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Fathia Williams receives Backlash for new movie ‘Efunroye: The Unicorn’

Nollywood filmmaker, Faithia Williams Balogun has addressed the controversy around her new movie, Efunroye: The Unicorn.

The actress took to X on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, to announce the release of her movie, Efuronye: The Unicorn. Captioned, “Power, Trade, Legacy,” the official film poster that she released caught the attention of netizens.

Journalist David Hundeyin, tweeting, criticized the movie, alleging that Tinubu was an “ultimate slave trader.”

His tweet, among others, read, “A deliberate decision was made to fund a Nigerian movie lionizing not just ‘a’ slave trader but the ultimate slave trader, as in the Efunroye Tinubu herself. The one who decided she would rather sink a ship loaded with a cargo of kidnapped African human beings than reduce their asking price to the European buyers. That Efunroye Tinubu. This would be like getting Tyler Perry and Spike Lee to produce and direct a movie titled ‘Robert E. Lee: The Unicorn.’”

Also, the 2023 Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, wrote, “The Yoruba were the biggest victims of Madam Tinubu’s kidnapping, human trafficking and enslavement network. In the British attempt to end human trafficking and her ruthless opposition to it, she was exiled from Lagos. When Nigerians do DNA test like 23 and me, etc., they will see the number of unknown relatives they have scattered all across the Americas and the West Indies. They will realize how close and how deep this chapter of our history is. Unfortunately, Nigerians are still dealing with a ruthless elite that amass their fortune at the detriment of their people.”

Amid the backlash on the yet-to-be-released biopic movie, the actress clarified that there was no political intention behind the movie production. She was more than a warrior, she was a ruler who rewrote history. ‘Efunroye: The Unicorn’ is coming to your screens soon! Are you ready?” the post said.

The post sparked a lot of controversy especially because the movie is about Efunroye Osuntinubu, born in 1805, a Yoruba aristocrat, merchant, and slave trader in pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria.

She is said to have used her connections to establish a successful trade network with European merchants in slaves, tobacco, salt, cotton, palm oil, coconut oil, and firearms and allegedly owned well over 360 personal slaves.

As a wealthy woman, Madam Tinubu was able to influence economic and political decisions during her time. She had a massive security force composed of slaves, and she sometimes executed orders usually given by political leaders during the colonial era.

Fathia Williams, however, took to her social media to address the controversy around the film

“Firstly, “Efunroye: The Unicorn” is not a promotional piece intended to glorify or whitewash a divisive historical figure like Madam Efunroye Tinubu. Nor does it carry any political intent or affiliation. This film is purely a work of artistic interpretation and storytelling. As a filmmaker, my goal is to bring Nigerian stories to life on screen, and this is no exception. The movie attempts to present Madam Tinubu’s life in a balanced and nuanced way, showcasing her triumphs, challenges, and the complex legacy she left behind. It is not an effort to reshape or glorify the historical narrative. “Like all historical figures, Madam Tinubu’s story is layered, and this film aims to capture both her strengths and controversies,” the post said.

She also stressed that the movie is inspired by true events and added that it is important to explore our history.

“As with any artistic work, it draws from history but takes creative liberties to make the story more engaging for modern audiences. I believe that through this film, we can explore important parts of our history, but it is important to understand that it remains a work of fiction inspired by real events,” she concluded

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Celebs

I am Not A Womanizer, I Just Love Hard – 2BABA

When Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, recently described himself as a “lover boy” rather than a womaniser, the comment landed with a sense of irony. In a recent sit-down with the Voice of Nigeria, the singer addressed the tag that has followed him for decades: “The biggest misconception about me is that I’m a womaniser. I’m a lover boy. I love hard.

While 2Baba frames his history as one of intense affection, his personal relationship timeline is a complex one. This “lover boy” energy has seen him father eight children across four different relationships, most notably with Sumbo Adeoye and Pero Adeniyi, the latter of whom remained a source of public tension during his 12-year marriage to actress Annie Idibia.

2Baba’s romantic history predates his rise to superstardom, but it became more visible as his career took off in the early 2000s. He is a father to eight children with four women: Sumbo Ajala, now known as Sumbo Adeoye; Pero Adeniyi, now known as Pero Adeniyi Agofure; Annie Macaulay; and Natasha Osawaru.

Although Annie is often remembered as his earliest and most enduring partner, 2Baba’s first child is with Sumbo Ajala, with whom he has two children. He later had three children with Pero Adeniyi, with whom he maintained an on-and-off relationship for several years. These overlapping relationships, which became public over time, contributed to the perception of instability in his romantic life.

