News

Seun Kuti Vs Wizkid: What Really Went Down

Published

8 months ago

January 21, 2026

Editor

What started as online chatter around legacy and comparisons has now turned into a full-blown public feud between Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti, fans of Wizkid, and eventually Wizkid himself.

The tension first surfaced in early January when Seun posted a long Instagram video aimed at Wizkid’s fanbase, popularly known as Wizkid FC. He accused them of constantly dragging the name of his late father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, into online music debates.

“Keep Fela’s name out of your (Wizkid FC) mouths. Why must you find a way to bring Fela always into your discussions?” he said.

Seun insisted that calling any modern artiste the “new Fela” showed ignorance about the depth of his father’s legacy.

“You try to steal the man. You try to claim that this your artiste is the new Fela. Then, when you people saw that you couldn’t wear those pants, that the shoes were too big to fill, you now turn around.”

He also criticised what he described as toxic fan behaviour, arguing that real love for music should not rely on constant comparison.

“You know why you cannot enjoy your artiste’s music without comparing it to something else? Because the music does not fulfill your spirits. That’s why you people look for extra drama always around the art,” he said.

The “Big Bird” argument
Last Wednesday, January 14, the situation escalated during an Instagram Live session where a Wizkid fan reportedly asked Seun to drop his longtime nickname, “Big Bird,” because Wizkid is also described by fans as the “Biggest Bird.”

Seun pushed back immediately.

“Wizkid stole my name. Tell your fave to be original,” he said.

“Why are you telling me to change my name? Sorry, I can’t change it. This name has been here since. I am the first to come up with it.”

He went further to accuse Wizkid’s team of enjoying the comparisons instead of shutting them down.

“If I see DJ Tunez again, I’ll confront him because he and his team are enjoying the Wizkid and Fela comparison instead of debunking it. I won’t even hug him.”

During the same session, Seun revealed that his father’s legacy still brings financial rewards decades after his death.

“I recently received about $120,000 simply because I am Fela’s son; it is not my work. My father has died over 29 years from the grave, and I received it,” he said.

“How many of your fathers from the grave can send you $120,000 from the grave? You think you can just pen your mouth…No of your fathers has accomplished… You don’t know what it means to be the child of someone who accomplished something.”

He stressed that his anger was not directed at Wizkid personally, but at fans who, in his view, confuse noise with relevance.

“Use your numbers for something meaningful”

Seun also challenged Wizkid FC to turn their online energy into something tangible.

“I’ll use four days to drag Wizkid FC. They claim they’re over one million, so let them contribute ₦1,000 each for their fave. That’s ₦1 billion to build a school in Surulere on Wizkid’s behalf. Dragging and disrespect is your power. All they do is insult people. Who raised you?”

“You cannot come together to do something positive in the name of the young man,” he added.

He also dismissed claims that Wizkid is a “new Fela” or bigger than the Afrobeat pioneer, saying such views ignore the political weight and personal sacrifice behind his father’s legacy.

Wizkid fires back
On January 20, Seun’s Kuti’s day 6 of dragging Wizkid FC, Wizkid broke his silence through a series of Instagram Story posts, shifting the feud into a direct exchange.

He first shared a video of a woman speaking in Yoruba, criticising Seun’s behaviour and questioning why his family had not intervened.

In the video, she said, “Seun Kuti’s family, is this how you will be looking at this bro until he enters the market because he has been using 7 days and 7 nights to act insane?”

“You are cursing people’s children that much; you and your father will be unfortunate. If not for Wizkid, do you think anyone would care about your father or do you think we’re still in 1990?

“Your father succeeded, yet you’re this miserable? Is it only pant and weed you inherited from him? Wizkid literally has his tattoo on his body. I used to think you were wise. You’re finished!”

Wizkid then followed up with his own direct posts aimed at Seun.

“Pu**y boy @thenigbirdkuti ok i big pass your papa!!!wetin u one do? Fool at 40!,” he wrote.

“@bigbirdkuti I’m Big Wiz everyday bigger than your papa!! Wetin u one do fool?”

“Hungry bastard.”

Seun took to his Instagram again, “Free Diddy. His Lagos babe is missing him.”

Wizkid responded, “We all know who be diddy babe for naija, if na chain you want, come collect o make una free me my mouth no good.”

