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

Regina Daniels marks 25th birthday in a wheelchair, having spent months unable to walk

Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has opened up about her health, appearing in a wheelchair in a birthday video in which she said she has spent months unable to move around as she pleases.

In the video posted on Instagram on Saturday, she marked what she called her silver jubilee and asked God for “total calm” in this new phase of her life. She then addressed the sight of her in a wheelchair directly.

“I know many of you may be surprised seeing me in a wheelchair,” she said. “Well, welcome to another chapter of my life.”

She said fans had been asking about her absence from the public eye, and she chose her birthday to answer those who genuinely care.

According to the actress, she has lost her freedom to move around as she pleases for several months. She said it began as something minor before getting worse, and that things took a major turn after the last public gathering she hosted, her children’s day carnival. Regina said the pain became excruciating. Some days she could walk well, she said, and on others she could not move at all. She said she cried and turned to God for healing.

Her tone then lifted as she said she was speaking because of some really significant developments in her recovery and thanked God. She did not say what condition she has, what caused it, or what treatment she is receiving.

Celebs

Celebrity Chef Hilda Baci threatens legal actions against Seyi Vibez

.Guinness World Record holder Hilda Baci is demanding an apology from musician Seyi Vibez over defamatory posts. When Afrobeats star Seyi Vibez recently launched an online tirade against Damilola Akinwunmi, the CEO of Dapper Music, over allegations of contract breach and fraud, celebrity chef Hilda Baci was caught in the crossfire.

In a now-deleted post on his X page, Seyi Vibez claimed that Hilda Baci’s food almost killed him after her partner, the CEO of Dapper Music, gave it to him. The post, which was meant to mock Akinwunmi, with whom he was feuding, invariably denigrated the culinary skills and quality of the meal of the celebrity chef who holds the Guinness World Record for the largest pot of jollof rice.

n the letter by Hilda Baci’s lawyers, Olaniwon Ajayi LLC, Seyi Vibez is accused of making the libellous post viewed approximately 4.3 million times before it was deleted.

“First Publication on 14th August, 2026 by 13:24 WAT “Na Hilda Baci bbl all una catalogue money dey go [Face with Tears of Joy emoji] All of una Dey craze and una mama”

Second Publication 14th August, 2026 by 13:32 WAT “I Made dapper. Dapper won take all of them life Ohboi. I chop Hilda baci food one day Na the same dapper give me the food almost kill me Dem Dey use jazz The jazz no work on me”

The above publications have been viewed approximately 4.3 million times, retweeted approximately 7,100 times, received approximately 3,000 comments, and were liked approximately 45,000 times, and continue to be accessible and circulated on the internet.”

Her lawyers further added that since the musician made the post, their client has been exposed to unwarranted, persistent, and escalating harassment across various social media platforms.

“Following the publication of the aforesaid malevolent statements, our client has been subjected to unwanted, persistent and escalating harassment across various social media platforms and personal handles, including a barrage of unsolicited and abusive messages and comments from members of the public. This conduct has exposed our client to unwarranted public hostility and harassment, causing our Client considerable distress and reputational harm, and has materially interfered with her privacy, peace and personal security. The targeted harassment is a direct and foreseeable consequence of the publications complained of.”

Celebs

Erica opens up on mental struggles she faced after Big Brother Naija

Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Erica Nlewedim, has opened up on the mental struggles she faced after her time on the reality show. The actress and reality star revealed that she battled serious anxiety after leaving the show, as she struggled with constant insults and criticism from fans and social media users. Erica made the revelation while reflecting on her experience after her time on Big Brother Naija and the impact of staying in the public eye.

Speaking about the impact of her time on the reality show, she said she was grateful for the opportunities it created but admitted that the constant trolling took a toll on her mental health.

“I am happy I did it (BBN) because it changed my life, money-wise and all of that. I had to see a therapist afterwards. At first, I didn’t know it was getting to me until after like three years of back-to-back insults.

If I open Instagram and see notifications, I will be like, “Are they dragging me for something again?” I was always anxious, and I didn’t like that.

2024 was my quiet time. I didn’t act on any movie; I just decided to take a break in 2024. It was just last year that I decided to start coming back.

They are like, “Oh, you signed up for this, or you should be used to it by now. One shouldn’t be used to insults or trolling because they are celebrities.”

According to her, some movie producers dismissed her acting ability because of her background as a Big Brother Naija star. She said some producers cast her in lead roles mainly to attract her fans, rather than because they believed in her talent.

“Before I went for Big Brother in 2019, I went to film school in London and I came back thinking I was going to take over, and then Covid happened. So, I had to go for Big Brother.

I was already acting before Big Brother, but most of the characters I played were not lead roles. But after Big Brother, they would put me as the lead and be like It’s only because they want my fans to buy the tickets that they put me in a lead role. It was just all about, you can’t do this. That’s all I kept hearing, and then some producers would be like they put us because they need our fans to come and watch the movie and they would say it to my face. At some point, it just broke me, and that’s why I took a break in 2024. The hardest time was 2023.”

Erica was one of the housemates on the 2020 Lockdown edition of Big Brother Naija. Her time on the show attracted significant attention, particularly because of her relationship with fellow housemate Kiddwaya and her clashes with Laycon.