access to a N400m property without having to pay for it.

Today, the latest report is that the mansion is an uncompleted building. Peller had a tour of the property with Ochacho and his entourage. The gathering looked like a campaign rally, with cameras everywhere. When the 21-year-old Peller saw it, he reportedly asked Ochacho if the property was actually worth N400m. That question suggests doubts. Peller has also spoken about completing the property before the end of the year. At some point, there were also reports that he had considered selling the house because he preferred Lagos. I thought it was supposed to be a lease. Trouble might be brewing.

His colleague, Carter Efe took to social media to take some jabs at him, claiming he expected a furnished house but was shown an unfinished building.

It remains strange for a random ‘billionaire’ to wake up and publicly offer a N400m property to a social media celebrity just like that. There is clearly a lot of publicity around the relationship, and Ochacho has also been using influencers and social media personalities as part of his strategy to promote the musical career of his son, IceKing. I believe IceKing already has the publicity he needs, but the problem is that publicity at times doesn’t guarantee acceptance. He is a good and promising artiste, but his music, in my opinion, does not fit the demands of the local market. Ochacho has also pledged $1m to promote his son’s album through influencers, social media handlers and streamers. Many have argued that without strategy, the money could be expended without producing the desired results.

Back from my digression, Ochacho and Peller might be playing a chess game. The relationship appears warm and cordial, but there is a bit of distrust sprinkled over it. One party might be trying to have an upper hand over the other. I will not be shocked if they fall out in the coming months and drag each other all over the place.

Fingers crossed.

Imalwayshorny:
Until they arrest you and seun himself

I attended a very expensive private secondary school in Ibadan. Previously, I attended a public school. I remember my father took out a loan to pay my first term's school fees. The man literally showed me the money, in raw cash, while in the company of my mother.

My parents were just middle-level civil servants. When I got to my new school, I saw this dark-skinned girl who was unique in her own way. She was of average height, slim, quiet and very neat. She had a high sense of maturity. She never played rough. Her school uniform was always very neat and clean. Her spoken English was very good. She had a smile that could heal a wounded soul.

What stood out about her was her confidence. The way she carried herself wasn't loud or intimidating, but it sent a message: “I know my worth.” Everyone easily talked about her. Her parents were well-to-do, and they were based in Lagos State while she schooled as a boarder in an Ibadan school. Historically, Ibadan-based people have always had a huge respect for Lagosians. That was another plus for her.

She was a girl who could lighten your mood just by talking to you at school. Many boys in my set, the 2004 class, believed she liked them simply because they had spoken a few times or she smiled at them. As a shy person from a civil servant home, I didn't stand a chance, like Atiku Abubakar in the next presidential election. I simply admired and observed from a distance.

A couple of boys were linked to her romantically, but it was more talk than action, no hands-on. Her body was like a sanctuary she never wanted to defile. Her influence was so powerful that a handsome boy who got very close to dating her actually failed and repeated a class. He dropped her name as an excuse for his failure, claiming she affected his academic focus. Guess what? She passed and did so well. The guy in question is a popular Christian cleric in Ibadan, Nigeria, today. Life is interesting.

She was never short of suitors. After one school holiday, rumours swirled around the school that a boy from a wealthy family, well-travelled across the world, had driven a Mercedes-Benz to her house in the highbrow Island area of Lagos to woo her. She said NO!
The news spread around the school, with nobody verifying whether it was true or false. It nevertheless further boosted her reputation. It probably pushed a few light-hearted men even further away.

After we left school, most of us from average families struggled. She had a relatively smooth ride. Not much was heard about her. Many said she got a job with one of the top tech companies in the world, and the pay was monstrous. Things got better, and she also moved abroad. It appears suitors never stopped coming. Maybe she felt nobody deserved her. Or perhaps life simply took her in a different direction. Twenty-two years later, she is still single. She is about 40 now.

Marriage isn't a big deal, women always say, but that argument becomes more complicated when an African woman is involved. In many African societies, marriage still carries enormous social and family expectations. Beauty can be a blessing, but perhaps it can also become a curse. There is an interesting phenomenon involving beautiful single women. Some suitors assume they are not really single. Others believe their standards are too high or that there will be too much competition involved in winning their hearts. Some men simply assume that a woman who looks that good must already have several men fighting for her attention. Others believe she might never be submissive in marriage.

It is almost like buying a vehicle that requires high maintenance. You admire it from a distance, but you convince yourself that owning it will be too expensive or complicated. In the end, a beautiful woman can find herself alone, not necessarily because nobody wants her, but because many people assume somebody else already has her. Some may eventually have relationships that are casual and convenient, with men who come, do the work and sail off until their services are needed again. Life can be such a humbler.

On a personal note, I don't believe marriage is for everybody. The earlier Africans face this reality, the better. Some people are genuinely better off being alone. Several people are marking marriage anniversaries with very limited happy moments behind the photographs and celebrations.

But that is a topic for another day.

RaptorX:
So a white person that crosses the road when they see a black person from 100 meters away is because their smelling from eating African food, I probably will be banned if I really called you by what I have in mind.

I miss Nigeria as a good guy and as a bad man.

You never know how sweet Nigeria is until you stay abroad for some years. Then you realise there is no place like home. Yes, life is beautiful, comfortable and predictable abroad, but I want more.

As a bad man, I see the beautiful women in the UK, and there is a limit to what I can do. Those Pakistani, Yemeni, Kurdish girls and other South Asians are unbelievably beautiful. What about the Jamaican ladies, some Somali baddies and others who have dual heritage? Aaaaah! Your jaw would drop if you saw them. Their peak is around the ages of 19-25 before life stress fully kicks in. At that age, they are like babies.

The UK relationship market is about window-shopping. You will see those ladies, but it is hard to woo any of them. It is not easy to impress them. They mostly prefer people in their age group, unlike Nigeria, where girls want to roll with their father’s age-mates and their ancestors for financial benefits.

Your skin colour, accent and ethnicity also count in the market. There is a very low demand for Nigerians. Even if they give you a chance, you could end up in a Poco Lee situation.

Several people in the UK struggle with mental health issues and drug abuse. Stranger Danger is real, and the justice system is strict and firm.

Life was different in Nigeria. I remember my Shomolu-Lagos days when I saw a lady in the marketplace walking alone. I told her she was the most gorgeous being in the world. She tried to be strict and angry, but I didn’t back off. I told her I was ready for her to call the police on me. She laughed and gave me her number. After days of claiming she was “not into that kinda stuff”, she called me one day and asked for my house address. It was like a dream. Sweetest babe ever!

Those are some of the perks you enjoy in Nigeria, and they go a long way in boosting your mental health. So therapeutic. Those beautiful ladies that “do runs” are so underrated. They are like toilet rolls. They seem unimportant until they are unavailable and you are pressed.

