A year after the tragic boat mishap that claimed the lives of Nollywood actor Junior Pope and four others, new details have surfaced about what really went wrong that day, as reported by Legit.

The National Inland Waterways Authority has released its findings about the boat mishap. Junior Pope, who was on his way back from a movie shoot titled Another Side of Life, died in the incident in April 2024.

The boat reportedly capsized near Cable Point at the River Niger in Asaba, Delta State.

Legit.ng recalled that the late actor’s son recently graduated, and the widow penned a special tribute to him on the occasion.

“It was not the boat” – NIWA clears the air

Speaking at a multi-modal transportation forum in Abuja, NIWA Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, said the accident was not caused by a mechanical fault, rough weather, or obstacles in the water. Instead, he placed the blame on human negligence, reports Daily Post.

The news of his death shocked Nollywood fans and left many grieving. Now, the idea that it could have been avoided if safety precautions had been followed has left many both sad and frustrated.

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According to Oyebamiji, some of the passengers on the boat, including those who sadly didn’t make it, refused to wear life jackets that were made available before the journey.

Oyebamiji stated: “It was not mechanical failure, not impediments in the water or weather challenges. But purely a flagrant disregard for rules and regulations guiding movement on the inland waterways.”

Avoidable loss?

The revelation has reignited public conversation about safety on Nigeria’s inland waterways—and why so many tragedies appear to repeat themselves. NIWA’s MD used the opportunity to urge Nigerians to take water safety more seriously and to always comply with laid-down guidelines.

He emphasised that boat operators and passengers must support NIWA’s efforts to ensure safe travel across the country’s rivers and waterways.

Junior Pope: Boat mishap survivor speaks one year after

A survivor of the ill-fated boat has alleged that the true circumstances surrounding the incident have not been disclosed. In a video shared on Instagram, Abraham Gift Johnson, who claimed to have been on board, revealed that he had been too traumatised to speak out about the incident until now.

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Global Afrobeats sensation Ayodeji Balogun, better known as Wizkid, has reached a remarkable milestone by becoming the first African artist to achieve over 9 billion streams across all credits on Spotify.

This significant achievement not only reinforces his position as one of the most influential and commercially successful African artists of all time but also showcases the global appeal of his music.

Wizkid’s most popular track is undoubtedly the 2016 hit “One Dance,” a collaboration with Canadian rapper Drake and British singer Kyla, which boasts an impressive 3.7 billion streams on Spotify alone. This chart-topping single holds a prestigious place in music history, ranking among the top 10 most streamed songs ever on the platform, and it also earned a Guinness World Record as the first song to exceed 1 billion streams.

As a lead artist, Wizkid’s most successful track is the Grammy-nominated “Essence,” featuring Tems, which has garnered over 303 million streams. This song has become a global anthem and a crucial turning point for the mainstream acceptance of Afrobeats.

Wizkid’s streaming success places him among the elite ranks of the most streamed artists worldwide. While American pop icon Taylor Swift leads the pack with over 1.5 billion monthly streams, Wizkid’s latest achievement signifies a major victory for African music on the international stage.

Adekunle Gold acquires new home days after rewarding first-class graduates Adekunle Gold acquires new home days after rewarding first-class graduates
Nigerian singer-songwriter Adekunle Gold has stirred excitement online after announcing the acquisition of a new home.

The singer made the announcement via his Instagram page, @AdekunleGold, where he shared a photo of the newly acquired property.

The post also featured a romantic snapshot of himself and his wife, fellow singer Simi.

Captioning the photo, Adekunle wrote: “Another address, same love.”

The heartwarming news comes just days after the singer made headlines for gifting cash to several Nigerian graduates who finished with first-class honors.

In a previous post, Adekunle Gold had urged individuals who graduated with a first class to drop their academic transcripts in the comment section.

He then reached out to several of them privately and gifted them ₦250,000 each.

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At least five recipients confirmed receiving the cash gift, with many taking to their pages to express heartfelt gratitude to the singer.

