Celebs

“How Much Does An Average Actor Make in Nigeria?” – Actress Hilda Dokubo Bemoans USD100K Ransom Demanded For Kidnapped Nollywood Actors

Insecurity is at an all-time high in the nation and our beloved celebrities are not being exempted from the increasing mayhem that continues to plague our communities and cities. Last week two Nollywood veterans (Cynthia Okereke and Cornel Clemson) were kidnapped with the captors requesting a whopping ransom of $100,000, approximately NGN71 million. Actress and Federal House of Reps hopeful, Hilda Dokubo has bemoaned the unfortunate incident.

In an Instagram post made on Sunday, July, 31st, Dokubo lamented over the incident describing how financial problems stemming from insufficient earing as well as terminal illnesses had become the bane of most Nollywood actors and actresses.

“Nollywood is about moving from one level of begging for alms to save an ill or dying colleague to now facing the worse of fears over two of their colleagues facing God knows what in the hands of kidnappers,” the actress wrote in the caption section of the Instagram post accompanied by a pictorial write-up that read; “One hundred thousand dollars ransom demand for 2 decent hardworking Nigerians whose only offense was that they were returning from work.”

Dokubo hinted at the poor judgment of the kidnappers saying how they were unable to differentiate between what was real and fiction portrayed in the movies by Nollywood actors.

She added;

“Where will we turn if not the public using our social media platforms? Well…Finally, the kidnappers have made their demands. They want money! 100k USdollars! From where? Unfortunately, they misjudged the financial status of the actors they kidnapped! And think that as it is in the movies that are how it is in real life. What a life!”

Dokubo further explained how she knew these two actors on a personal level and was sure that they had no such money anywhere to ransom their lives from their abductors.

“Where will we get one hundred thousand USdollars from? God save all of us from this pain and give us your grace for this period. I know some actors paint the wrong picture on social media all the time but it is only in line with the “Show” part of SHOWbiz. Hopefully, you’ll understand what I mean.”

“I am pained because I know these two personally, have worked with them and I know the truth of how it is with them. Just been asking myself one question all day, How much does an average actor make in Nigeria?”

Over the weekend the news that both Okereke and Clemson were kidnapped made it to the airwaves via a statement by Monalisa Chinda, the Communications Director of the Actor’s Guild of Nigeria (AGN). Both were returning from a movie set in Ozalla town in Enugu state on Friday, July 29 when they were unfortunately ambushed by the kidnappers.

Celebs

Chimamanda Adichie announces the birth of her twins at 47

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the multi-award-winning Nigerian author has announced the birth of her twins with husband, Ivara Esege.

She made the good news known during her interview with The Guardian where she also spoke about her new book, Dream Count, cancel culture, and other topics.

The 47-year-old author revealed that she welcomed her twins months ago but kept the news private because she wanted to protect her children.

Chimamanda disclosed that many didn’t know she got married in 2009, noting further that Nigerians are nosy people, making her hesitant to talk about her family.

Addressing the interviewer, Charlotte Edwardes, Chimamanda said, “You’ve met my babies. I want to protect my children. I’m OK with mentioning them, but I don’t want the piece to become about them.

“So, here’s the thing, Nigerians are nosy, they want to know about your personal life. Because of that, I am resistant. I very rarely talk about it.

The mother of three, also spoke about cancel culture as she reflected on the massive backlash she received for her remarks about trans women in 2017. For the remarks, her career took a huge blow.

She had been asked during the 2017 interview whether a transgender woman was “any less of a real woman”. Her response was, “A trans woman is a trans woman”.

However, speaking about cancel culture in her latest interview, Chimamanda described it as bad, saying it should be stopped.

“What do I want to say about cancel culture? Cancel culture is bad. We should stop it. End of story”.

Chimamanda is married to Ivara Esege, a Nigerian doctor. The lovebirds tied the knot in 2009 and welcomed their first daughter in 2016.

Celebs

Nedu Steps Aside From The Honest Bunch Podcast Amidst Sex-For-Roles Controversy

After finding himself in the heart of recent controversy, Nigerian media personality Nedu Wazobia has resigned from the popular podcast ‘The Honest Bunch.’

In a statement shared on Instagram on February 14, 2025, Nedu said hosting the podcast had been a great experience, but the recent constant scrutiny and false accusations had become too much for him.

He wrote, “The past week has brought a lot into perspective for me. Hosting The Honest Bunch Podcast has been an incredible journey—one built on open conversations, bold perspectives, and the willingness to tackle difficult topics. But with that responsibility has come an overwhelming level of scrutiny, antagonism, and unfounded accusations that have now begun to take a personal toll.”

He explained that stepping down was a tough choice but necessary for his peace of mind and the future of the show

In light of recent events, I have made the difficult decision to step away from the podcast. This is not a decision I take lightly, but one I believe is necessary—for my peace of mind, for my family, and for the integrity of the show itself. I have always been committed to honest conversations, but when those conversations lead to relentless attacks and misrepresentation, it becomes clear that stepping back is the best path forward.

I sincerely hope this decision brings an end to the negativity surrounding my name and allows The Honest Bunch Podcast to continue thriving.

His resignation comes amid controversy stirred by social media critic Martins Ortse, aka VeryDarkMan, who accused him of demanding sex for movie roles from a female content creator, Jojo.

VeryDarkMan made the claim amid his ongoing face-off with stand-up comedian, Deeone who had claimed to have evidence that VeryDarkMan was gay during a recent appearance on the Honest Bunch Podcast, Deeone.

VeryDarkMan then threatened to release the names of all celebrities Nedu had allegedly slept with in exchange for roles.

Celebs

TuBaba Proposes To Edo Lawmaker Natasha Osawaru

Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, better known as Tuface, has proposed marriage to the Deputy Majority Leader of Edo state House of Assembly, Natasha Osawaru.

Natasha is the granddaughter of billionaire Gabriel Igbinedion.

In a viral video on Thursday, the visibly excited Tuface shared a warm hug with the lawmaker, sprayed money on her and they both danced before he brought out a ring to put on her finger while friends and well-wishers who were around cheered on.

This comes just a day after the singer set social media agog with a video on Instagram confirming his romantic relationship with the Edo State lawmaker.

His confirmation of the relationship with Natasha followed an earlier announcement of separation from his wife, Annie.

While fans kept speculating about 2baba’s relationship with the Edo Lawmaker, the singer appeared at the Edo State House of Assembly on Monday.

However, in the video he posted early Wednesday morning, the singer set the record straight by stating his intention to marry the lawmaker.

He also stated that his relationship with the lawmaker has nothing to do with the marital tension between him and Annie.

He said: “I said what I said. All of us will be alright… Honourable Natasha, I see she has been dragged, she has been called all sorts of names. She has been labelled as a home breaker. She is a young, brilliant and amazing woman.

“She has nothing to do with what’s happening between me and Annie. But I see everybody trying to want to rope her into everything allegedly. Yes, I love her. She is amazing, she is cool, I want to marry her.”