Seun took to his Instagram again and wrote, “Day 7 go baaaadt gan” with laughing emojis

What began as complaints about online comparisons has now turned personal, public, and deeply emotional. With both sides holding their ground and fanbases fully engaged, the dispute shows no sign of cooling off anytime soon.
(GUARDIAN)

News

Iranian Airlines Hit By US Sanctions As Oil Prices Rise On Saudi Attacks

Published

1 minute ago

September 25, 2026

Editor

Iranian airlines have been barred from operating in several neighbouring countries following the implementation of new US sanctions, as the wider Middle East conflict continued to put pressure on regional energy supplies and push oil prices higher.

The United Arab Emirates suspended all flights operated by Iranian airlines until further notice after a US deadline for companies around the world to stop doing business with Iran’s aviation sector expired.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency also reported that flights to Oman, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Baghdad had been halted. Iranian authorities were reportedly working to redirect some services to Najaf in Iraq.

The measures are part of a broader US effort to isolate Iran economically by imposing sanctions on companies in third countries that continue doing business with Iranian firms.

Washington had set September 23 as the deadline for companies worldwide to comply with restrictions targeting Iranian airlines, with the stated aim of grounding Iran’s entire civilian aircraft fleet.

The restrictions have already affected Iran’s international air links, with Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport showing scheduled services to countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, China, Iraq, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkey, but no flights to or from several Gulf states.

Iran has warned that neighbouring countries complying with the US restrictions could face retaliation.

A senior Iranian official warned on Wednesday that airports in countries enforcing the ban could be made “unusable”.

The latest sanctions came as tensions across the region continued to affect global energy markets.

Oil prices rose sharply on Thursday after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi fighters launched missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, raising fresh concerns about disruptions to crude supplies.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis towards areas including Taif and the Yanbu region on the Red Sea.

Yanbu is particularly important to Saudi Arabia’s oil-export strategy because the port provides an alternative route for crude when shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupted.

Brent crude futures settled at $106.60 a barrel, gaining $3.52, or 3.4 per cent, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $2.45, or 2.7 per cent, to settle at $94.61.

Both benchmarks had risen by about 5 per cent at their session highs. Brent recorded its highest closing price since September 15, while the gain represented WTI’s first rise after six consecutive sessions of losses.

The price increase came despite signs that diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran could eventually ease pressure on oil supplies.

Reuters reported that US and Iranian negotiators in New York were exploring a possible phased agreement under which Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz while the United States eased its economic blockade of Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global oil route and its disruption has been a major factor behind the volatility in energy markets during the conflict.

The prospect of negotiations helped crude prices retreat from their intraday highs.

The wider conflict has also affected Saudi Arabia’s ability to export crude. Saudi Arabia has been using its East-West pipeline to divert oil towards the Red Sea after disruptions to Gulf shipping routes. The country has been working to restore export capacity through Yanbu.

Meanwhile, the latest US sanctions threaten to deepen Iran’s economic isolation.

President Donald Trump previously described the expanded sanctions strategy as “economic D-Day”, referring to Washington’s attempt to increase pressure on Tehran by targeting companies outside Iran that continue to do business with sanctioned Iranian entities.

Iranian authorities have warned that the sanctions and wider blockade could worsen the country’s economic difficulties.

The latest developments have therefore created two competing pressures for oil markets: continued military escalation around major energy infrastructure and shipping routes could push prices higher, while progress in US-Iran negotiations and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could ease supply concerns.

(Reuters)

News

Report: UK Considers Raising Tax-free Allowance To £15,570

Published

20 minutes ago

September 25, 2026

Editor

The UK government is reportedly considering increasing the personal income tax allowance from £12,570 to £15,570, a move that could leave millions of workers with more disposable income and prevent most state pensioners from paying tax on part of next year’s pension increase.

The proposal, reported by Sky News citing The Telegraph, would represent the first increase in the personal allowance in five years. The threshold has remained frozen at £12,570 since 2021.

If implemented, the new threshold would be close to the level the allowance might have reached had it continued rising instead of being frozen.

The proposal is being considered by Chancellor John Healey and Prime Minister Andy Burnham, according to the report. It was suggested by Labour donor and Ecotricity owner Dale Vince.

Vince said: “If Labour wants to get the economy moving, it should put money into the pockets of people who will spend it.”