Now, days after the generous gesture, Adekunle Gold has topped it off with the announcement of his new home leaving fans even more inspired by his kindness and success.

SEE POST:

Popular TikTok personality Peller recently opened up about his spiritual journey, revealing his decision to leave Islam and embrace Christianity.

During a live session with his fans, a viewer mistakenly referred to him as a Muslim, which prompted Peller to clarify his current beliefs.

He took this opportunity to reflect on his personal experiences and the path that led him to adopt Christianity, sharing insights about the challenges and revelations he encountered along the way.

His candid confession sparked a lively discussion among his followers, highlighting the complexities of faith and personal identity in today’s world.

“I’m not a Muslim. I go to church very well,” he stated.

Peller attributed his spiritual transformation to a painful experience from his childhood, stating that during his enrollment in a Quranic school, he faced harsh physical punishment which left a lasting emotional impact.

The TikTok streamer revealed that the experience was traumatic, ultimately leading him to discontinue his Islamic education.

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Peller believes this early experience significantly influenced his spiritual path and guided him toward Christianity.

He said, “I was beaten severely when I was young at the Quranic school. That’s why I stopped going.”

This revelation comes shortly after news of Peller’s engagement surfaced online, with his girlfriend confirming their relationship status.

Video below:

https://x.com/asakygrn/status/1947338660136816815?s=46

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Former housemate from Big Brother Naija, Munirat Anto Lecky, has been appointed as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Tourism and Creative Economy by Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.

Her appointment was confirmed in a letter signed by Umar Musa Ikhilor, secretary to the state government, and took effect on June 23, 2025.

Lecky, a media personality and actress, is expected to support the state’s efforts to revitalise its tourism and creative sectors.

This includes showcasing Edo’s cultural heritage through initiatives such as the return of looted Benin bronzes and new museum projects.

“I write to inform you that the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved your appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism and Creative Economy with effect from June 23, 2025,” the statement reads.

“The remuneration attached to the appointment is as provided for in the relevant regulations currently in force in the Edo State Public Service. Please accept my hearty Congratulations.”

The reality star also took to Instagram to confirm the appointment and appreciate Okpebholo for the opportunity to work in his government.

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Lecky currently serves as special assistant on digital and new media to Shuaibu Audu, minister of steel development.

She previously held roles such as arts and special projects lead at ElectHER, programme manager at Kunle Afolayan Productions Film and Television Academy, and head of operations at Nigeria’s first private basketball league.

She also hosted ‘Sights of Flavours’, a food and travel show on DStv.

Ayo Maff, the fast-rising Nigerian singer, is embroiled in a legal dispute with his record label TunesBid Limited over alleged violations of their recording agreement, as reported by TheCable Lifestyle.

In a statement via their social media pages, TunesBid accused Maff and his management team of breaching the contract signed in December 2023.

The label claimed it invested heavily in the singer’s career, funding singles like ‘Street Anthem,’ ‘7 Days,’ and ‘Dealer,’ and securing a distribution deal with Empire Distribution.

According to TunesBid, Maff and his management — Oyefeso Oluwamayowa Olumide, Okolie Amobi Chiedu, and Oyefeso Ayotunde — “acted in bad faith by secretly negotiating with Empire behind the label’s back and later refusing to honor their contractual obligations”.

The label disclosed that despite attempts at mediation, the dispute escalated, forcing them to pursue legal action.

They emphasised that Ayo Maff remains under contract and warned third parties against engaging with him or his management, OceanStreet Creative Limited, without their approval.

“Tunesbid Limited, following a series of discussions, entered into an Exclusive Recording Agreement with three Nigerian Ayofela Ayodele, who performs under the stage name ‘Ayo Maff’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Artiste’). The contract, which commenced on December 3, 2023, was made between Tunesbid Limited and the Artist, with the Artist’s professionals legal team—Oyefeso Oluwamayowa Olumide, Okolie Amobi Chiedu, and Oyefeso Ayotunde—representing the Entity, OceansTreasure Limited,” the statement reads.