In the UK, if your wife closes the “Strait of Hormuz” and you don’t have any work colleague to help you transport your cargo via back channels, there is nothing you can do. In Nigeria, you might celebrate if such an “industrial action” is taken by your wife, as it gives you the prompt and impetus to carry out your fantasies. In my local parlance, “women mount now” lol.

As a good man, I also miss Naija. There is nothing as sweet as living with your kind. I live on a white-dominated street in the UK. In fact, my family are the only Black people on the street. Each time I walk through a particular lonely road, the Oyinbos from the other end, mostly the women, cross to the other side. My wife complains of the same observation. Only a few elderly men and women or those with dogs will share the same path with you.

Some of them might just be scared. They might think you just got off a boat; you are hungry, desperate and dangerous. The news about coloured people is hardly encouraging in the UK media.

I work in a white-dominated office, and my accent is always playing catch-up. I have noticed that my English isn’t good enough to explain very complex issues to the Oyinbos. When the challenge is too complicated to explain verbally, I rely on emails.

As a family man, I miss Naija. I wish I could hire domestic staff like a driver and a house-help to help with childcare and school runs. Yes, they are available in the UK, but only the elites could afford them. Childcare is boring. The other day, I was in a Microsoft Teams meeting while my son was off school. I had to bribe him with yoghurt and chocolates to keep him well-behaved. My heart was in my mouth throughout.

I feel that in Nigeria you can get away with anything. It is a blessing and a curse. In the UK, any mistake might be costly. Your records might be tainted for life, as background checks are usually carried out by potential employers. It is also too easy to go to jail. One major mistake and you are already on their “prison career path”.

Imagine if Poco Lee’s issue happened in Nigeria. He would not spend 30 minutes at the police station. Phone calls would be made, and the victim might end up being further traumatised by the police. The highest bidder effect!

Maybe I should go back to Naija? I know that will be the popular suggestion of readers, but certainly not under a Tinubu leadership. I will run back to the UK with my tail between my legs in just nine months of my return.

Rumours on the street reveal Regina Daniels has secretly returned to her estranged husband Ned Nwoko’s house.

Since last week, the rumour mill has revealed that the mother of two was back in the senator’s house. Her fans never believed it after the nasty and tumultuous fight the couple had earlier this year. For weeks, Regina and Ned dominated the Nigerian media space, with dark family secrets about drugs, sex, mental health, and other bad habits being spilled around.

Pa Ned’s media team worked overtime and put in some hectic shifts to quell the raging storm from Regina and her family. Ned also reportedly arrested Regina’s budding music star brother. Regina was not allowed to see her son; she cried out on social media, but Ned gave her a hard condition - go to rehab!

Regina tried to move on. She briefly moved to the UK, where she reportedly lived with her brother. She returned to Nigeria and acted in a local movie. She posted some cars and claimed they were bought for herself and her family. Rumours had it that she was trying to see a new and younger lover, though this remains unconfirmed. In the end, social media wasn’t reality. Regina couldn’t survive without Ned. The Yorubas say that “a river that forgets its source” will dry up. Having millions of followers in a virtual world that doesn’t really care means nothing in some cases.

Life without Regina was a bit hard for Ned, too. His popularity waned in the media, and he also lost his senatorial re-election bid. Rumours started swirling that he was broke.

In my view, Regina made the best decision of her life by returning to Ned.

Marriage is hard, and it’s harder when the age gap between the couple is wider than an ocean. It is worse when you marry a wealthy man with many options, especially when you are seen as an employee. The Nigerian economy is also unforgiving. You need a serious and stable means of income to survive. You can’t survive on “baby girl and vibes.” Regina must have been confronted with the hard reality of the Tinubu economy. She is already used to eating lion meat, and now you want her to settle for local breeds of chicken? Naaaaaah!

Also, single mothers struggle in the Nigerian relationship market. People want them for fun; they are wanted for the moment. It is mostly a use-and-dump situation. Suitors act nice at first, but after eating the cookie, they show their monster side. The pattern is repeatedly used. Regina might have tested the waters and realised she would be in for a very long ride. It’s arguably true that Ned is the major financier of her family, where nobody does any serious, productive activity. Taking Ned out of the equation means everybody will be forced to embark on a lengthy weight loss programme. It was imperative for her to return.

The only mistake she made was dragging Ned to the court of public opinion - social media - which has never resolved any issue reasonably and amicably in the history of Nigeria.

Regina is smart, and she made a wise and very uncomfortable decision to return to Ned. It’s amazing that Ned also took her back. Both parties will learn from the melee and handle things better next time. Gradually, Regina’s confidence will return, and she will start posting Ned again on social media. She doesn’t owe anybody an explanation. This is her life.

Congratulations to the couple. This is also a deep lesson for the “online in-laws” who took sides and fought each other online over their fracas. Personally, I hardly interfere in any issue that involves two people who have seen each other’s unclothedness.

This is one of the proudest moment of Ifeoma Igbotic’s life as she meets Senator Ned Nwoko in person.

The billionaire lawyer and businessman expressed admiration of her success in life, as they met at his house.

Ifeoma took to social media to announce this milestone:

“Today, I met Pa Ned Nwoko at his residence. He called me Ada Igbo and told me he was proud of me” she said.

The blogger presently has over 217,000 followers on Facebook and she is doing well for herself.

Many commenters have joked about Ifeoma replacing his estranged wife, Regina Daniel’s as his 6th wife.

One of the traits of successful men is their ability to go for whatever they want without hesitation. They have understood the principles of life so well. They know that people will always talk about their actions or inactions. Since life is short, why bother too much about public perception?

This appears to be the ideology of a popular Lagos-based relationship coach, author, and senior pastor of David’s Christian Centre who has done fantastically well for himself. By all standards, Pastor K, as he is fondly called, is a billionaire.


Pastor Kingsley has been in the eye of the storm over the years courtesy of his relationship views and advice. As a relationship coach, many of his unfiltered teachings spark viral gender-role debates online.

He has repeatedly spoken out against the culture of women expecting potential partners to pay for their lifestyle (bills, hair, maintenance) during the dating phase, arguing that courtship should focus on character and compatibility over financial transactions.

His traditional biblical stance on submission in marriage and headship often clashes with contemporary egalitarian and feminist perspectives, leading to ongoing social media criticism.

Additionally, he sparked backlash by advising women not to ignore men who reach out to them and suggesting they give receptive suitors a chance rather than holding out exclusively for their ideal preference.

These storms on relationship advice have been mild and local. Since the year 2026, Pastor Kingsley has been up to bigger challenges.

