Entertainment
‘I got in a lot of trouble’, Davido gives reason for leaving Nigeria
Far-famed Nigerian artiste, David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, said he had to leave Nigeria after his hit song “Fem” became the unofficial soundtrack for the #ENDSARs movement last year.
The award-winning singer featured on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah”, on Wednesday and spoke on different issues, including his recently released third studio album, “A Better Time”.
“I did not record that song thinking that was going to happen. Honestly, it is amazing how I saw my voice be an instrument for the people. It was amazing…I got into a lot of trouble, I got into a lot of trouble. I had to actually leave the country; it was that bad because I got into a lot of trouble,” Davido said.
During the protests, the artiste himself joined the peaceful marches and was vocal on social media.
He said, “They listened, they heard us. They might not have changed anything, but they were shaken. I see a lot of young future leaders coming up – things are gonna change.”
Nigeria has produced acts, Fela Kuti, in the ‘70s, and with rappers like Falz who sing about socially conscious issues. Afrobeat has been used to draw attention to the country’s experience of politics, corruption, terrorism, and abuse of power.
Now popular around the world, the genre has the power to draw global attention to issues affecting African nations.
Speaking on the growing cultural supremacy of Afrobeat worldwide, he told Noah about his first contract with Sony in 2016. The artiste said, “I told them, you guys might not understand now, but in a couple of years this is going to be one of the biggest genres in the world.”
For Noah, Davido and other Afrobeat artistes’ rise to fame has cured the “inferiority complex” that he says he always felt towards American pop culture. The host said, “We were like, oh America is better than us, the UK is better; everything was better than us in Africa.”
Davido, in the interview, reminisced about while schooling in Alabama he will play some DBanj, P Square, Freshly Ground (a band from South Africa), and a couple of Nigerian artistes that were popular then and will get reactions like, “What’s that? Those drums are going hard! They sound good. So, I always knew that, eventually, it would be appreciated.”.
“What do you think it is about Nigerians that made them take over the music scene?” Noah asked, and Davido gave huge credit to the Nigerians in the diaspora who insisted that only Naija music be played when they were in clubs saying for instance, “Play Davido’s music when my bottles are coming out”.
He also attributed some of the success of the genre to the fact that “Everybody in the world has a Nigerian friend”.
Popular Nigerian singer, Adekunle Kosoko, better known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simisola Kosoko, also known as Simi, have welcomed a set of twin babies.
The singer announced the good news via his Snapchat story on Wednesday.
“Asked God for another child and He blessed me double,” Simi wrote.
Although the gender of the babies has not been disclosed, the announcement has since attracted congratulatory messages from fans, colleagues and well-wishers across the entertainment industry.
The development comes months after Simi had hinted at her pregnancy. In December, she shared a video on Instagram, captioned, “From my baby, for my babies,” with the clip showing her baby bump.
The arrival of the twins also comes weeks after Simi featured in a snippet from Adekunle Gold’s recently released music video titled My Love Is the Same.
Adekunle Gold and Simi got married in 2019 after years of friendship and musical collaboration. Both artistes were formerly signed to X3M Music early in their careers and have since remained one of Nigeria’s most celebrated celebrity couples.
The couple welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.
Renowned Tungba gospel musician, Dr Yinka Ayefele, has released a new studio album titled Reflections, adding another chapter to his long-standing influence in Nigeria’s gospel music scene.
The album, which was released on Monday, December 22, 2025, blends introspection with praise, as Ayefele reflects on life, faith and gratitude to God, drawing from personal experiences marked by trials, near-tragedies and triumphs.
Announcing the release in a statement, the Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Fresh Nigeria and Yinka Ayefele Limited, Samson Akindele, said the album captures the musician’s deep reflections on life and his renewed commitment to thanksgiving and praise through music.
Musically, Reflections is rooted in Ayefele’s signature Tungba style, featuring energetic drum percussions, rich string arrangements and call-and-response patterns, supported by harmonious backup vocals from the Merry Makers Band.
The album also incorporates diverse elements, including Tungba hymnals and an Arabic praise chant rendered by a budding female talent, Harike Jesu, who additionally delivers a danceable Fuji-inspired track.
According to details of the project, the opening track focuses on Ayefele’s life journey and lessons drawn from past experiences, while subsequent tracks express appreciation to fans and sustain a flow of upbeat, dance-friendly rhythms.
Reflections is available on major digital streaming and download platforms, including Spotify, Boomplay, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Audiomack, YouTube Music, Deezer and Tidal.
The compact disc version is expected to be released in the coming days under the Yinka Ayefele Music label.
Jamaican reggae icon, Jimmy Cliff, is dead. He died on Monday at the age of 81.
His wife, Latifa Chambers, announced the singer’s passing in a statement posted on his official Instagram page.
Chambers said Cliff “crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” describing the loss as “profoundly saddening.”
She wrote, “I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists, and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career.”
Cliff, revered as one of reggae’s defining figures and widely regarded as the genre’s most influential artiste after the late Bob Marley, enjoyed a stellar career that spanned more than four decades.
A multi-instrumentalist known for classics such as You Can Get It If You Really Want and The Harder They Come, Cliff blended reggae with folk, soul, ska and rock. His music frequently tackled themes of politics, poverty, injustice and social resistance.
He shot to global prominence following the release of the 1972 film The Harder They Come, in which he starred. The movie, partly inspired by his tough upbringing, played a pivotal role in pushing Jamaican reggae onto the world stage.
Reacting to his death, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, described Cliff as “a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world.”
“His music lifted people through hard times, inspired generations, and helped to shape the global respect that Jamaican culture enjoys today,” Holness said.
“Walk good, Jimmy Cliff. Your legacy lives on in every corner of our island and in the hearts of the Jamaican people,” he added.
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