How Falz spends his money
Plus: Tiwa Savage, Lateef Adedimeji, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, Burna Boy tour, Olamide new album, Kiddwaya, Folu Storms, Lateef Adedimeji and more...
Welcome to The Feed, where Dennis is stunned by what Kiddwaya, the son of the billionaire Terry Waya, did.
In the wake of the Benue State attack that killed over 200 people, according to reports, there were pleas for aid to be sent to the state. But a move by Kiddwaya stunned the public.
After he told the public to send funds to a Zenith Bank account number belonging to the Kiddwaya Foundation, videos of him with a wad of $100 bills resurfaced online, provoking a backlash.
If there were any doubts that the funds would have reached the hands of those affected by the attack, his response didn’t inspire any confidence, especially after he said they should send an “email” to him to request funding. My response was immediate. How could he not know that is not the way to go? An email?
It makes me even further doubt if his intentions were in the right place. Because if they were, these would have been considered. He should have asked himself how he would empower people with all these funds. But I guess it is possible, after all, that some of us really cannot imagine what the majority's experiences are. This has nothing to do with wealth or excess or privilege. This is something else—something sacrilegious, atrocious even.
This week, we posed a very important question. What is it really like to start a career in the Nigerian entertainment industry? We spoke to eight interns and entry-level people in the industry. Read their stories here.
Then Zikoko editor, Daniel Orubo, is calling it early. Could history-making My Father’s Shadow finally take Nigeria to the Oscars? He answers in his latest. Read it here.
Later, we have lots of Tiwa Savage talking about being a working mother in music and her songs for every mood. Falz, Folu Storms, and Lateef Adedimeji all dropped by our Zikoko office, and the content we shot with them comes later.
We have created this form for feedback, and we’d like to hear your thoughts in the coming days. Please feel free to share some with us.
Celebrity
→ Sickle Cell Day: Adekunle Gold Foundation has announced 5 Star Care, which will provide free health insurance to 1,000 sickle cell warriors in partnership with the Lagos State Health Scheme Management (LASHMA), Sickle Cell Management Initiatives (SAMI), and the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
→ Bathing in Bali: Yvonne Orji took a vacation in Bali and blessed us with these photos.
→ Consciously coupling: Made Kuti made this cute post for his wife, Nedo Kuti, on her birthday. “You are incredible and you continue to delight and fascinate me,” he wrote on Instagram.
Online Entry
→ Mike Afolarin on the hot seat? How well doesn't Mike Afolarin know his current affairs? We had him answer 21 questions with Zikoko below.
→ Falz spending: What does Falz spend money on that makes him happy? His answer will shock you. He told us this and more when he dropped by earlier this month.
→ Best Nigerian food creators: You need to refresh your explore page with the best food creators to follow right now. See the full list here.
→ Kiddwaya and privilege: Kiddwaya came under heavy criticism after he said the public should make donations to a Zenith Bank account held by Kiddwaya Foundation following a brutal attack in Benue that saw the death of over 200 people. However, in his response to the backlash, he said that not all the donations will be used as palliatives for the affected people. He didn’t say what the remaining funds will be used for, but he added that people in need should email him. “If you have been affected, please email us and we will do our best to assist with urgent needs,” he said. At the time of writing this, he had not provided any email address.
→ Stun gun: On Tuesday, Lagos Police said that Pastor Paul Adefarasin had “turned himself in” following a viral video in which he appeared to point what looked like a firearm at a content creator. Later, the police said that after an interrogation, they had recovered a stun gun from the pastor. Read my full report here.
→ #WeAreAllNatasha: On Thursday, Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan pleaded not guilty to three counts of alleged criminal defamation and was granted bail at ₦50 million.
→ Oven at work: Real Warri Pikin dropped a baby bump reveal video on Instagram.
Bops
→ Making hits: How did some of your favourite songs come to life? Producer, Kel P VIbes, breaks down how he made everything from Burna Boy’s “On the Low” to “Killin Dem” with Zikoko.
→ Tiwa’s ultimate playlist: What are Tiwa Savage’s best songs for different moods? She spills everything to GQ.
→ Olamide dragged: Yoruba actor Yemi Ayebo, popularly known as “Yemi My Lover,” has accused musician Olamide of not picking up his calls after using his name on his music. “Olamide told Pasuma to give me the phone so he could speak with me. That was the first time we spoke and he told me to collect his number from Pasuma and call him. Pasuma gave me his number and I called Olamide for more than six months, he didn’t pick my calls, I messaged him and he didn’t reply,” he said.
→ No Signs of Weakness: Burna Boy has revealed the cover of his next album, No Signs of Weakness, which will be released on July 11, 2025.
>> He also announced his North American tour dates.
→ Davido wins big: Less than 24 hours after its release, Davido’s “With You” music video has surpassed 1 million views on YouTube, making it his fourth video to hit that milestone—joining the ranks of “Fem,” “Blow My Mind” featuring Chris Brown, and “Jowo.”
→ Olamide: Olamide had dropped his self-titled album, Olamide.
>> Reviews are already dropping for some of the songs. We asked Nigerians if they loved the “99”, the track with Seyi Vibez, Asake, Young Jonn & Daecolm. See what they had to say below:
→ F1: The Album: Mr Eazi and Burna Boy are contributors on F1: The Album, the official soundtrack for F1, the upcoming racing film starring Damson Idris and Brad Pitt. It will drop on June 27. Mr Eazi had a preview below:
→ “With You” BTS: Want to know how a music video gets made? Step inside the making of Davido’s “With You” featuring Omah Lay.
→ The Best New Music This Week:
>> “Duro” from Olamide’s album, Olamide, is the perfect party starter.
>> Joeboy dropped the visual for “Abena” off his Viva Lavida album.
>> Davido has dropped the visuals for his new song with Omah Lay, “With You.” Highlife legend Bright Chimezie made a cameo in it.
Recommendation: The 40 Greatest Olamide Songs of All Time, Ranked By Fans
Cine Club
→ Red Circle monologue: We made Folu Storms and Lateef Adedimeji act out the lyrics of Seyi Vibez's “Shaolin,” and it was hilarious.
→ 3 Cold Dishes: The first look of the movie, Burna Boy executive-produced, 3 Cold Dishes, had dropped. Oluseyi Asurf Amuwa is the director.
→ BBNaija Reunion: Big Brother Naija: No Loose Guard Reunion will air on Monday, June 23, 2025.
→ Nigerian box office:
Pod Gems
→ Major move: Daddy Freeze had replaced Nedu on Glitch Africa’s The Honest Bunch podcast.
→ On Dagrin: DJ Neptune speaks about Dagrin with Hip TV.
→ Tiwa on motherhood: Tiwa Savage opens up about being a mother in the music business on the latest Afrobeats Intelligence podcast.
Baffs
→ LFW25: Lagos Fashion Week is back for 2025. See all the details below:
Bookshelf
→ Kokonut Head Media: Kokonut Head Media has opened applications for its Writers in Residence Program, a three-month online residency for university students and recent graduates who live and write on the African continent. The deadline to apply is July 1, 2025. See details here.
→ Cave Canem Fellowship: 3 Nigerian poets, Saddiq Dzukogi, Tobi Kassim, and Zaynab Iliyasu Bobi, have been named Cave Canem Fellows this year. They are part of sixteen emerging and established poets at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg for the week-long residency.
One Good Article
This week, my One Good Article is this piece that my colleague Betty Godson wrote about a woman who had to lie about being kidnapped to leave a toxic relationship.