Getting a 50th Birthday Tattoo

Pastor Kingsley posted a video showing him getting a tattoo of the Roman numerals for John 3:16 (III:XVI). The act triggered backlash from conservative Christian circles who cited Old Testament prohibitions (such as Leviticus 19:28). Okonkwo responded forcefully, stating that no Scripture explicitly forbids tattoos for Christians under Grace, drawing parallels to how hair extensions, makeup, and denim jeans were once viewed as sinful by traditional churches. Further controversy arose when he dismissed criticism from younger ministers, stating there is "ranking in the Spirit" and that junior preachers were unqualified to judge his evangelical methods.

The ₦700,000 Matchmaking Platform Debate

Critics accused him of commercialising the search for love through his Christian matchmaking platform, Mentor to Marry. The controversy intensified because the platform's high-tier membership costs (up to ₦700,000) directly contradicted his previous public posts lamenting how relationships in Nigeria had become heavily "commercialised." Critics argued that setting such steep pricing created a financial barrier to finding a "godly spouse," while defenders maintained he was charging for legitimate professional counselling and private matchmaking services.

The matchmaking platform is the latest storm, and the positive is that he has managed the backlash better than the tattoo one. A couple of years back, Nigerian blogger Stella Dimorkokus used her platform to link up singles for free. Another influencer, Joro Olumofin, also offered a similar pro bono service before he started charging as low as N10,000 for the service. It is not clear if his price has been inflated. Lege Miami, a Yoruba actor, appears to be heavily milking the Nigerian relationship market as he rakes in money through his match-making exercise.

Where does Pastor Kingsley go from here? Will he abort the matchmaking project or unveil another controversial plot? Only time will tell.

Lies And Deceit: What Happened To The Yoruba Nation Movement?

On Saturday, April 13, 2024, Nigerians woke up to the news that some armed members of a group in military gear had attempted a forced takeover of the Oyo State Secretariat and House of Assembly in Ibadan, trying to hoist an alternate flag. Panic rippled through the public: was a military coup lurking around the corner?

No, it wasn’t. The group was a radicalised sub-group associated with Modupe Onitiri-Abiola that had adopted extremist tactics to make a political statement. They were arrested and paraded immediately. The culprits looked vulnerable, uninformed, hungry, and brainwashed - a grim reminder of what happens when citizens join a cause without knowing the full picture.

Nigeria has long grappled with a twin crisis of leadership and followship. Selfish elites routinely gather misguided followers and exploit them for egoistic interests, while ordinary people believe they are fighting a noble, altruistic cause.

This dynamic previously played out in January 2021 during the intense herder-farmer conflicts in Oyo State. Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, stepped into the security crisis in Igangan, Ibarapa, taking a hardline stance to evict Fulani herdsmen. Before then, Igboho was primarily a force in local, combative politics.
That period of unrest occurred under late President Muhammadu Buhari, whose administration was widely perceived as sympathetic to the herdsmen. The moment Igboho confronted the Fulani community and challenged the Seriki Fulani of Igangan, he was met with widespread applause.
The story exploded on social media as citizens craved a fierce figure willing to speak truth to a federal government that frowned upon dissent. Igboho became a darling of journalists, delivering raw, unfiltered messages that landed him front-page coverage.

He soaked up the attention, even boasting that he could take on Boko Haram if backed by the government-bolstered by a public reputation for possessing spiritual powers that kept him safe through fierce political battles in Oyo State.

Before long, however, the agenda shifted subtly from community security to pushing for the secession of South-western Nigeria to form the Yoruba Nation or Oduduwa Republic.

Igboho teamed up with liberal academics using advocacy and media platforms, while Koiki Media aggressively pushed the separatist agenda online. Curated with divisive, inciting content, their pages flourished.

Then, the federal hammer fell. Buhari’s administration had had enough. Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and joint security operatives, raided Igboho’s Ibadan home in July 2021, destroying property, killing one of his associates and arresting his associates. Igboho slipped away, sneaking into the Benin Republic, where he was arrested before Nigeria's attempts to secure an extradition failed. He remained in exile until Buhari left office.

Enter the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which eventually facilitated Igboho’s return to Nigeria. 

Appearing on a podcast afterward, Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore claimed that Igboho had originally served as a political mercenary to disrupt the polity when it became clear the ruling APC might struggle to cede power to the South. According to Sowore, Buhari’s government caught wind of the intelligence and moved to shut the movement down.

In March, 2026, a low-profile Igboho reappeared at a political event - the APC state congress at Liberty Stadium in Ibadan, wearing a custom Tinubu cap. This was a public declaration of support for his rumoured funder. The about-face stunned the public, lending sudden, uncomfortable credibility to Sowore’s allegations.

Today, Igboho has shifted focus toward establishing the Iru Ekun security network across the South-West to combat criminality. While he frames the initiative as a grassroots safety measure, his public appearances are heavily laden with campaigns for Tinubu’s political future. Koiki Media, too, has seamlessly pivoted to echoing support for the establishment. The grand crusade for secession has vanished into thin air. 

The real casualties of this theater are the everyday foot soldiers who genuinely believed in the dream of an Oduduwa Republic. While the agitators who once screamed from the rooftops have secured their seats at the political dining table and are currently eating in silence, the followers are left holding an empty plate.

Let me be blunt with you; go and make money!

When a man isn’t doing well financially, women hardly find such a man attractive. Even when they give such a man a chance, it will be an interim role. They just don’t want to keep such a man on a permanent basis. It is worse when the relationship is happening in a poverty-stricken country like Nigeria. This is a place where every move is almost about ensuring survival.

They may admire you, but they see you as a burden in the long run. The same scenario plays out in marriages. Love might bring a couple together, but money is what keeps things going smoothly. Rent, the cost of food, clothing, childcare and other bills are not cheap. Companies that provide these essential services in homes are not going to accept love from you as a means of payment. It is money.

The moment a man struggles to afford the basics or can only do the barest minimum in marriage, his wife might unconsciously start to lose respect for him. It is worse when she sees stories of men doing wonders for their partners on social media. I mean gifting their wives cars, houses, luxury bags, jewellery and all sorts of things.

Frustration starts to set in. Intolerance follows. She starts to complain about simple things that should normally be ignored. She tells you that you spend too much time on your phone, says you are boring, complains that the household chores are choking, tells you that you are adding weight, and she might even get bitter when you make time to watch football matches on weekends.

But if you are making money, you become new in her sight every day, especially when you cater to her needs adequately.

I heard a story about a man who complained that his wife was boring in bed. It was all missionary for years. She would lie down and spread her legs like a processed chicken and allow him to do the work. He complained, but she didn’t change.

One day, he was given a fat annual bonus from work. He divided the money and gave a large chunk to his wife. The wife went gaga. That night, she mounted him like a horse heading towards the battlefield in the medieval period. That money brought out the naughtiness in her. It unlocked a part of her that had been locked away from her husband.

