Celebs

BBNaija – Maria Chike Clears The Air Over ‘Home Wrecker’ Allegations

About a year after her image was smeared with allegations of being a home wrecker, Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye star, Maria Chike Benjamin has finally addressed the rumors stating that she has never ruined any marriage.

Maria took to her Twitter page on the evening of Sunday, July 3 to squash the rumors for good. In the lengthy Twitter thread, Maria said that the reason that she had been silent on the issue was not because she was weak but that she was only respecting the people involved. She however decided to finally address the accusations which seemingly interfere with her peace. Maria also scoffed at the other rumors of her being a ‘runs girl’ that have continued to plague her since her rise to the spotlight via the platform of Big Brother.

The reality TV star further added that the proceeds from her hard work, as well as support from her man and her family, were enough to take care of her needs.

Shortly after her untimely eviction from the BBNaija Shine Ya Eye season where she was one-half of the wild cards, Maria came under fire after rumors began to swirl that she had wrecked the home of a certain lady named MaryAnn and was dating her husband, Kelvin described as a Dubai-based businessman.

MaryAnn, per the rumors, is the sister to businessman and socialite, Cubana Chief Priest. Cubana Chief Priest was the first to reveal this after he called Maria out on social media and also claimed that Maria threatened her sister. Maria kept mum while Chief Priest continued to mount his accusations. Netizens would then dig up old social media posts of Maria including one where she wrote; “If I can’t have you no one else will,” — linking it to Chief Priest’s claims.

Maria had been quiet on the issue until now. Pulse would later reveal that at the time that Chief Priest alleged that Maria was the mistress to his inlaw, he, Kelvin, and his sister MaryAnn were already in the middle of their divorce proceedings.

Here is Maria Chike’s Tweet in Full;

“And I’m going to address this once and only this once, I’ve been quite on the whole husband snatcher issue, I DID NOT ruin any home, my silence is for the best of so many people involved. That I haven’t said my peace doesn’t make me weak, I am respecting so many people involved.

and their privacy, And for the rumours of me sleeping with several married men including a pastor, WE both laughed at it cause we literally breathe each other’s air day in day out and no room for dishonesty. When and if I ever start doing “runs”

Not that I have any intentions of this or knock anyone off their hustle but my man does look after me and my family are also very much okay to look after me and I work my ass off to look after myself. And also if I ever chop breakfast I’ll chop it with ice cream.

Cause this is life But I’ll always be happy that’s a given and I promise myself that on this Gods given earth. But for now, I just want to dance under the sunset make nobody stop my enjoyment.”

Celebs

Nollywood Veteran Hanks Anuku captured roaming the streets of Abuja

A viral video showing veteran Nollywood actor Hanks Anuku on a roadside in Abuja has sparked concern among Nigerians on social media. The footage, believed to have been recorded recently, shows the 64-year-old actor appearing distressed, holding a disposable cup and seemingly talking to himself. Some social media users speculated that he may have been under the influence of alcohol, though this remains unconfirmed.

Sharing the clip online, eyewitnesses appealed for support, writing:

“Please Nigerians, Nollywood actor Hanks Anuku needs our help. Please repost and share so he can get help.”
The video has generated mixed reactions, with some expressing concern for the actor’s well-being, while others urged the public not to jump to conclusions.

One user said, “He made his choice. Donate for him and he will still visit his drugs and drinks. Best advice na the one wey person advice himself.”

Several fans called on his fellow actors and the Nigerian Actors Guild to provide the actor with the necessary medical and financial support.\

Anuku previously made headlines in November 2022 after a viral video showed him dressed in worn-out clothing while wandering the streets, prompting widespread speculation about his mental health. The actor later dismissed claims that he was battling mental illness. However, this latest video shows concerns over the state of his mental health and well-being.

During his time in Nollywood, Hanks Anuku was known for playing the archetypal bad-boy role, which earned him fame through his performances in movies like ‘The Senator.’ The actor’s current situation sheds light on the issues confronting movie stars and other celebrities who often battle with depression and financial crisis after leaving the limelight.

