Veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, has reportedly passed away after battling stage-four cancer.

The 66-year-old Yoruba actor’s reported death comes days after his daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, appealed for urgent medical assistance for their father, revealing that he was battling advanced cancer and needed specialised treatment.

Earlier on August 18, the family had debunked reports claiming that the veteran actor had died, describing the reports as false.

However, on Sunday, August 23, his daughter, Kira, reportedly broke down during an Instagram Live session while announcing his demise.

The development comes after an emotional period for the actor’s family, who had been seeking medical intervention as his health condition deteriorated. His daughters had called on cancer specialists, hospitals and medical professionals to assist with his treatment.

Ogogo’s illness had also prompted an outpouring of support from colleagues and well-wishers across the Yoruba movie industry. More than 500 offers of medical, spiritual and other forms of assistance were reportedly received by the family as efforts continued to support the veteran actor.

Several prominent Yoruba actors and filmmakers also gathered in Lagos on Friday to pray for the actor amid his battle with the disease.

Ogogo was one of the most recognisable figures in Yoruba cinema, having built a career spanning decades and featuring in numerous Nigerian films.

Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker and actress, Funke Akindele, is set to return to cinemas with her latest feature film, The Four: No One Fights Alone, scheduled for release on December 11, 2026.

Funke Akindele, the award-winning filmmaker, has opened up about the odd jobs she took on to survive during her university years, including a humiliating incident where a client slapped her over poor nail artistry.

In a recent interview, the 48-year-old actress revealed that she learned nail-making and makeup artistry while studying at the University of Lagos, often sitting in school corridors to attract customers.

“When I was in the University of Lagos, I used to make nails. I made nails for a girl one day, and she slapped me because they were rubbish. I learnt from watching people make nails at Yaba. I will buy them, stay in the corridor, and ask people to come and get their nails done,” she said.

Akindele also said she baked cakes with makeup artist Bimpe Onakoya among her regular buyers and worked as a costume designer for veteran actresses including Bukky Wright and Iyabo Ojo.

“I was selling cakes. Bimpe Onakoya, the talented makeup artist, was buying cakes from me. She would make-up for me. I learnt from people making hair. I did make-up. I did costuming. I used to costume Aunty Bukky Wright. Even Iyabo Ojo then. I will go to Yaba and buy costumes and iron them,” she said.

“I was a location manager. I will go to houses and knock. If they pay the owner N100,000, I can take 30 and pay the person 70. I sold bed space in UNILAG so I could survive. I am a hustler. That is why I am firm. Life taught me, and I cannot do otherwise.”

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Nedu Wazobia, the on-air personality (OAP), has broken his silence on why he left ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast.

Nedu stepped down from the podcast in February 2025 amid controversy over allegations made during one of its episodes.

The controversy began after comedian DeeOne alleged on the podcast that Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), had intimate relationships with men.

VDM responded by accusing Nedu of orchestrating the allegations, leaking private conversations between them, and engaging in sexual exploitation. He was replaced by Daddy Freeze.

In a recent video shared on X, Nedu said the controversy was not the primary reason he left the podcast. Instead, he attributed his exit to an ownership dispute with the podcast’s handlers.

“Pretty much every Nigerian thought I left because of what happened that last year but that wasn’t why I left. Now, I started ‘Honest Bunch’, it wasn’t called the Honest Bunch. When I started the podcast, I was on radio. I needed an outlet where I could talk and say my mind,” he said.

“So I went to a person that was running the place. I called him, and we agreed to meet in a particular place. So the day I was going, the guy that was working with me then, Chudy I told him to come with me. And there is another guy, Austin. So we went there together. We sat down and told him to this is my idea and this what I want. He said, ‘Okay, how do we do it. I said ‘how it is going to work is you have a production house, the cameras, the team, my own is just to sit down and talk.’”

Nedu said that although there was no written contract, they reached a verbal agreement to split the podcast’s proceeds equally. But he eventually discovered the podcast was registered as property solely owned by the other party.

“I had the idea, and I said, ‘Okay, let’s do it 50/50.’ So we shook hands. Anything that comes in, I take 50 percent and you keep 50 percent. It was a gentleman’s agreement. That was where I made the mistake,” he said.

“I brought everything together. I came with the people, they handled production, cutting of the teasers. It was posted on their platform, that was not a problem for me. I just felt ‘na my person be this’, let go ahead and do this.

“We started going on, when they were dragging me like tiger generator for something that I know 150% innocent off wey some people wey dey. around there know everything. I’m not going to mention names. They said something ‘Nedu, we are going to put out a statement that we are suspending you
from the show.

“In my head, I am like so what now? Show wey I get? you dey craze? You dey give landlord ‘quick notice’? The next day, they now did search at CAC, know found out that when they were registering the honest bunch, they
registered it as hundred percent their
product. I didn’t want to leave. I was going to wait for it to die down but
when I now saw that it was hundred percent their product, I’m like no. na him
be say I know fit.”Nedu Wazobia: Why I left ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast

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Wizkid, the Grammy-winning Nigerian artiste, will host an exclusive pre-release party for his upcoming album in Paris, France.

The event is scheduled for June 25 at Cova Club Paris and is being held in partnership with Deeds Paris Fashion Week (PFW).

