Entertainment
Comedian AY Breaks Silence On Long Time Rift With Colleague
Popular comedian, Ayodeji Richard Makun, better known as AY has recently spoken out about his fallout from his colleague, Bright Okpocha a.k.a Basketmouth.
In 2022, during an Instagram question and answer session, AY had stated that Basketmouth possessed an unmanageable sense of superiority and he had to stay clear of his colleague’s constant immaturity in order to preserve his own mental well-being.
However, in his recent interview with popular media personality Chude Jideonwo, AY shed more light on his controversial statement in 2022.
In his word: “In 2006, Basketmouth usually had multiple wedding gigs on Saturdays’. So what he used to do at that point in time was to attend one, and at a point, leave the venue to catch up in the other venue, and then he will need someone else to stand in for him. That was the opportunity one got, of which I’m very appreciative of till date.
“Now, One of the gigs that I got his endorsement to go stand in. Usually, what we get at that time is N30,000 and 30,000 at that time was everything to me. I got this job, and the people weren’t too happy to see me because they were expecting Basketmouth to come, but the guy was later happy after my performance. There was an exchange of contacts. Then I left.
“Two weeks later, I haven’t seen 30k. Because I didn’t see the 30k, and I was starving, I decided to ask for 30K, and he said this person hasn’t remitted, this person hasn’t paid, And then i was like, but this person said he was impressed and happy? Me, I don’t care if you give Basketmouth 100k for the job, but my 30k is my 30k.
“It was very funny to now heard from them that the full payment had been made long before the event. I forwarded their message to one another. So they now started fighting and all of that. I didn’t do that because I wanted to get at Basketmouth. But because I was hungry, I was hustling and I needed food on the table at the time.”
Another portion of the interview, posted by Jideonwo on social media, also revealed more about the longstanding rift that has left them as sworn enemies over the years.
According to AY, after the 2006 incident, he attempted to attend Basketmouth’s wedding but wasn’t permitted into the venue.
He said: ”When we arrived, my wife’s name was on the guest list, but my own was noticeably missing. I was looking at my wife, my wife was looking at me, and she said, let’s be going home since you are not qualified to enter.”
“It’s so bad that my name will be removed from an event sometimes. Basket will be at an event. Maybe AY is on the bill, and he won’t introduce me if he’s the MC. I will just go and pick up my mic on the floor and go and do my thing. But I never gave up. Every opportunity, maybe the wife gives birth, I would go with my wife, or maybe something is going on. I kept doing everything.
”One day, Basket was in the club with a glass of drink, so I walked up to him. I said: Bright Okpocha (He’s my senior colleague but my junior in real), how far my guy. As you can see, God has blessed us. You have a house in Lekki, I have a house. You have a child. I have a child. This thing that happened in 2006 guy drop am.
“And my dear colleague looked at me eyeball to eyeball and said, I’m a beast. I don’t forgive.”
Meanwhile, in 2021, during a Black Box interview with media personality Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Basketmouth stated that his falling out with AY was due to a breach of loyalty.
Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, and her former husband, Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz, have sparked reactions online after they were spotted together in Paris, France, during a family holiday.
The former couple were seen spending time with their twin sons while exploring different parts of the French capital.
In a video shared by JJC Skillz on Snapchat on Wednesday, Akindele and her ex-husband were seen with their children at what appeared to be a shopping centre in Paris.
SEE MORE: Nollywood Mourns as Veteran Actor Taiwo Hassan ‘Ogogo’ Dies at 66
The video was captioned, “Family time.”
In another clip, JJC Skillz asked Akindele, “Mama Ibeji, are we playing games?”
She replied, “Yess ooo.”
The former couple were also reportedly spotted at the Eiffel Tower, according to videos shared online.
Akindele also shared a video showing herself, JJC Skillz and their children at a PlayStation section of what appeared to be a mall in Paris.
The family outing comes after Akindele and her children travelled to the United Kingdom for a holiday following the completion of her latest cinema project, The Four.
Akindele and JJC Skillz got married in London in 2016 and welcomed twin boys in 2018.
However, in June 2022, JJC Skillz announced their separation in an Instagram post, citing
“irreconcilable differences.”
Despite their separation, the former couple have continued to maintain a relationship centred around their children.
Their latest reunion in Paris has attracted attention online, with the videos showing the pair enjoying family moments with their children.
The Paris outing is also not the first time Akindele and JJC Skillz have been seen together publicly since their separation.
In 2023, the former couple were spotted together at the Lagos premiere of their movie, She Must Be Obeyed. They were seen dancing and embracing as they joined other celebrities at the event.
JJC Skillz also directed the movie.
Nigerian Afrobeats singer Raheem Okoya, popularly known as Siraheem, has announced his decision to stop releasing new music, citing the difficulty of balancing his music career with other commitments.
Siraheem, the son of billionaire industrialist Rasaq Okoya, made the announcement in a statement shared on his official Instagram page on Wednesday.
The singer said his journey into music began as a hobby with friends before gradually developing into a serious career.
SEE MORE: ‘Gospel Music Has Power To Transform Nigeria’ – Pastor Declares
“My career began simply, music was a hobby I made with my boys as a means of bonding and connection before it was anything else,” he said.
According to Siraheem, sustaining his music career alongside his other responsibilities had become increasingly difficult over the past year.
“Over the past year, holding that alongside my other commitments has grown harder. I’ve always believed in giving everything my best and I no longer feel I can give this craft the effort, patience, and dedication it truly deserves,” he said.
Explaining his decision, the singer said he owed his fans and colleagues a professional conclusion to his current chapter.
“So I owe it to my true fans, and to my colleagues in this industry a professional exit, I have decided to stop putting out new music,” he stated.
However, Siraheem stressed that his departure from music would not end his creative pursuits. He revealed plans to diversify into other fields and pursue new ventures.
“To my fans the ‘Siraheem music’ era may be closing, but the creative in me is still hungry for new challenges, still reaching. The future stays positive. I have plans to diversify my creative palette into other fields and I will be back with new ventures,” he said.
The singer also left the door open for a possible return to music, particularly with songs he has already recorded.
Siraheem said music remains therapeutic to him and disclosed that he had spent the past year working on what he considered his best material yet.
“Music still remains therapeutic for me. With time, maybe the album finds its way into the world somehow after all,” he said.
Siraheem began releasing music professionally around 2022 and gained attention with songs including Bad Bitch Syndrome, Kowope, SOWETO and TRU$T FUND.
His debut project, By The Order Of The City, an eight-track project, was released on May 1, 2026.
Despite announcing his exit, Siraheem did not completely rule out a comeback.
“Who knows what the future still holds. Never say never,” he said.
He also thanked his fans and collaborators, Mr Fantasy and Mr Miyagi, for supporting him during what he described as an unforgettable year.
Nollywood has been thrown into mourning following the death of veteran actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, at the age of 66.
Hassan reportedly died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, after battling cancer.
The actor’s death was announced by his daughter, Kira Taiwo, in an emotional video circulating on social media.
SEE MORE: BREAKING: Nollywood Star Alex Ekubo Reportedly Dies at 40 After Health Battle
In the video, Kira, who was visibly distraught, repeatedly said, “My daddy is dead,” as she announced the passing of her father.
The development came days after Kira and her sister, Haleemah, disclosed that the veteran actor had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.
The sisters had appealed for public support as the family sought treatment options for their father.
Hassan was a prominent figure in the Nigerian film industry, particularly in Yoruba-language productions, where he established himself as one of the veteran actors with a long and influential career.
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