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“The contract was in the form of the contract had a stipulated period agreed upon by both parties, under which the artiste was required to deliver a certain number of projects (EPS and LP Albums) as commitment delivery. Tunesbid Limited completed significant resources—both financial and otherwise—to promote the artiste’s music and brand image. This included the release of singles such as ‘Street Anthem’, ‘7 Days’ and ‘Dealer’ all fully funded by Tunesbid Limited within the first 7 months of the agreement.

“And throughout this period, the label always invested her resources to promote the artists to the level, which successfully moved the artists from relative obscurity to prominence in the Nigerian music industry within the six months. These efforts attracted the attention of a major music distribution Company, Empire Distribution, who subsequently offered a deal to distribute two EPs for the artiste, with an option for an LP album. As part of this agreement, Empire Distribution also agreed to provide upfront payment to Tunesbid Limited.

“The contract Elias with Empire were finalized with documents sent to the Tunesbid Limited for onward acceptance. However, unbeknown to the Label, Mafoluku Ayorinde (AyoMaff) and his management team; Oyefeso Oluwamayowa Olumide, Okolie Arnold Chieuci and Oyefeso Ayotunde had continued conniving to deceive and defraud Tunesbid Limited by entering a dishonourable contract with the label, which they had no intention of honouring.

“And, in a swift unravelling of their true fraudulent intents, the artist and his management had begun ignoring the music distribution contract having gone behind the label to hold separate meetings and discussions with representatives of Empire Distribution. The label, in the course of the aforementioned ongoing discussions/negotiations, and following pressures received from the artist’s management team, had pre-decided to finance the recording of songs that would be released as the first Extended Play project under the contract with Empire Distribution.

“And as soon as the recordings were done, the Label was only informed about the Label possibly not honouring the Label or submitting the recorded songs under the pretext, Oyefeso Oluwamayowa Olumide, who operates as the key head for the Management team, went incommunicado, blocking off all communication—deliberately ignoring the contract, which they had earlier signed.

“Their ongoing disregard for the contracts, which they had eagerly entered into, culminated into letters from the artist and his management, dated May 17, 2024, and May 30, 2024, expressing their intention to breach the contract less than six months after signing it. In view of the alleged team, Zaeda Oracle, rejected these attempts to violate the agreement and refuted the false claims made by the artist and his management against them.

“The Label made several efforts through mediation and formal communications, in a bid to resolve this contract breach amicably, but it quickly became evident that neither the Artiste nor his management had any interest in peaceful resolution. As a result, Tunesbid Limited instructed its legal team, led by Zaeda Oracle, to begin exploring legal avenues to address this blatant breach of contract. Through this press release, we wish to make it clear to the public that Ayo-Maff is still bound by an existing contract with Tunesbid Limited and that any representation to the contrary should be duly regarded as invalid and false.

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“More so, Any and every individual and/or entity that relates with or enters into a Contractual, Commercial or Collaborative Agreement/Contract/Partnership with AyoMaff or OceanStreet Creative Limited (parading themselves as the Management of the Artiste), in exclusion (and without the express permission/approval) of Tunesbid Limited, do so at their own risk and will face the prospect of legal actions from Tunesbid Limited.

“Ergo, we would like to advise every show-promoters/ entertainment company who have previously or are currently participating with AyoMaff and his management team in organizing any artiste tours, shows or events (without the permission/approval of Tunesbid Limited), to wit, RoadMan Ent., Make Da Melanin Group, AfroVibes Sheffield Ent., 1XMedia Ent., amongst others, to immediately desist from any such illegal association or face the risk of legal actions from Tunesbid Limited.”

When contacted by TheCable Lifestyle, Ayotunde Oyefeso, Ayo Maff’s manager, confirmed that the matter is already in court.

“The matter is in court already,” he stated.