Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Category: Entertainment

  • Portable Calls Out Father Over Alleged Exploitation, Sparks Fresh Family Drama

    Portable Calls Out Father Over Alleged Exploitation, Sparks Fresh Family Drama

    Daily Post Nigeria reports that singer Portable has accused his biological father, Mr. Olalomi, of exploiting him financially and taking personal property without permission.

    In a series of videos, Portable suggested he has long felt unsupported and warned his father “not to be like Baba Mohbad,” referencing a separate public controversy.

    PM News and Legit.ng also reported the outburst, which has reignited debate about family involvement, money, and management in the street-pop ecosystem.

    Echotitbits Take: This is the ugly side of “family as management.” Without clear professional structures, money issues spill into public chaos—and Portable is once again turning private conflict into a viral spectacle.

    Source: Premium Time — https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/naija-fashion/848115-dont-be-like-baba-mohbad-portable-accuses-dad-of-extortion-manipulation.html 2026-01-07
    Photo Credit: Premium Time

  • Lagos Braces for 9th AFRIMA Awards as Artists and Delegates Arrive in the City

    Lagos Braces for 9th AFRIMA Awards as Artists and Delegates Arrive in the City

    Champion News reports that Lagos is set to host the 9th AFRIMA Awards, with artists and delegates arriving ahead of a concert and the live awards ceremony at Eko Hotels and Suites.

    The Guardian Nigeria also reported that the state is positioning culture and entertainment as a development driver as the event draws visitors, industry executives, and media attention.

    Music In Africa highlighted organisers’ announcement that Falz and Liliane Maroune will host the ceremony, reinforcing the show’s pan-African outlook.

    Echotitbits Take: AFRIMA is still the continent’s big “home-stage” moment. Expect fashion, networking, and a tourism bump for Lagos—plus plenty of storyline fuel heading into global awards season.

    Source: BusinessDay — https://businessday.ng/news/article/top-16-artists-expected-as-lagos-hosts-9th-afrima-awards/ 2026-01-07
    Photo Credit: BusinessDay

  • Ray J Hospitalized in Las Vegas With Pneumonia and Heart Pain, Reports Say

    Ray J Hospitalized in Las Vegas With Pneumonia and Heart Pain, Reports Say

    TMZ reports that Ray J has been hospitalized in Las Vegas with a severe case of pneumonia and heart pains, and is undergoing tests including X-rays and an echocardiogram.

    Page Six and BET also carried the update, noting that the singer has previously dealt with pneumonia-related health scares in the past.

    Fans and entertainment peers have flooded social media with well-wishes as observers await confirmed updates from his camp.

    Echotitbits Take: Repeat pneumonia scares are serious. If Ray J is forced into downtime, expect a temporary slowdown in business appearances as recovery takes priority.

    Source: TMZ — https://www.tmz.com/2026/01/07/ray-j-hospitalized-heart-pain-pneumonia/ 2026-01-07
    Photo Credit: TMZ

  • Super Eagles Bonus Row Sparks Boycott Threat Ahead of Key AFCON Fixture

    Super Eagles Bonus Row Sparks Boycott Threat Ahead of Key AFCON Fixture

    Information provided by Daily Post suggests tension in the Super Eagles camp in Morocco after reports that players and officials threatened to boycott movement and training over unpaid bonuses and allowances.

    The dispute reportedly relates to win bonuses from earlier stages, with sources saying the team would not proceed until commitments are met.

    The standoff puts the Nigeria Football Federation and sports authorities under pressure, given the timing around a crucial match.

    **Echotitbits take:** Nigeria’s football brand takes a hit every time bonus disputes overshadow the pitch. Watch for last-minute intervention from the sports ministry or top government officials to avoid forfeiture and reputational damage.
    Source : The Punch — https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/afcon-2025-reactions-trail-super-eagles-threat-over-unpaid-bonuses/ 2026-01-08

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Lagos Welcomes Stars as 9th AFRIMA Kicks Off With Music, Culture and Business Talks

    Lagos Welcomes Stars as 9th AFRIMA Kicks Off With Music, Culture and Business Talks

    Reporting from The Nation indicates Lagos has begun hosting the 9th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), with multiple leading artistes arriving for a week of performances, tours and industry sessions.

    Organisers say beyond the awards, the festival is designed to strengthen Africa’s music business ecosystem, including discussions around intellectual property and fair royalties.

    Lagos State officials are also positioning the event as a tourism and creative-economy showcase for the city.

    **Echotitbits take:** AFRIMA is major soft power for Nigeria’s creative industry. Watch for policy conversations around rights management—because global popularity won’t translate to wealth for artistes without stronger, enforceable structures.
    Source: Tribune – https://tribuneonlineng.com/lagos-hosts-9th-afrima-as-16-african-artistes-headline-week-long-event/ 2026-01-08

    Photo Credit: Tribune

  • AFRIMA names Falz and Liliane Maroune as hosts for 9th edition in Lagos

    AFRIMA names Falz and Liliane Maroune as hosts for 9th edition in Lagos

    As reported by The Guardian Nigeria, AFRIMA has unveiled Nigerian rapper/actor Falz and French-Senegalese media personality Liliane Maroune as hosts of the 9th edition of the awards in Lagos.

    Organisers’ choice signals a deliberate blend of pop-culture reach and pan-African appeal—pairing a Nigerian headline act with a francophone media figure to widen audience reach.

    The announcement reinforces Lagos’ positioning as an African entertainment hub, with awards week typically driving tourism, creative-economy spending, and media visibility.

    Beyond hosting, expectations now shift to nominee lists, performance lineups, and sponsor activation as the event window approaches.

    Punch also confirmed the hosts were “officially unveiled” for the ninth edition. AFRIMA’s official handle likewise announced it had “unveiled its hosts for the 9th Edition.”