That is the power of money. The same effect it has on a woman is what it has on a man. When a man starts to make money, his mobile phone will start ringing more. The level of respect people have for him will go through the roof. Many will make themselves available to him because something is at stake.

If a woman tells you that you are not her spec, it could possibly mean that your purchasing power is low. You have nothing tangible to offer her. If women truly had specs, then how are the sugar daddies controlling the relationship market in Nigeria? If you see some of these sugar daddies physically, you will lose respect for the women. This accounts for why these women never flaunt them.

Money is the cheat code. With due respect, I doubt if Ned Nwoko would have stood a chance with Regina Daniels if he were a gateman. That was almost a beauty-and-the-beast situation.

A veteran pastor and relationship expert, Kingsley Okonkwo, in a viral post on X, had this to say:

“I feel for the men of this generation….relationships have been so commercialized nowadays that it’s almost impossible for a young man to find true love.

When we were young all you had to get was a girls phone number, but now all they want to send is their account number. Now you are expected to pay rent, school fees and transport before you are taken seriously.”

From his post, you can infer that money is the central theme. Most values like looks, dress sense, spoken English, swagger, exposure, educational qualifications and others have become secondary needs. Money takes the primary and pole position.

A man who is doing well financially will always be new in the sight of his wife. She will purposely and painstakingly accommodate your bad sides and behavioural excesses. She will wilfully make excuses for you. Only a rich man enjoys this privilege.

If the spark is gone, work on your finances and see how fast things will change. Money isn’t everything and can’t solve all marital problems, but it would wipe away most problems. It gives you an unbelievable exemption from certain criteria you have failed to meet.

Sometimes it's not about having the skills and the ability; it is about a working strategy. Cossy Orjiakor could act, but she knew she couldn't easily compete with most of her compatriots in Nollywood. In those days, publicity was hard. Even if you were controversial, there was no ready platform to propagate your antics. The world relied on traditional media, and irrelevant news was easily filtered out. Cossy Orjiakor looked inward and realised she had something tantalising that most Nollywood actresses lacked: her gigantic breasts. Back then, baring one's breasts was not in vogue. Even prostitutes were modestly dressed.


Cossy Orjiakor meets Obesere

Daringly, Cossy started flaunting her breasts in revealing outfits. Since the general public widely scorned such content, and there weren't many people exploiting that angle, she teamed up with Fuji music artist Abass Akande Obesere. Abass Akande Obesere was a former bus conductor in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos State. He was very raw.

Cossy Orjiakor featured as a video vixen in Abass Akande Obesere’s controversial music video for the hit track "Apple Juice" in 2000. Her provocative appearance launched her into the public spotlight and established her media career. The video was too blue for TV. The news spread around town, and future bad guys passed the VCR tape discreetly from one person to another. After watching, you would keep the tape at the bottom of your bag or in an unusual location where it could never be found. You ran the risk of being disowned if you were caught. In an African home, watching that video was the closest thing to pornography.


Her rumoured sex with dog saga


Two years later, Cossy Orjiakor took another audacious role in a movie titled Itohan. This was the final straw that broke the camel's back. She didn't do her risk assessment well; the pain from her actions outweighed the gains. It was an anti-human-trafficking movie addressing the dangers and extreme indignities faced by victims of human trafficking and sex slavery. As part of her role, she filmed a scene depicting sexual abuse involving a dog. A sensationalist tabloid magazine published by journalist Tunde Moshood obtained still photos and footage from the set. Instead of presenting it as a scripted scene, the magazine published front-page stories claiming Cossy engaged in bestiality in real life and alleged she contracted HIV from it. Rumour had it that she slept with a dog for $10,000. The stigma and public backlash were so intense that Cossy Orjiakor was forced to leave the public eye for a while. Even her family members felt the heat. For years, she lived with the stigma despite the news being untrue.

Music didn’t work

Cossy Orjiakor, who was born in Anambra State, was very smart. It is unknown to many that she bagged a second-class upper degree in Accounting and Management at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and obtained a master's degree from Lagos State University. As an industrious Igbo lady, she ventured into music too. She released her debut album, Nutty Queen, in 2013. In 2015, she also produced her first film, Power Girls, under her production company, Playgirl Pictures.

As an entertainer, Cossy Orjiakor struggled to make a mark and was hardly taken seriously. She had a kittenish voice that reminded men of their sexual fantasies. Something was always distracting about Cossy Orjiakor - her humongous mammary glands often distracted people from focusing on her acting or music skills. Yet, one way or another, she found success. She acquired a house in the highbrow Lekki Phase 2 area of Lagos State.

Social media controversies


When the Nigerian social media space matured, Cossy Orjiakor leveraged it to promote her brand. She would comment on controversial issues, like when she named her two cats Buhari and Goodluck, daring security agencies to arrest her. In 2017, she admitted via her social media account that she was a love-vendor during the Apostle Johnson Suleman and Stephanie Otobo saga, which rocked the Nigerian internet space like a hurricane.

On slow news days, her pictures worked magic for bloggers. Young journalists trying to make an impact would approach her for interviews, with most questions centred on her breasts and sex life. She never held back; she dropped big headlines, and they never failed to go viral.


Failed marriage attempt

As the years went by and Cossy Orjiakor was linked with numerous men, she decided to settle down. This is always the herculean part for controversial women who have built a sexual persona. People wondered how Cossy Orjiakor was going to do it. In August 2020, Cossy Orjiakor announced her engagement to Abel Jurgen Wilhelm, a male fashion model of Nigerian-German heritage. Four months later, in December 2020, Abel called off the engagement on grounds of domestic violence, stating he had been physically attacked and bitten by Cossy Orjiakor.

After the failed attempt at marriage, there was no news of her being in a relationship. The last time Cossy Orjiakor, now 41, grabbed the headlines was when her house was heavily flooded in June/July 2026, and she caught catfish inside her home. Several of her properties were destroyed. Cossy Orjiakor also underwent ankle hardware removal surgery and temporarily had to use a wheelchair to move around.

So what happened to Cossy Orjiakor? Nothing much! Her audience saw too much of her, got tired, and moved on to other newbies in her line of trade. Such is life.

It has been confirmed that Nigerian dancer and socialite, Iweh Odinaka, aka Poco Lee, is cooling his heels behind bars in the United Kingdom. He is expected to remain there until September 15, 2026, when there will be a court hearing in London. That is a very long unpaid holiday for a Nigerian celebrity with a tight schedule.

Up until this moment, the nature of the allegations against him remains unclear. Rumours have it that his alleged offence is sexual, while a section of the media has taken the safer route by describing it simply as “assault.” His celebrity friends have largely been quiet, only starting to speak on Monday evening after people began calling them out for their radio silence. None of them has been able to clearly explain the case he is facing.