He added: “Raising the personal allowance to £15,570 would give millions of people a meaningful boost, with the biggest benefit going to those on the lowest incomes.”

He proposed funding the measure through changes to capital gains tax and by ending interest payments on Bank of England reserves.

“We can pay for it by making the tax system fairer – starting with capital gains and the billions we currently hand to banks in interest,” Vince said.

However, the government has not confirmed that the proposal will be included in the upcoming Budget.

A Treasury spokesperson said decisions on taxation were matters for the Chancellor to announce at fiscal events, rather than issues the department would “routinely comment on rumour, speculation or proposals”.

The proposed increase could also address an issue facing pensioners.

The UK’s state pension is expected to rise by 3.9% next April under the government’s triple lock system, which guarantees an annual increase based on whichever is highest among inflation, average wage growth or 2.5%.

Provisional wage figures show growth of 3.9%, meaning the full new state pension could increase from £12,547.60 to about £13,036.60.

That would put the state pension above the current £12,570 personal allowance by approximately £457.

For pensioners with total retirement income below £50,270, that amount would normally be subject to the basic 20% income tax rate, potentially resulting in an annual tax bill of about £91.40.

Increasing the personal allowance to £15,570 would place the projected state pension below the new threshold, meaning pensioners would not pay income tax on the state pension itself, assuming they had no other taxable income.

The proposal comes as the government faces pressure over its finances ahead of the next Budget.

Official figures showed that the UK public sector borrowed £18.3bn in August, the second-highest borrowing figure recorded for the month. Borrowing for the financial year so far was also £8.1bn above the level forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The government is therefore expected to face difficult decisions over taxation and spending when the Chancellor delivers the Budget.

Other possible tax changes under discussion include changes to capital gains tax and the proposed high-value council tax surcharge on expensive properties.

No decision on the personal allowance has been announced, and the final policy will depend on the Chancellor’s Budget decisions.

(skynews)

News

Six Corps Members Receive N10m Grants To Boost Agribusiness

Published

3 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Six members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have received a total of N10 million in grants to expand their agribusiness ventures under the Farmers for the Future Programme.

The programme was organised on Monday by the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage young Nigerians to embrace agriculture and develop sustainable businesses.

Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries in Abuja, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, urged Corps members to maximise the opportunities provided by the service year by venturing into commodity marketing and other viable businesses.

Nafiu said agribusiness remained a viable avenue for young people to build sustainable enterprises, create employment and generate wealth.

He also stressed the importance of value addition to the success and sustainability of business ventures, while commending BATNF for placing Nigerian youths at the centre of its entrepreneurship initiatives through value-chain development, employment creation and its partnership with the NYSC.

“I charge you to spread the news around. We have seen the outcome, and it is a good idea,” he said.

The beneficiaries are Dominic Olufemi (FC/25C/1143), who received N3 million; Temitope Adewole (ED/26A/2251), N2 million; Abdulwaheed Bala (ED/25B/1402), N2 million; Olanike Mayungbe (OG/26B/1037), N1 million; Kingsley Udoeyen (KG/26A/1735), N1 million; and Lorember Lorsue (JG/25B/1742), N1 million.

Speaking on the selection process, the Acting Director, Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED), Mrs Winifred Shopeka, said the programme began with an online registration portal through which Corps Members engaged in agribusiness submitted their business plans.

She said nearly 3,000 Corps members applied and underwent a rigorous selection process that produced 20 finalists.

According to her, the finalists participated in a boot camp and a final pitching session, which produced the 10 best presenters before the six ultimate winners were selected.

Shopeka said the beneficiaries had also been mentored and attached to established market operators to assist them in marketing their products.

She added that Corps Members who did not make the final stage of the competition were also trained by BATNF.

The BATNF Team Lead, Mr Oludare Odusanya, congratulated the beneficiaries and urged Corps Members engaged in agribusiness to master the fundamentals and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed.

“We are happy with our collaboration with the NYSC, and it will continue,” he said.

Odusanya explained that BATNF was an independent organisation established to contribute to poverty reduction in Nigeria through sustainable agricultural practices and other interventions.

He said the Farmers for the Future Programme was instituted in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage Corps Members to venture into agribusiness and become job creators.

He added that the beneficiaries would be attached to mentors who would guide them towards achieving success in their respective businesses.

According to him, the programme has, since its inception, continued to enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of Corps Members.