Entertainment Gists
Joy, Rebuke For Nigeria’s Tiwa Savage Over Charles’ Coronation
Singer Tiwa Savage poses on the red carpet at the Fashion Awards 2022 in London, the UK, December 5, 2022
Mixed reactions have trailed the announcement that Savage, a Grammy-nominated singer, will perform at the British monarch’s coronation this weekend.
Boro Town, Nigeria — When Abisoye Raji saw an Instagram post that Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage would be performing at the coronation of Prince Charles at Westminster Abbey on May 6, she could not contain her excitement.
“Mad oh!” the 23-year-old operations manager at a Lagos-based startup screamed a Nigerian exclamation of surprise as she read from her phone at a public event. Onlookers nearby looked at her curiously, but she kept grinning.
“I was very happy for her because being invited to perform at the coronation of one of the most important monarchies in the world is huge,” she told Al Jazeera, smiling. “It is actually good to see Nigerians winning from top-bottom.”
Afrobeats superstar Savage will join Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and other artists, including South African opera singer Pretty Yende, to perform at the coronation ceremony this Saturday of Britain’s King Charles III, who ascended the throne eight months ago following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The ceremony’s officiating will be done by the archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior cleric of the Church of England.
In Nigeria, which got independence from British colonial administration in October 1960, that news has been greeted with mixed reactions.
A colonial legacy
Savage, 43, a Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter who also holds British citizenship, was at Buckingham Palace in March for an International Women’s Day reception held by Queen Consort Camilla.
Back in Nigeria, some of Savage’s compatriots like Raji believe her performance this weekend is a progressive spotlight for Afrobeats, arguably Nigeria’s biggest export since Nollywood films.
But not everyone agrees.
Others have taken to social media to register disappointment with the singer, calling her hypocritical given Britain’s colonial legacy in Nigeria.
Sophia Bambino, a fashion curator, is one of them. For the 23-year-old, it is absurd that any citizen aware of the effects of the colonial history between Britain and Nigeria would accept to perform at the coronation ceremony.
“I don’t know what it is but Nigerians never seem to never want to break out of getting involved with people who colonised and oppressed them for years,” she said. “Let’s also not forget how British colonisation exploited the religion and ethnic identity of Nigerians that led them to abandon some customs and culture.”
Can Savage ‘salvage their image’?
Rolling Stone magazine has reported that multiple artists — including Adele, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Robbie Williams — turned down invitations to play at the coronation.
And for some Nigerians, Savage should have followed suit.
“It’s very embarrassing … that the Crown wants to use an African woman artiste who isn’t their first or second pick to salvage their image somehow,” Lagos-based writer Innocent Chizaram tweeted.
https://twitter.com/Ethereal_ilo/status/1653082932574142476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1653082932574142476%7Ctwgr%5E486cd88d2b2d1c2bc57cf6f35ec019716ee8e9e9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2F2023%2F5%2F5%2Fjoy-rebuke-for-nigerias-tiwa-savage-over-charles-coronation
Experts say Nigeria’s long history of political, economic and cultural exchange makes it impossible for a full disconnect.
“The Nigerian diaspora in the UK is one of the largest in the world and is a major part of cosmopolitan British as well as Nigerian culture,” said Ikemesit Effiong, head of research at Lagos-based geopolitical risk advisory firm SBM Intelligence. “For better or worse and despite the complexity of Anglo-Nigerian history, the ties that bind both countries remain considerable and will be so for the foreseeable future.”
For Oladokun Peter, a Lagos-based juju musician, even though fans may have their opinion, it should not stop the artist from making decisions they are comfortable with.
“Even people who are elected to defend our nationalism and sovereignty fail to do so,” he told Al Jazeera. “So why stop the artist from making some money because other artists refused to do it?”
Music as a service
Joey Akan, publisher of the Nigerian music newsletter Afrobeats Intelligence, said the performance was simply an artist providing a service like other service providers.
“We somehow feel that musicians offer a social good and not a business commercial product like cooking or anything else,” he told Al Jazeera. “If Tiwa Savage ran a restaurant and King Charles decides to go and eat there for his coronation after-party, will you tell her to chase him out of the restaurant?”
If colonial history truly mattered, he said, Nigerians would not pay huge amounts to the United Kingdom government to relocate or study there.
For others, Nigeria’s present cultural and soft-power standing is enough to begin a new relationship with the UK to showcase African talent on Western platforms, sending the message that the continent can hold its own in the pantheon of emerging global culture.
“If the UK recognises that by inviting Nigerian creatives, we should oblige by using those opportunities to make definitive statements of who we are, what our history is and what we represent in the modern age,” Effiong said.
Meanwhile, Raji is unable to wrap her head around the reasons why Tiwa Savage should have declined to perform — like other artists.
“She is a global artist and if they should invite her, why can she do it? What has this got to do with colonisation?” she asked.
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶
Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.
One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥
So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.
Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.
Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.
For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.
Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
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