Nigerian singer and businessman, Rahman Jago, in a social media post, prayed that “may we never be in a situation where only God is your witness.” That statement sounds deeply personal, but it does not, by itself, establish what Poco Lee is accused of.

Whatever the nature of the allegations, the situation could become very serious if they involve sexual assault. The UK takes consent and sexual offences seriously, and conduct that may be trivialised or ignored in Nigeria can have serious legal consequences in Britain.

In Nigeria, consent before sex is sometimes treated casually. Some men even joke that “no” means “yes” when dealing with Nigerian women. They will tell you about experiences where a woman said no but later appeared to consent. The problem is that consent cannot simply be assumed from body language, previous relationships or sexual history.

In the UK, consent is a serious legal matter. Being married or having children does not automatically mean that a person has consented to sex. A spouse can still make an allegation of rape, and the circumstances of the case will be considered by the police and courts.

There is also the issue of intoxication. In Nigeria, some men take advantage of women who are tipsy or intoxicated. After the encounter, the man walks away feeling like a master strategist, while the woman may feel embarrassed, confused or violated. She may never report what happened and simply move on with her life.

In the UK, however, sexual activity involving someone who lacks the capacity to consent can result in criminal prosecution. Depending on the circumstances and the evidence, a conviction can lead to imprisonment and registration as a sex offender.

Think about what happens on dance floors at Nigerian social gatherings. Some men touch women they barely know, press their bodies against them and cross physical boundaries under the guise of dancing. Such behaviour can have serious consequences in the UK if it amounts to unwanted sexual touching.

This is where Nigerian celebrity culture can become particularly dangerous.

In Nigeria, celebrities are sometimes treated like mini-gods. There is an unhealthy sense of entitlement around fame, money and access to women. Some famous men become accustomed to getting their way because very few people are willing to challenge them.

That mentality can become a serious problem when it meets a legal system that places considerable emphasis on consent and personal boundaries.

The UK does not simply suspend its laws because the person involved is famous, wealthy or influential. Your social status does not exempt you from the law. In fact, a high-profile case can attract even more scrutiny.

The case of former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy illustrates how devastating a criminal allegation can be, even when the accused is ultimately acquitted. Mendy was acquitted of the remaining charges against him after a retrial, but the years of legal proceedings had already taken a significant toll on his career, finances and reputation.

That is one of the frightening things about facing a serious criminal allegation: even an acquittal may not restore everything that was lost during the process.

Poco Lee could therefore be facing challenges that go far beyond the courtroom. Legal representation in the UK can be expensive, and a prolonged case can become financially and psychologically draining. His reputation and career could also suffer, regardless of the eventual outcome.

But it is important to stress that an allegation is not a conviction. Until a court determines otherwise, Poco Lee is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

The UK legal system has also demonstrated that public figures are not necessarily protected by their status. Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, were convicted and imprisoned in the UK for their roles in an organ-trafficking case. Whatever one’s opinion of the British legal system, the case demonstrated that political influence and social standing do not automatically provide protection from prosecution.

This is very different from the way many Nigerians perceive the justice system at home, where corruption, influence and connections are often blamed for undermining law enforcement.

There is also an interesting cultural difference in how controversy affects celebrities. In Nigeria, an arrest or scandal can sometimes increase a celebrity’s visibility rather than destroy it. Naira Marley’s 2019 arrest by the EFCC is an example of how controversy can become part of a celebrity’s brand. His subsequent release of “Soapy” helped turn the controversy into a major moment in his career.

Britain can be very different.

A legal battle can consume your money, reputation, time and mental energy. You can go from enjoying the benefits of fame and success to spending months or even years dealing with lawyers, court appearances and public scrutiny.

I always tell my friends that life in the UK is particularly suited to people who are conscious of consequences and disciplined about their choices. You can be making money today, enjoying your freedom and feeling like life is finally working out. Then one decision can put everything you have built under threat.

That may ultimately be the biggest challenge before Poco Lee.

Not just the court case itself, but everything that comes with it.

I wish Poco Lee good luck. He is going to need it.

There are certain changes that a woman can make to keep her man. It’s about mimicking or creating a semblance of that thing that is distracting him outside. Learning the way of the ‘side-chics.’

These simple and cost-effective changes are as follows:


(1) Staying in shape:

Yes, I understand that the toll of childbirth and motherhood stress causes an increase in weight, but adjustments could be made. Some Nigerian women eat too much, and they avoid the gym. They will get big and add ‘food lover’ to their bio on social media. Most times, the man will not complain; he will stay in the marriage and use the in-shape women to satisfy his sexual interests.


(2) Dressing well, both inside and outside:


Some women only dress well when going out. Some dress badly both outside and inside the house. You don’t need to buy expensive clothes. Look for what fits. Thank God for the TikTok market, where nice and affordable clothes are sold. Have a nice bath, shave the bushy areas and wear those skimpy wears and wait for your husband while returning from work. Wear some enchanting perfumes; they are not that expensive on Amazon. Stop tying those old ‘wrappers’ of your mother or grandmother around the house. They are not nice at all. This is the 21st century oh!


(3) Reduce the financial conversations:

Nowadays, it’s hard to have a normal conversation with a woman. The moment you start, she starts to tell you how badly money is needed at home. A man who is stressed from work, in search of money, will be frustrated hearing that, especially when the capacity isn’t there. Create diversity in your discussion. If he is a football fan, start watching football too. It’s not hard.


(4) Keep the house peaceful:

Sometimes, it’s okay for silence to be observed in the house. Silence and malice are not the same. Men need me-time too. Go with the flow. No man will marry a combative wife who is stirring more drama than Nollywood movies. The home is supposed to be a resting place. Avoid unnecessary arguments, no matter how small.

(5) Cooking:


Be a true African woman! Cook some good meals and make sure there is always something in the fridge for him to eat. The way to a man’s heart is his tummy.


(6) Work on your bedroom skills:

A woman needs to be calm as a dove but as fierce as a lion in bed. Don’t just lie down like a log of wood and tell him to do the work. Watch some educational videos and improve your delivery. Give him a run for his money. Initiate that style that almost stops his heartbeat. If he dies, he dies.


(7) Spend your money sometimes:

African women love to hide and save their money. Once a man spends all the time, the fun times created might be fun to you, but not him anymore. Learn to use your own money to give him a treat. At least once in a blue moon.

( Don’t cage him:

Allow your man to hang out with friends at least once in a while. Let him feel young again. Your company could be tiring, and he needs to mix this up. Stop panicking and assuming he is cheating when he is not with you.

(9) Create time for your man:

For Nigerian women in the UK, stop picking shifts and abandoning your men. Some of you will be telling him you are tired when he wants to do the do. Spend some weekends and bank holidays with him. Create memories that could last forever.

