Top 10 Celebrity Controversies of 2017

It is that time of the year again when we look back at stories that made it big online and offline. No doubt, 2017 has been a very interesting year in the entertainment industry and Nigeria at large. We present below, some of the viral stories that got our attention. Some good, some bad, while some are extremely ugly. In all, these events all play a part in making the year a memorable one.

1. Banky W and Adesua’s Wedding and Social Media Slip

No doubt Banky W and Adesua’s wedding won the award for ‘Wedding of the Year 2017’. However, the unexpected honeymoon photo Banky decided to share with Nigerians was a bigger story. On a cool morning, after Banky W just apparently finished up his conjugal duties with his newly-wed, Adesua, he decided to show a glimpse of his treasure’s backside and the beautiful ambience in Jo’burg. The butt photo got Nigerians boiling, tripping and analysing Adesua’s shape.

Banky W was advised to stay off social media as showing off too much is always the first sign of a looming crash in celebrity marriages. Even some of his fans think his wedding #BAAD2017 was too extravagant.

Banky also got the due sympathy of all earlier in the year, for the courage to beat cancer a second time, when it resurfaced after 10years.

2. Mr Eazi’s Ghana-Nigeria Tweet and Fake Job

No Nigerian artist had a rough year like Mr Eazi. Unfortunately, his disaster started with a tweet, stating that Nigerian music is now highly influenced by Ghana sound. Eazi went ahead to give himself credit for the synergy. Knowing fully well that Nigerians and Ghanaians are always at daggers drawn on a lot of issues (the most famous being who has the best jollof rice), Mr Eazi decided not to exhibit any emotional intelligence and Nigerians have since disowned him and his music.

That wasn’t all for Eazi though. He lied about having to leave a N2million job with Schlumberger to pursue his music career. Trust Nigerians to dig out details. It was revealed through LinkedIn, that Eazi was only on a six-month internship program at the company.

His dress sense also had his fans calling him a ’goat’ recently. But it wasn’t all bad. Eazi’s romantic affair with daughter of Nigeria’s oil mogul, Temi Otedola, has been described as the highpoint of the artiste’s year.

3. Wizkid and Davido’s Fight in Dubai

 Nigerian pop-stars, Wizkid and Davido turned the backstage of One Africa Music Festival event in Dubai into a boxing ring, and decided to finish off a brawl which started on social media.

The duo has often argued about who is more successful in the entertainment industry. However, it is unclear if the fight had anything to do with this.

Dubai played host to a number of artists in November 2017, with Davido and Wizkid as performers at the event.

According to media reports, a fight erupted among the crew members of both artists. It was also reported that Wizkid was assaulted by one of the members of Davido’s crew.

4. Psquare’s Split

Arguably, the messiest celebrity fight of the year, Peter and Paul Okoye’s split is something Nigerians are yet to fully come to terms with. The seemingly inseparable twins who have done everything together since they began singing early in life, shook their fans by deciding to revisit a longstanding family feud they have managed to keep under control for a while.

At first, it was perceived as a publicity stunt, since it wasn’t the first time both artists would break up to make up. Things took a different turn when it degenerated into a physical fight.

Peter, who terminated the contract through his lawyer, Festus Keyamo, raised serious allegations against Paul and their older brother and manager, Jude Okoye.

5. Bobrisky’s Arrest and Jacuurb

What’s 2017 without the comic relief Nigerian male Barbie, Bobrisky and his gateman Jacob, served Nigerians at intervals.

Bobrisky admitted to being gay and a few days later he was picked up by the Nigerian Police. Although the reason for the arrest till now has not been completely revealed, people say it had nothing to do with him being gay.

Bobrisky also made a celebrity out of his gateman, Jacob aka Jacuurb (as pronounced by Bobrisky). Bobrisky’s relationship with his gateman turned sour when he accused the poor guy of defrauding him and Mc Galaxy of conniving with Jacob.  Bobrisky has reconciled with Galaxy but we are not sure if he took Jacob back.

6. Daddy Freeze’s Tithe Campaign

OAP DaddyFreeze got himself busy throughout the year, having to pick on pastors and churchgoers who believe in tithe-paying. With a movement called #FreetheSheeple, Freeze consistently lambasted ‘Yahoo Pastors’, who ‘extort’ their followers by all means, yet live lavishly while others wallow in poverty.

His war against the church gained a lot of traction when he started confronting highly respected men of God whose words were considered ‘sacred’. Freeze fears no one. He has proved this time and time again and his followership seems to be increasing by the day.

Anyway, Freeze led the biggest social media campaign this year, in a field that many consider him ‘unrighteous’ enough to talk on.

7. Rochas Okorocha’s Statues and Commissioner for Happiness

From unveiling statues to appointing his biological sister as Commissioner for Happiness and Couples Fulfilment, Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha has been described as one of the country’s major political disasters.

Okorocha, in a state where his people are dying of hunger due to unpaid salaries, allegedly spent N1billion of public funds to erect statues of African leaders, including South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, under whose government Nigerians have suffered the worst xenophobic attacks.

8. Apostle Suleman’s Stephanie Otobo

Too many things happened this year, we almost forgot to include this. Although no one can be so sure about what happened behind the altar, Apostle Suleman’s alleged sexual scandal with Stephanie Otobo was the most damaging any ‘man of God’ could deal with.

Stephanie Otobo, a Canadian singer accused the popular Nigerian priest, Apostle Johnson Suleman of impregnating her and later attempting to kill her. As vehemently as he denied the allegations, it was almost impossible to fully acquit the apostle. The reports were too detailed to ignore.

Apostle Suleman told Nigerians to disregard Otobo’s claim, but Nigerians treated his denial with a pinch of salt. Otobo went as far as releasing facetime screenshots with Suleman and bank details during a yearlong sexual frolic that saw the Apostle flying her all over the world for sex.

9. Tonto Dikeh and Churchill

Controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh separated from her husband, Olakunle Churchill earlier in the year. Although it is not clear who was violent against who, Tonto and her husband fought dirty online, throwing damaging accusations at each other.

Tonto opened a can of worms about her marriage, surprising her followers who thought she was living a perfect life with her fake social media posts.

The mother of one also almost broke the internet recently with the promo clip for her upcoming reality show ‘King Tonto’. In the clip, Tonto was shown unclad, undergoing boobs and butt surgery in a foreign hospital.

10. Mercy Aigbe and Lanre Gentry

Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe’s marriage also came crumbling down this year with allegations of domestic violence against her husband Lanre Gentry.

Mercy Aigbe’s husband who made a failed attempt at reconciliation, embarrassed himself during the debacle with his grammatical expression online.