According to a recent announcement on Deeds Magazine’s Instagram page, the party will be hosted by Sina Braetz, Grey93, and Rae.

 

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A post shared by Deeds (@deedsmagazine)

The announcement follows a recent social media post from the singer, who hinted at new music with the simple message: “Album🦅”.

The 35-year-old artiste, born Ayodeji Balogun, has not yet released additional details about the project.

The pre-release party comes about two years after the release of his fifth studio album ‘Morayo,’ in November 2024.

The album held special meaning for the singer, as it was dedicated to Jane Dolapo Balogun, his mother who passed away in August 2023.

Wizkid gained prominence in 2011 when he released his debut album ‘Superstar’.

He has released four additional albums including, ‘Ayo’ in 2014, ‘Sound From The Other Side’ in 2017. In 2020, he released ‘Made In Lagos’.

The album featured big names in the global music industry like Damian Marley, Skepta, H.E.R, Ella Mai, Burna Boy, Tems, and Terri.

He followed it up with ‘More Love, Less Ego’, a 13-track album released in 2022.

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The organisers of the Headies have announced that the awards will be leaving Nigeria again, unveiling Canada as the host of the 18th edition.

Recall that the awards first left Nigeria in 2022 for its 15th edition in Atlanta but returned to Lagos for the 17th edition in 2025.

Speaking on Monday during “The Big Announcement” event held at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, Headies founder, Ayo Animashaun, said the
decision to hold the 18th Headies in Toronto, Canada, was highly economical.

He explained that although the main ceremony will take place in Toronto, it will run simultaneously with a live watch party in Lagos, where Nigerian fans will participate in the celebration and witness portions of the awards presentation as the event unfolds abroad.

Animashaun said, “Someone said Ayo, you are taking the Headies out of the country again, he said it doesn’t make sense. Tell me what makes sense. Does it make sense for us not to do it anymore?

“So how do we fund it? We will have a watch Party in Lagos.”

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The family of Alexx Ekubo has announced funeral arrangements
for the late Nollywood actor.

The movie star died on May 11 after battling with stage 4 kidney cancer.

The family shared the details in a post on the actor’s official Instagram page on Monday. The post included the burial programme and a photo of the deceased

The post revealed that a service of songs will be held on June 10 at The Monarch Event Center in Lekki, Lagos.

It added that the wake will take place on June 17 at the family residence in Arochukwu, Abia state.

The funeral service and interment are scheduled for June 18 in Arochukwu, followed by a reception.

 

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A post shared by Alexx Ekubo (@alexxekubo)

“With profound sorrow, yet gratitude to God for a life so beautifully lived and deeply impactful, we officially announce the funeral arrangements of our beloved husband, son, brother, friend, and colleague, Alexx Ekubo-Okwaraeke,” the post reads.

“The overwhelming outpouring of love, prayers, messages, visits, calls, support, and strength shown to the family during this painful period has been truly humbling. Words cannot fully express our gratitude. Alexx was deeply loved, and your kindness continues to remind us that his light, compassion, faith, and impact on so many lives will never be forgotten.

“Alexx was deeply loved, and your kindness continues to remind us that his light, compassion, faith, and impact on so many lives will never be forgotten.

“We warmly invite family, friends, colleagues, fans, and well-wishers to join us as we honor and celebrate his beautiful life, enduring legacy, and the precious memories he gave us all.”

The family also urged the public to keep the actor’s wife and relatives in their prayers during the mourning period.

“Please continue to keep Alexx, his wife, and the entire family in your prayers during this difficult time,” it added.

Born in Port Harcourt on April 10, 1986, Ekubo began his acting career in 2003 with a role in ‘Sinners in the House’. He also featured in hundreds of Nollywood films.

In 2012, he won the ‘Most Promising Actor’ award at the Best of Nollywood Awards, followed by ‘Best Supporting Actor’ honours in 2013 and again in 2020.

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Toyosi Etim Effiong, wife of Nigerian actor and filmmaker Daniel Etim Effiong, has revealed that her marriage to the movie star influenced her decision to become a talent manager.

In her recent podcast outing, Mrs Etim Effiong explained that after she got married, she noticed that her husband’s career and Nollywood in general lack structures and legal frameworks.

She said banking on her experience as a show organiser in New York, she decided to introduce some of the structures in the American showbiz into Nollywood, starting with her husband as her first client.

She said after some months of managing her husband’s career, some of his colleagues who noticed the positive changes in his career also reached out to her to be their manager as well.

Etim Effiong said, “I am married to Daniel Etim Effiong -Nigeria’s finest filmmaker and actor. And earlier on in the marriage, I realised that there wasn’t a lot of structure in his career and the Nigerian movie industry generally.

“Producers just casually call actors and ask when they will be available for a shoot and when the actor is available, they start bargaining for the artiste’s fee over the phone like market women. It was very informal.

“Sometimes, you will clear your calendar for a shoot and the producer will call and tell you it has been cancelled at the last minute and give excuses. There was no structure or legal framework. The negotiations were also horrible.

“So, I became a self-appointed manager, which he was fine with. I started to support him, even with his social media and reading through his contracts. My support brought immediate results. And after some months, some of his friends approached me to manage them, too.”

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