Despite their long history, their relationship was repeatedly tested. While Annie and 2Baba eventually married and had two children together, their union was marked by years of public strain, including disputes involving extended family members, social media outbursts, and emotional revelations on reality television.

Following years of public online in-law drama and emotional outcries on reality TV, 2Baba has since turned a new leaf with his current wife, Natasha Osawaru, whom he married in July 2025, months after news of his separation from Annie became public.

The marriage surprised many and was widely interpreted as a fresh start, placing the singer in a more settled social environment. However, the promise of stability was soon put to the test. By late 2025, rumours of marital tension began circulating online, driven largely by videos and social media activity. One widely shared clip appeared to show 2Baba and Natasha engaged in a heated exchange at a shopping mall in the United Kingdom.

Another incident occurred during a live Instagram session hosted by Daddy Freeze, where the singer joined a conversation involving his former management. In the video, raised voices could be heard, prompting widespread speculation about the state of their marriage.

Public reactions were swift, with some questioning the dynamics of the relationship. Days later, 2Baba addressed the situation directly, warning that public speculation had gone too far.

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Entertainment

Grammys 2026: Tyla outshines Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid & Ayra Starr in the African music category

South African pop star, Tyla, has once again stamped her authority on the global music stage after winning the Best African Music Performance award at the 2026 Grammy Awards, defeating Nigeria’s biggest exports — Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr, and Wizkid — in a fiercely contested category.

Tyla secured the honour with her viral record, “Push 2 Start,” ahead of Burna Boy’s “Love,” Davido and Omah Lay’s collaboration “With You,” Ayra Starr and Wizkid’s “Gimme Dat,” as well as Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin’s “Hope & Love.” The category, introduced to spotlight African creativity, continues to draw global attention as Afrobeats and African pop gain mainstream appeal worldwide

The victory extends Tyla’s fast-rising dominance in international award circles and highlights South Africa’s growing footprint in the African and global music ecosystem.

For Nigeria, however, the night ended in disappointment. Despite heavy nominations across top categories, no Nigerian artiste returned home with a Grammy trophy in 2026. Established stars such as Burna Boy, Davido, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr and Wizkid all fell short, marking one of the rare years Africa’s most influential music nation failed to record a win at the Grammys.

Burna Boy also suffered a setback in the Best Global Music Album category, where his project, “No Sign of Weakness,” lost out to Brazilian legends Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia, whose collaborative live album, “Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo,” claimed the prize.

Tyla’s latest Grammy moment carries historical weight. She is now a two-time winner of the Best African Music Performance category, having first made history in 2024 with her smash hit, “Water,” which earned her the title of the category’s inaugural recipient. Her repeat success signals consistency, global acceptance and the widening space for African female stars in the international music market.

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Entertainment

Davido Comes Under Fire For Comments On Ishowspeed’s ‘Multiple Women’ Massage in Ghana

Afrobeats star Davido became the subject of online discussion after sharing a playful Instagram story that many Nigerians interpreted as controversial. On 26 January 2026, the Grammy-nominated singer reposted a viral video of American streamer IShowSpeed receiving a massage from multiple women in Ghana, during his African tour.

In the repost on his Instagram Stories, Davido tagged his wife, Chioma Rowland Adeleke, with a light-hearted caption that appeared to seek her permission for a similar “Ghana shea butter massage.”

The caption read: ‘@thechefchi oh boy my darling wife pls permit me 😅😅this nah Ghana???’

The post was framed as humour, but screenshots of the story quickly circulated on X (formerly Twitter), where it gained significant attention beyond his Instagram audience.

While some viewers interpreted the message as harmless banter between a married couple, others viewed it as inappropriate, particularly given Davido’s public profile and marital status.

The post generated a range of reactions from Nigerian social media users. Some expressed discomfort with the public nature of the message, questioning its appropriateness given Davido’s marital status. Others used humour or satire to comment on the situation, while several users framed their reactions.

While some comments implied that the post reinforced long-standing perceptions about his personal life, other users defended the artist, describing the post as an unserious “cruise” or typical celebrity humour taken out of context.

It is worth noting the budding relationship between Davido and IShowSpeed (real name Darren Watkins Jr.). The two have connected through the streamer’s recent African tour, which included stops in Nigeria and Ghana.

On 21 January 2026, IShowSpeed’s 21st birthday, Davido surprised him with a FaceTime call during a live stream in Lagos, Nigeria. The Afrobeats hitmaker, who was in Paris at the time, wished Speed a happy birthday, congratulated him on reaching 50 million YouTube subscribers, and promised a future collaboration in the US

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