    Echotitbits take: Hosting is a branding decision. Watch for lineup reveals, sponsor activation, and whether production quality matches the “global broadcast” promise—AFRIMA’s credibility rises when staging, sound, and timing are world-class.

    Source: The Guardian – https://guardian.ng/art/afrima-unveils-falz-liliane-maroune-as-hosts-of-9th-edition/ January 7, 2026
    The Guardian Nigeria January 7, 2026

    Photo Credit: The Guardian Nigeria

  • Funke Akindele’s latest cinema run crosses ₦1.7bn as box-office streak continues

    Funke Akindele’s latest cinema run crosses ₦1.7bn as box-office streak continues

    Figures cited by Pulse Nigeria indicate that Funke Akindele’s current theatrical release has pushed past the ₦1.7 billion mark in domestic box-office receipts, reinforcing her status as Nollywood’s most bankable commercial director-star right now.

    The update credits momentum from sustained cinema attendance, strong word-of-mouth, and repeat viewings—signals that the title is behaving like a long runner, not a weekend spike.

    Industry chatter is already shifting to what the final gross could look like if screens hold through the next programming cycle, especially with competing releases lining up.

    Two additional public references echoed the same development:

    FilmOne (Instagram): “₦1,767,305,878 and counting.” (link)

    Nollywood Times (News outlet): “₦1.77 billion” (link)

    This is bigger than one film—it’s a market signal. When a Nollywood title sustains receipts at this level, exhibitors allocate more screens, brands chase tie-ins, and investors take local theatrical more seriously. Watch for distributor updates, screen-count changes, and whether the run triggers copycat big-budget release timing.

    Source: Punch — 06 January 2026 — https://punchng.com/funke-akindele-new-movie-crosses-%E2%82%A61bn-sets-box-office-records/

    Source: Punch 2026-01-06
    Photo Credit: Punch

  • ‘Oversabi Aunty’ storms into the ₦700m club, reshaping Nollywood’s early-year leaderboard

    ‘Oversabi Aunty’ storms into the ₦700m club, reshaping Nollywood’s early-year leaderboard

    According to Pulse Nigeria, Toyin Abraham’s Oversabi Aunty has surged to about ₦711.5 million in box-office revenue, tightening competition at the very top of Nollywood’s current cinema cycle.

    The headline number matters because it’s not just a good opening—it suggests durable audience pull across multiple weeks, which is where real box-office power shows up.

    For cinemas and distributors, this kind of run influences screen allocation, showtime priority, and the bargaining dynamics for the next wave of major titles.

    Two additional public references echoed the same development:

    The Guardian (Nigeria): “hits ₦711.5m” (link)

    Pulse Nigeria (secondary report): “₦711.5m” (link)

    When two titles are simultaneously putting up monster numbers, the industry gets a rare blockbuster corridor that can lift the whole ecosystem—cinemas, marketing agencies, soundtrack licensing, and streaming negotiations later. Watch weekend-to-weekday drop-off, fresh distributor tallies, and whether other studios adjust release dates to ride the wave.

    Source: Pulse Nigeria — 06 January 2026 — https://www.pulse.ng/story/toyin-abraham-oversabi-aunty-fourth-highest-grossing-nollywood-movie-2026010612060246258

    Source: Pulse Nigeria 2026-01-06
    Photo Credit: Pulse Nigeria

  • Tiwa Savage fires back at ‘reckless’ talk about her son in fresh online clash

    Tiwa Savage fires back at ‘reckless’ talk about her son in fresh online clash

    In an update published by QED.ng, Tiwa Savage publicly condemned remarks she says were made about her son, calling the conversation reckless and drawing a hard line around parenting boundaries online.

    The report says her reaction quickly spilled into wider social chatter, with reposts and commentary amplifying the dispute across entertainment pages.

    This remains an online dispute story—no official legal filing was reported in the source material—so the key is what was actually posted and how credible the reposts are.

    Two additional public references echoed the same development:

    Instablog9ja (Instagram): “I can also snatch your life away…” (link)

    chi_daze (X/Twitter repost): “Reckless mouth.” (link)

    Celebrity family lines are becoming the sharpest trigger point in Nigeria’s digital culture, and blowups like this often push brands and platforms to tighten comment moderation around minors. This is partly confirmed via reporting and reposted text, but maximum certainty requires the original verified post to be directly accessible.

    Source: The Sun — 06 January 2026 — https://thesun.ng/youve-crossed-the-line-tiwa-savage-blasts-social-media-influencer/

    Source: The Sun 2026-01-06
    Photo Credit: The Sun

  • DJ Cuppy steps back from socials, says she’s entering a focused new season

    DJ Cuppy steps back from socials, says she’s entering a focused new season

    Reporting by Punch indicates DJ Cuppy announced she’s taking a break from social media, framing it as a personal reset and a period for reflection and discipline.

    The move instantly became a conversation starter because she typically documents her life and projects online—so silence reads like a deliberate strategy, not just downtime.

    Multiple outlets picked it up quickly, suggesting her audience sees this as a meaningful pivot rather than routine log-off talk.

    Two additional public references echoed the same development:

    The Nation (News outlet): “announces a break from social media.” (link)

    YabaLeftOnline (Entertainment blog): “taking a break” (link)

    For celebrities with brand deals, a break can be reputational risk—or a reset that improves long-term engagement. Watch whether she returns with a project rollout (music, philanthropy, or a major update) and whether her team keeps promotions running through official channels while she stays offline.

    Source: Punch Nigeria — 05 January 2026 — https://punchng.com/time-with-god-dj-cuppy-announces-break-from-social-media/

    Source: Punch Nigeria 2026-01-05
    Photo Credit: Punch