Celebs

“I can never marry a Nigerian” — DJ Cuppy

DJ Cuppy has decided against marrying a Nigerian man, and she has a reason that says as much about the unique pressures of dating as a billionaire’s daughter as it does about the men involved.

Speaking in a resurfaced interview, the DJ and media personality said her last Nigerian partner spent more energy trying to secure a meeting with her father, business mogul Femi Otedola, than actually pursuing her.

“I can never marry a Nigerian. The last Nigerian I dated was already asking me when he could meet my dad. I don’t even think they actually like me,” she said.

The comment was received well because it touched something many high-profile women have spoken about privately, which is the difficulty of knowing whether interest is genuine or transactional when your last name opens doors that most people spend careers trying to reach.

Cuppy added that her father has no strong preference on nationality, only that she eventually gets married. She also used the moment to express happiness about her sister Temi Otedola’s relationship with star Mr Eazi.

Cuppy’s romantic history has rarely been quiet. Her most high-profile relationship was with British boxer Ryan Taylor, which moved quickly from a 2022 engagement to a 2023 breakup and a series of very public exchanges in the years that followed.

In early 2024, Cuppy posted something her exes interpreted as a taunt, suggesting they could not afford to be where she was without her help. Taylor responded in the comments with: “Neither can you.”

The back-and-forth did not stop there. In 2025, Taylor appeared on a podcast and alleged that Cuppy had expressed discomfort around Nigerians, claiming she discouraged him from hiring Nigerian staff and was uncomfortable when Nigerian fans approached her in public.

That allegation, largely unaddressed at the time, now circles back with some irony given her latest comments.

Before Taylor, Cuppy was publicly linked to Davido’s manager Asa Asika and Nigerian footballer Victor Anichebe.

She has since said she prefers low-key, non-celebrity partners, someone with a regular job, away from the spotlight that has followed most of her previous relationships.

Celebs

‘I smoked 40 sticks a day for 13 years’: Ebuka opens up on nicotine addiction as Banky W revisits porn struggle

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu says he smoked up to 40 cigarettes daily for 13 years, while Banky W revisited his past pornography addiction on Mentality with Ebuka. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has revealed that he began smoking in JSS3 and spent the next 13 years addicted to cigarettes, reaching a peak of two packs, roughly 40 sticks, every single day by the time he was in university.

The television host disclosed the latest episode of his podcast Mentality with Ebuka, which aired on Friday, May 22. The episode featured singer and pastor Banky W and medical content creator Aproko Doctor in a candid conversation about addiction, its origins, and the long road out of it.

“I started smoking in JSS3, which is crazy young,” Ebuka said. “It was basically peer pressure, wanting to prove myself, wanting to belong. By the time I was done with secondary school, I had become full-on. Got into university, and by university, I was doing about two packs a day. That’s about 40 sticks of cigarettes every single day.”

He added that his exit from the habit was less a dramatic decision and more a test of willpower. “The last stick of cigarettes I had was in February 2008. I didn’t quit. I just kept saying let me see how much longer I will hold out for, and now it’s been almost 18 years.”

Banky W used the same platform to revisit a confession he had made publicly before, his years-long struggle with pornography addiction, tracing it back to a freshman dormitory in a New York university where a classmate had shared an open hard drive filled with explicit content accessible to the entire floor.

“I wonder how many of us got trapped in that moment,” he said. He described the experience of trying to stop as a confrontation with something far more entrenched than he had anticipated.

“When it’s now time to stop, you realise you’re dealing with demons that are much stronger than you. That was where the reality dawned on me.” He said it took a deliberate journey to reach a place of freedom, and that he has since addressed the issue openly from the pulpit, part of what he described as a growing willingness among pastors to tackle subjects previously considered too uncomfortable for the church.

The episode is the latest in Ebuka’s Mentality series, which has carved out a space for honest, personal conversations that Nigerian public figures rarely have on record.