Entertainment

Canadian-born Nigerian Singer Relocates To Native Delta Village, Says Nigeria Better Than Canada

Published

4 years ago

August 30, 2021

A Canada-born Nigerian, Ndubuisi Okwumabua has relocated to his native place, Isele-Ukwu village, Delta State, Nigeria for his music career to gain more recognition.

Okwumabua, popularly known as Ndu, is a young, up-and-coming rapper, songwriter, and producer, who left his place in Winnipeg’s Forte Rouge in Canada, to settle in Nigeria.

Speaking about his decision, Okwumabua, according to Nigeria Abroad, said, “In Canada you cannot fully own anything, everything you own can be taken away from you.”

“I feel at home. I’m realising my dream. That’s important to me,” he added.

He admitted that living in Nigeria is not the same as living in Canada as many Nigerians are scrambling to migrate to Canada, perceived as a land of opportunities, but the music artiste related differently.

He submitted that Nigeria does not have the same accessible amenities as Canada, but spiritually, Nigeria is stronger.

“A simple life can be a good life,” he stated. “I am among my uncles, aunties, cousins and family friends. I’m okay. Luckily my parents used to bring my siblings and me to visit Nigeria since we were children, so I’m chill here.”

“I’ve written a lot during the pandemic and produced hundreds of songs for other artistes and myself and background music for movies. People are getting to know me around here. That feels hopeful.

“I have a big interest in doing independent mix with afrobeat. I want to do it all, dance music, reflection music, and car-listening music,” he said.

Asked why he felt Nigeria is a better place to accomplish his music dreams, Okwumabua responded that “artistes need genuine support in the beginning but there is not a lot of support for artistes like us who are attempting to break the manufactured mainstream mould.

“People who are seen as socially acceptable and successful get more grants than those of us who are behind the curve. I do not think that is fair or right.”

The rapper who once got a grant said the requirements were a hard nut to crack in Canada.

He added, “When I saw what they needed from me, the red tape and all, I returned it to the funder to avoid any further creative block. I am using my own money to create my music right now. It is a little more cost effective in Nigeria to make music, but that is not including the ongoing electricity problem.

“It is sometimes challenging living in Winnipeg, branded as one of the most racist cities in Canada by Maclean’s magazine, where you can be accused or judged because of the colour of your skin or ethnicity and not by the content of your character.

“Nigeria has its own prejudices and post-colonial tribal conflict, but I am accepted as a human being first here and if you work hard and stay focused, you can own a few things.

“You may think you own a house after paying for it for 25 years and if you do not pay your taxes, it can be taken away from you. It’s not like that in Nigeria. What you own belongs to you.

“Life is good in Nigeria, not perfect but good. I am creating my music the way I want to. I would rather be free and be happy with myself to live longer.”

Entertainment

Drama As Hilda Baci’s Jollof Pot Falls After GWR Attempt

Published

7 hours ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

It was a shocking sight at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, on Friday night as the giant pot used by celebrity chef Hilda Baci to set a Guinness World Record for the largest serving of Nigerian jollof rice suddenly collapsed after the crane meant to weigh it malfunctioned.

Thousands of people who had waited patiently to feast on the record-breaking rice gasped as the massive structure gave way, bringing a dramatic night to an unforgettable conclusion.

The collapse, however, did not dampen the celebration. Guests had already been served, and many continued eating and cheering late into the night, turning the mishap into another chapter of a historic occasion.

For Hilda, it was still mission accomplished: a brand-new Guinness World Record for cooking the world’s largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice.

The atmosphere throughout the event had been electrifying. Hilda, known for her 2023 Cook-a-thon fame, thrilled over 20,000 fans, food lovers, celebrities, and influencers who packed into the venue for the first-of-its-kind attempt.

Before firing up the stove, she rolled up her sleeves to personally wash the massive red pot, joking with her fans: “Yes, I can officially confirm this pot is squeaky clean! I washed it myself.”

She told journalists that the process was carefully calculated to preserve the dish’s authenticity.

“To keep the authenticity of the jollof rice, I applied some mathematics, and we will still watch it while it is cooking to make sure that everything is right,” she explained.