(10) Stop checking his mobile phone:


Most women are very good at unconventional investigations. They read meaning into everything they see on a man’s phone. A man’s phone is like onions; the more you look, the more you cry. Keep your mind at peace and give him that privacy. Most times, things you read meaning into always amount to nothing when critically examined.

This list goes on and on. I believe if these changes are made, the state of some marriages might improve.

I was scrolling through my Facebook timeline when I saw a viral post by a young Nigerian woman on X that read: “No woman over 30 is genuinely happy being single. You can pretend all you want, but deep down, you still want a man.”
The post had almost 600,000 views at the time the screenshot was taken. It got me thinking. There is a cultural and environmental dimension to this conversation.

If an American or European woman tells me that marriage isn’t an achievement and that she isn’t interested in it, I might believe her. If someone from Japan, where there are concerns about population decline and an ageing population, says the same thing, I might believe her. I might even believe someone from China. But when it comes to an African woman, particularly a Nigerian woman who grew up with African parents, I am a little more sceptical.

Marriage is deeply cultural in Nigeria. There is also a strong religious dimension to it. Several verses in the Bible and passages in the Quran support marriage. Since Nigeria is a highly religious country, the belief in marriage is deeply rooted in society. Social constructs have also reinforced this belief. Many Nigerian tribes believe that marriage and childbirth come with fortune, blessings and fulfilment. This may not be based on empirical evidence, but it is a belief that has been passed down from one generation to another.

I have an American friend of about eight years who told me expressly that she wasn’t interested in getting married or raising children. She has several dogs instead and sees them as her family. She travels to different countries for holidays and appears to be living a happy life. When one of her dogs died, she was devastated. She mourned for a long time and told me she had lost her “child.”

I have also met some white British women who don’t want to hear the topic of marriage. They simply want to be free like a bird. They have replaced that aspect of their lives with career growth and fantastic holiday memories. Some might change their minds by having a child outside marriage or adopting one. Others are perfectly comfortable seeing someone or living with a partner without getting married.

But when it comes to Nigerian women who say they are against marriage, I sometimes wonder whether circumstances have influenced that position. Ask a girl between the ages of 16 and 21 about marriage, and she will probably show interest and paint a fairy-tale picture of her ideal man. He will be so perfect that the angels in heaven might almost be tempted to give her her own clay to mould her ideal husband. Within this age range, some young women can have extremely high or unrealistic expectations. They reject one suitor after another, time passes, and eventually, the pool of available suitors becomes smaller.

By the time she reaches 30 and beyond, she may decide to focus more on her career and finances. She gets herself some good toys or perhaps a toy boy to keep body and soul together. When she achieves success in those areas, she tells the world that she doesn’t need a man and proudly tags herself an “independent woman.”

Of course, some women genuinely prefer single life, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But sometimes, the declaration of independence can also be a way of making peace with a situation that didn’t turn out as expected. If she eventually finds love with someone she genuinely wants, she may jump at the opportunity and grab it with both hands. What is the essence of an exotic car model that is widely admired but never purchased by any buyer? That’s a huge loss to the car dealer.

I used to date a lady who introduced me to her mum less than three months after we met. She frequently fantasised about getting married to me. She would show me wedding content on social media most of the time.

“Baby, I am worried that you can’t dance. I will paint the dance floor red on our wedding day,” she once told me. Sincerely speaking, I was in love with her too.

When I left Nigeria, and she probably started seeing someone else behind my back, her tune changed. She told me marriage was not an achievement and that she wasn’t excited about it. She said she didn’t mind staying single for the rest of her life. It later turned out that she was saying those things because she was no longer interested in the relationship. From that day, I stopped being moved by what a woman said. I started paying more attention to her legs. That’s where the truth is.

Whether we admit it or not, men love women and women love men. Of course, not everyone wants a heterosexual relationship, and not everyone wants marriage. But for many people, romantic love and companionship remain important parts of life.

In this challenging world, having someone you can rely on through life’s difficulties can be incredibly valuable. So, is marriage an achievement? Yes, but perhaps not simply because you managed to get someone to put a ring on your finger. Getting married is relatively easy. Staying married, building a healthy home, raising children, surviving financial pressure, forgiving each other, growing together and remaining committed through life’s difficult seasons is a completely different achievement.

In a world where many relationships collapse at the first sign of trouble, building a marriage that survives the storms of life is something worth celebrating.

A Nigerian recently made a short documentary about the “Agbero culture” — street urchins in Lagos. He focused on the aggressive begging behaviour of young and able-bodied men. The kind of begging that escalates into threats of violence, robbery, vandalism, harassment and mayhem in no time.

These guys ask people for money with a sense of self-entitlement. It is the mentality of, “I know you have it. Give it to me and don’t be stingy.”
There have also been scenarios where some celebrities give them money, only for the street urchins to claim that the amount was too small and not enough. Most of them are short-tempered. They beg and issue threats. This is quite strange.

These antisocial behaviours have made the streets of major cities in Nigeria ugly and unsafe. These “Agberos” are different from the category of street beggars who parade begging bowls, singing emotional songs and repeating the same songs.
Within the same timeframe, a US-based content creator, Animashaun, made a similar commentary on social media, calling for government intervention to sanitise the streets and deal with the activities of thugs.

Yesterday, skit maker Brain Jotter also corroborated the views of Animashaun and the documentary producer with video evidence. Brain Jotter was being harassed and threatened by an irate thug demanding money. A foreigner who isn’t familiar with the situation might have assumed that the skit maker owed the thug some money and was probably refusing to pay it back. The entitlement was scary.

Across the world, it is normal to find beggars and street urchins who perpetrate crimes. Major cities like London, New York, Paris and others are grappling with similar challenges.

In Nigeria, it is becoming a full-blown crisis, with a lack of safety nets for such people to be kept at bay. There is also a political dimension to the problem. Politicians use these figures as tools for orchestrating electoral violence and other malpractices. The hungrier they are, the cheaper their services become. So why solve the problem when it is beneficial?

Begging is becoming cultural in Nigeria, and the problem flows from top to bottom. Our leaders beg international organisations for money. They beg for aid and favourable terms of trade. They beg for soft loans and struggle to pay them back. They also beg for debt forgiveness after being overwhelmed by debt repayments, skyrocketing interest rates and other financial traps.

Prominent Nigerian celebrities respectfully beg for money in the form of digital gifts on TikTok. Interestingly, they do it with so much ‘dignity.’

The northern part of Nigeria has the highest poverty rate across the regions of the country. Begging is almost cultural in the North, with the Almajiri culture, where male children roam the streets with begging bowls. Northern Nigeria accounts for roughly 66% to 80% of Nigeria’s total out-of-school population. With national estimates ranging between 18.3 million and 18.5 million out-of-school children overall, roughly 12 million to 14 million of them are located in the northern regions.