Moments before the cooking began, Hilda held a short but emotional prayer session with the lead pastor of the Harvesters Church, Bolaji Idowu, setting a solemn tone before the fiery cook-out began.

As the rice simmered, the crowd swelled, with guests beaming in excitement for a taste of the steaming dish.

Notable personalities such as Veekee James, Tomike Adeoye, and Enioluwa joined the celebration, cheering her on. Even Guinness World Records itself showed support, dropping a goodwill message on her Instagram page as the cooking unfolded.

Speaking after the feat, Hilda disclosed that it took nine months of preparation and revealed that the pot, which eventually collapsed, was specially built over two months to handle the enormous task.

She explained that she had originally planned to cook 250 bags of rice, but scaled down to 200 bags, about 4,000 kilograms, due to weighing challenges.

The ingredients also included staggering amounts of tomato paste, onions, oil, and spices, all supplied by food sponsor Gino.

Despite the shocking end, the attempt has already been hailed as one of the boldest food events ever staged in Nigeria.

From the prayers to the pot collapse, from the suspense of the weighing to the feast that followed, Hilda Baci once again proved her knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

For Lagosians who stayed all night, it was not just about jollof rice but about being part of history and going home with full stomachs and a story they would never forget.

Entertainment

Why I Cooked 200 Bags Of Rice Instead If 250 — Hilda Baci

Published

15 hours ago

September 13, 2025

Editor

Nigerian sensational celebrity chef, Hilda Baci, has revealed why she decided to cook 200 bags of rice instead of the initially planned 250 bags for her Guinness World Record attempt for the largest serving of Nigerian-style Jollof rice.

In a statement, Baci said the decision to scale down the rice quantity was due to technical reasons related to the measuring crane and scale designed to weigh the final dish.

The custom-made pot’s weight, combined with the rice, would exceed the 20,000-kilogram limit of the measuring device.

“If you notice when we started, we weighed the pot and we needed to weigh every single thing that goes into the pot when we’re done.

“The average crane and the measuring device can only weigh 20,000 kilogrammes. It’s safer for me to go below 20,000 kilogrammes so that my scale can carry it all at the same time,” Baci explained.

Despite reducing the quantity, Baci emphasized that the 200 bags of rice cooked still amount to 4,000 kilograms, enough to feed 20,000 people.

“This 4,000 kilogrammes of rice is 200 bags of rice and it will still feed 20,000 people, so we’re still up there,” she said.

The event, which drew a large crowd of food lovers, celebrities, and dignitaries, has taken on the feel of a carnival with music, dancing, and appearances from public figures.

Baci described the feat as the most ambitious of her career, noting that it took almost a year of planning to pull off.

“Honestly, Gino and I figured this whole thing out was hectic. Figuring out how to fabricate the pots, it took Mr Ayo two months to figure out and fabricate the pots. Then it took us about nine months to plan this event and it took us almost nine hours to make the entire meal,” she revealed.

Guinness World Record, the London-based record body, posted a message of encouragement on social media, wishing Baci “best of luck” in her attempt.

The recognition comes just two years after Guinness certified Baci’s 2023 cook-a-thon, which brought her global fame and inspired many young Nigerians to explore the culinary industry.

Entertainment

Why I’m No Longer Stable On Social Media – Davido

Published

1 day ago

September 12, 2025

Editor

Afrobeats singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed why he is no longer stable on social media.

Davido, who is the most-followed African artist on social media, insinuated that his marriage has forced him to limit his use of social media while responding to a fan who expressed worries over his recent absence from social media.

The fan wrote on X, “Davido never post for over 3 days now. I miss my idolo.”

Responding, the music star wrote, “When u marry u go understand.. lol”

Davido and his wife, Chioma Adeleke, held their white wedding ceremony in Miami, Florida, in August 2025.

The couple marked their one-month wedding anniversary on Thursday, September 11, 2025.

Chioma shared a short clip from their glamorous wedding as she expressed deep gratitude and happiness for the journey so far.

Davido responded with a heartfelt comment, describing their wedding day as “the best day ever.”