There is no exact official census or single verified total for the number of street beggars in Northern Nigeria. However, research and institutional estimates point to between 10 million and 15 million Almajiri children and out-of-school youths roaming the streets, a substantial portion of whom engage in daily begging. Official data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that roughly 65% of all impoverished people in Nigeria reside in the northern sector.

In the southern part of Nigeria, adults mostly beg. Apart from conventional beggars with disabilities who are stationed by roadsides and in busy places, we have the “corporate beggars” harassing people they know with emotionally charged stories about how life is hard, and they need small favours. Once you help them once or twice, the help becomes an expectation. The day you say no, the relationship collapses.

This set of people uses social media to track others like intelligence organisations. Once you display the slightest sign of comfort, a precision strike hits you. Their bases are Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and, most importantly, WhatsApp. People jokingly call them the “WhatsApp police.” Once you give yourself any treat and share pictures, they beg you for money some days later. It is comically called the “enjoyment tax.”

I will share a personal experience.

In 2024, a colleague at work organised a Go-Karting activity and invited me. The entire package cost less than £100. I was broke, and this wasn’t on my priority list. I almost turned it down, but I changed my mind and paid for it anyway. The experience was mind-blowing. I took pictures and made videos. I uploaded them, along with screenshots of my performance, on WhatsApp and Instagram. That week, my “enjoyment tax” was as high as a skyscraper. Financial requests from people never stopped. A hard lesson was learned.

Abroad, you hardly see white people relying on one another for financial support. If your problems are too much, go to the government.
In England, needy people put severe pressure on the Department for Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus, local councils and charities dealing with the cost-of-living crisis. Due to the failure of the government, the needy then have to rely on those who seem to be comfortable.

The problem is almost cultural, and there seems to be no way out of the quagmire. In recent times, people who have money have become increasingly secretive as a survival strategy.

Before the explosion of boundary-pushing content by creators on social media today, there was a pioneer. She started with music and hoped it would give her fame, attention and money. She sang, she tried her best, but the world felt she was not good enough. She later devised a way to make her own mark in the entertainment industry through adult content. She named herself the Goddess of X. That is Maheeda.

Maheeda was probably one of the earliest Nigerian women to understand the power of deliberately creating an outrageous internet persona. She must have inspired social media figures like Mandy Kiss and the rest dominating TikTok today with one-dimensional content. The concept goes thus: “Wear a revealing outfit, make a frontal video of yourself, move your waist, turn your back and say something outrageous to lure people in.”

Between 2013 and 2017, Caroline Sam, aka Maheeda, was on fire. She creatively littered the social media space with nude photos of herself. She wasn’t an arsonist, but she set the blogs on fire. As expected, Nigerians criticised her. They went to her page to preach to her; some tried to bully her and call her names, but she never stopped. Most acted like they didn’t care, but her social media views were massive. Her interviews were spicy, racy and seductive. She didn’t hide her passion for sex. This was strange in a Nigerian environment where women would rather expose their money to theft than reveal their ‘body counts’. She is fondly remembered for her ‘Naija Bad Girl’ music video.

Maheeda hailed from Benin City, Edo State, but was born in the northern part of Nigeria. She started her musical career at 23. She was a single mother at 17. She was exposed to the hardship of life too suddenly. She never met her father, and her mother died when she was a young child. In Nigeria, men don’t spare vulnerable women; they take advantage of them and, sadly, compound their problems. That was how she got pregnant without being legally married or having an identifiable partner.

Maheeda would drop content that would make you dream about what was happening behind the photographer. While in deep thoughts and imagination, you would be wondering about the state of mind of the photographer and what happened behind the scenes. There is no way any photographer was going to manage her photo session with his senses intact, except if the person was not straight.

Maheeda didn’t just randomly release sultry pictures; she was very strategic about their distribution. She would target some weekends when internet usage would be heavy. She would pick some public holidays, like Nigeria’s Independence Day, when people would have so much free time on their hands to scroll through the internet. One could remember her Christmas-themed set of nude photos where she left nothing to the imagination. It was as if Maheeda was possessed. When asked about the motivation behind her actions, she denied trying to arouse her audience. She said she posted that content simply because she “feels sexy.” This is in agreement with the saying that “if you have it, then flaunt it.”

Maheeda was also an enigma. While posting raunchy photos on social media and getting censored by platforms, she was also claiming to be ‘Born Again’. She released a song titled “Concrete Love” to reflect her claimed Christian conversion. She said the song was inspired by the love of God towards her. This was very strange. She would regularly comment on contentious topics like ‘hellfire’, which, according to her, didn’t exist. She advised the government to legalise prostitution to positively impact the lives of the people. She was a walking contradiction!

Life could be very strange. People can make the worst choices and come out with the best outcomes. Despite Maheeda being the kind of girl people’s mothers “warned them about”, she found love. She met a European man while working at a bar to fend for herself and her child. The man listened to her story and fell in love with her. The man relocated her and her daughter, Divine, to the Netherlands, where they live till this day.

When Maheeda got married secretly, people were in disbelief. Her lifestyle continued, and many wondered why a man would let his wife be doing a ‘Kim Kardashian’ on social media. Perhaps, she married a crazy and understanding man like ‘Kanye West.’ While in Europe, Maheeda was still dropping bombs and short provocative videos of herself in black and white, under dim lights, for a bit of secrecy and suspense.

As time passed, people moved on. The interesting thing about social media is that one day, the dopamine rush people enjoy from high-energy content would cease; they would crave something more. Once your style doesn’t change, they will leave you alone. This later became the case with Maheeda. Her views started dropping, and her content was no longer gaining traction. There was nothing new anymore.

Towards the year 2020, Maheeda rebranded. She announced she was now a ‘Born Again’ Christian again. She covered up and denounced most of her controversial interviews. She revealed most of them were untrue and that she only said those things for traffic. She did maintain that being born again helped her manage her wild urge to sleep with different men.

But the internet never forgets. The Nigerian society is very judgemental, and this is why most people hardly discuss their past. They felt Maheeda was a lost dog that was not expected to retrace its steps. Her social media numbers went further down, and this time, it was horrible.

Maheeda, now 43, also read the memo. She has since kept a low profile on social media. She appears to have moved from being “Maheeda, the Naija Bad Girl” to Caroline Sam, a wife, mother, fitness and lifestyle personality, and Christian.

For all those in the business of sexual content on social media, find a way to pay homage to Maheeda, who inspired your life journey and paved the way for you.

If you think the last Nigerian presidential election in 2023, where Tinubu emerged as president with one of the lowest vote totals ever recorded by a winning candidate, was uninspiring, that of 2027 could be worse. I predict it will be the most lacklustre presidential election in the history of Nigeria. It is an election that appears to have been decided before Election Day arrives.

Back in 2015, when the late Muhammadu Buhari contested against the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan, the election was exciting. There was widespread belief in the All Progressives Congress’ “change” slogan. The election was too close to call. This provided a market for political analysts, journalists, opinion leaders, data analysts, political scientists and even spiritualists to make predictions. The predictions, especially those made by Christian clerics, gathered momentum in the media. Father Ejike Mbaka was a big beneficiary of the prophecy contest.

Fast-forward to 2026, and many of these figures have been unusually quiet. Nobody wants to tell us what we already know.
A fresh election is also a process designed to stimulate change within the polity. The common man should be able to sit in his room and tell himself, “Change is coming. There is going to be a breath of fresh air very soon.”

But in this case, there is none.

Even the numbers tell a story. INEC has described the progressive decline in voter turnout as a serious concern for Nigerian democracy. Presidential election turnout fell from 53.7% in 2011 to 43.6% in 2015, 34.7% in 2019 and just 26.7% in 2023. In other words, barely one in four registered voters turned out for the 2023 presidential election. INEC itself has linked this decline to voter apathy, declining trust and the perception among some citizens that their voices do not matter. That should worry everyone.

The challenges in Nigeria are so multifaceted that even religious institutions - the rock that many people lean on in difficult times, are struggling to give people hope and succour. Their members are travelling to irreligious Western countries to start life all over again.

Everybody is hoping to get a visa and leave the country for a better life abroad. Popular relocation destinations such as the US, Canada and the UK are dealing with increasing pressure around immigration. The United States has introduced tougher immigration measures, while immigration has become one of the most contentious political issues in the UK. In Canada, concerns about housing, jobs and public services have also intensified the debate about immigration.


The message is becoming clear: even the countries Nigerians are running to are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the pressure created by migration.

In the past, an average Nigerian primarily had economic problems and poor infrastructure to deal with. In recent times, insecurity has spread into the foundation of the country. The possibility of being kidnapped and suddenly owing bandits millions of naira in ransom is frighteningly real in some parts of the country. Even after ransom is paid, there is no guarantee that you will get your loved one back alive.

The cost of living is very high. Inflation remains a major problem, coupled with unemployment and declining purchasing power. Under normal circumstances, a government facing this level of public frustration should be facing a serious electoral challenge. But Nigeria has a caricature of a political system. It is a system of big men and weak institutions, where government institutions are often accused of playing partisan politics.

As someone based abroad, once I get two missed calls from a Nigerian contact, I start to panic.

Once I get a voice note saying, “We need to talk,” I know I am in trouble.

Someone is about to tell me a long and touching story that will tempt me to part with some money.

It is so bad that you cannot even reconnect with an old friend or acquaintance in peace. After 10 to 15 minutes of a phone conversation, the person is asking you to help financially. It has become so bad that some people abroad are even reluctant to share their testimonies with those back home because of perceived bitterness, envy or the fear that their success will immediately become another person’s financial solution.

Back in the Buhari days, we had media aides making strong attempts to publicise the achievements of the president. The Tinubu administration’s communication strategy often appears more focused on responding to political opponents and defending the government with pettiness.

The media space is awash with responses to what presidential hopefuls such as Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar are saying. Even when Tinubu and his wife, Remi Tinubu, try to make a case for themselves, some of their public appearances and statements end up either infuriating people or creating the next comedy skit for content creators.

And this is where the 2027 election becomes interesting. Tinubu is my current favourite to win the next election. He is not necessarily going to win because he is the people’s overwhelming choice or because Nigerians believe he deserves a second term. He could win because of two major factors.

First, Nigeria’s political institutions remain weak and vulnerable to manipulation. The credibility of electoral institutions and the conduct of security agencies will be crucial to how Nigerians perceive the 2027 election.
Second, and perhaps more importantly, is the failure of an organised opposition. Major opposition figures such as Atiku and Obi have yet to demonstrate the level of political maturity and strategic cooperation required to build a formidable coalition capable of seriously challenging an incumbent president.

Instead, the opposition appears to be preparing for another familiar cycle: contest the election, dispute the result and head to court. And then there is the judiciary, an institution whose credibility has been repeatedly questioned by Nigerians over the years.

I have done my own anecdotal pulse survey, and from the people I have spoken to, only one group appears particularly confident about a Tinubu victory: people closely associated with the administration and those who believe the current political arrangement should continue. Of course, an anecdotal survey is not scientific data. But sometimes you don’t need a complicated opinion poll to understand the mood of a country. You simply need to listen to ordinary people. And what I hear is not excitement. It is resignation.

I wish taxpayers’ money could be saved by simply installing Tinubu as the next president and skipping the electoral process. The world is not expecting an upset. The 2027 presidential election could end up being an expensive democratic ritual, a process designed to tick the box, fulfil all righteousness and produce an outcome that many Nigerians already expect. That may be the biggest problem of all.

An election is supposed to give people hope that something can change. If nobody believes it can, why should they bother voting?

There is an erroneous view that ‘slaying’ on social media and other forms of provocative self-presentation started with millennials and Gen Z.

It didn't.

The practice has been with us for decades, going as far back as the baby boomers. It was simply less pronounced because women did not have the platforms we have today to display themselves to such large audiences. Much of what was considered risqué or provocative was confined to nightclubs, private parties, exclusive social gatherings and other spaces frequented by the privileged.

Here is the front page of a major Lagos-based news magazine, Flamingo Magazine, described as ‘Africa's lively family magazine’, from its May 1971 edition. The cover features a sultry photograph of a dark-skinned woman posing seductively in a revealing top and white underwear.

According to the description on the cover, the woman “can cause a jam just by walking down a city street.”

That magazine is now 55 years old. If the woman was 18 when the photograph was taken and is still alive today, she would be 73.

So, before we accuse millennials and Gen Z of inventing the culture of displaying one's sexuality for public attention, perhaps we should look further back.

Who remembers the days of the ‘Sun Girls’? We also had 'Hints' and 'Hearts' making similar features.

The Sun newspaper regularly devoted a full page to a featured woman, accompanied by a short biography and her contact details. Beyond entertainment, these features became a means of publicity, social connection and, for some, a way of attracting potential admirers and wealthy suitors.

The point is not to condemn the women who participated in these forms of self-presentation. The point is to recognise that the demand for attractive, provocative and sexually suggestive content has existed for generations.

What has changed is the platform.

A woman who might once have needed a magazine editor, newspaper publisher, photographer or access to an exclusive social gathering can now reach thousands or even millions of people from her bedroom with a smartphone.

Social media has removed the gatekeepers. It has democratised visibility and turned personal presentation into a form of entertainment, influence and, in many cases, business.