Entertainment
Meet Tonto Dikeh’s Replacement in Churchill’s Heart, Rosy Meurer
Rosy Meurer, an up and coming Nollywood actress, was once again thrust into the limelight on Monday after Tonto Dikeh’s ex-husband, Olakunle Churchill, unveiled her as his wife.
The tattoo-loving actress made the news headlines for the first time in 2017 when she was fingered in Tonto and Churchill’s divorce brouhaha.
At the time, she was an ambassador of Churchill’s Big Church Foundation’s Mother and Child Project.
Tonto would later reveal in an interview on Media Room Hub that she was aware that her ex-husband abandoned her and their son because she (Meurer) “had been sleeping with him.”
Among other allegations, Tonto revealed that her ex-husband gifted Meurer an SUV on her birthday.
Meurer later debunked the allegations.
Four years down the line and several denials after, it appears Churchill and Meurer are tired of playing games and want the whole world to know that they are officially married.
And so Churchill, in a birthday message penned to Meurer on Monday, addressed her as his ‘wife’ and then dropped a shocker. They had been married for two years!
In another post, the businessman and philanthropist penned another birthday wish for his young wife and tagged it “two years and stronger.’’
He wrote, “May God bless you today on your birthday and every day after. May you be comforted by His presence in your life. You have brought so much happiness, laughter, and wisdom into our life. Raising a glass in celebration of you, and sending many best wishes for your birthday. #twoyearsandstronger.”
Meurer, 29, who has come under attack from Tonto’s die-hard fans on Instagram, responded to the birthday message showing off her wedding ring.
So away from the husband-snatching scandal, who really is Rosy Meurer?
Meurer was born in The Gambia to a Dutch father and a Nigerian mother from Delta State. She is the first child in a family of three.
Meurer, who ventured into acting in 2012 when she starred in Emem Isong’s movie, ‘Spellbound’, is commonly known more as Tonto’s ex-rival than as an actress.
She gained notoriety when Tonto accused her of sleeping with her then-husband in 2017. Meurer would later admit that “she got more jobs and money after Tonto’s marriage crisis allegations”.
She got her big break in The Gambia when some Nollywood actors came to shoot a movie.
One of the producers spotted her when they visited her mum’s restaurant. That was how she landed her debut movie role and also met a director, Desmond Elliot, who advised her to try acting in Nigeria.
‘‘When he got back to Nigeria, he called me and said Emem Isong had a role for me in her movie. I traveled to Lagos and I starred in my first Nollywood movie titled Spell Bound,’’ she said in a Punch interview.
Meurer, who describes herself as a Gambian-born Nigerian actress, is best known for her role in Ayo Makun’s 2018 movie: Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons.
Her movie credits include ‘Weekend Getaway’ (2012), TV series ‘Oasis’ (2014), ‘Damaged Petal’ (2015), ‘Red Card’ (2015), and ‘Open Marriage’( 2015). Others are ‘Karma’ (2018), ‘Accidental Affair’ (2019), and ‘Circle of Sinners’ (2020).
She has featured in over 15 movies to date and produced her first movie, ‘Therapist Therapy’ in 2017.
Aside from acting, Meurer is also a philanthropist and an ambassador of Women and Child at Big Church Foundation, owned by Churchill.
Meurer, who bagged her first movie award as Next Rated Nollywood star at The Nigeria Goodwill Ambassador Award in 2016, speaks about five languages including English, Dutch, Gambian Dialect, Delta language, and Hausa.
She was signed as a Glo Ambassador in August 2019.
Premium Times
Renowned Nigerian musician and live-band leader, Akinloye Tofowomo, popularly known as Akin Shuga, is dead.
The celebrated performer and founder of Shuga Band died on October 30, 2025, in New Brunswick, Canada, at the age of 50.
His family, in a statement on Monday, described him as a “revered music icon, grandmaster, and custodian of rhythm, culture, and the spirit of performance.”
The statement added, “Akinloye Tofowomo was more than a musician; he was a custodian of rhythm, culture, and the spirit of performance.
“Across more than three decades of excellence — on stage and in mentorship — he redefined what it meant to lead a band with grace, mastery, and purpose. To countless admirers at home and abroad, he was both an inspiration and an institution: a true king in his art.
“As the family comes to terms with this immeasurable loss, we humbly request privacy and quiet reflection at this deeply difficult time. We wish for the space to find closure and to honour his life in the intimacy of loved ones and cherished memories.
“Further details, including dates and arrangements for memorial observances, will be communicated in due course.
“We extend heartfelt appreciation to all who have reached out with prayers, tributes, and kind words. Akinloye Tofowomo’s legacy, through the Shuga Band and Shuga Entertainment, will continue to live on.”
Born on January 6, 1975, in Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, Akiin Shuga’s life was defined by resilience, passion, and purpose.
Stricken by polio at the age of five, he defied physical challenges to become one of Nigeria’s most accomplished live-band performers and music entrepreneurs. His story mirrored Nigeria’s own revival of live music as an essential part of its cultural identity.
In 1998, he founded the Shuga Band, which began performing at Pintos in Ikeja, Lagos. Over the years, the band grew into a 14-member ensemble known for its electrifying performances at weddings, corporate events, and state functions.
His company, Shuga Entertainment, became a model for professionalism and excellence in live performance, combining artistry with discipline.
Akiin Shuga also served as the founder and president of the Association of Music Band Owners of Nigeria, where he worked to elevate standards within the live-music industry and promote fair treatment for musicians.
Mavin Records boss, Don Jazzy, has unveiled his list of favorite Afrobeats songs and albums, spotlighting the classics that propelled the genre from local streets to international acclaim.
In a RollingStone Africa interview, the producer paid homage to the Mo’ Hits era he co-built with D’Banj, while crediting pioneers who shaped the sound.
His top songs include 2Baba’s African Queen, which he said opened global doors for Afrobeats and Wizkid’s Ojuelegba for its authentic storytelling.
D’Banj’s Fall in Love earned praise as a continental anthem from Mo’ Hits, while 9ice’s Gongo Aso was lauded for blending Yoruba tradition with pop.
Davido’s Aye rounded out the list for its Highlife-infused energy.
For albums, Don Jazzy singled out Wande Coal’s Mushin 2 Mo’Hits, which he produced as a timeless masterpiece.
He also named 2Baba’s Grass 2 Grace, Wizkid’s Superstar, D’Banj’s The Entertainer, and Aṣa’s self-titled debut as foundational works that influenced today’s stars.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned an alleged order by a Magistrate Court in Kano State reportedly directing two social media content creators, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to marry each other within 60 days.
The court directive reportedly followed a case against the duo over the circulation of a video deemed “indecent” by state authorities.
The content, which went viral on TikTok and other platforms, featured affectionate scenes between the two influencers.
The Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board claimed the video violated public morality and religious codes governing conduct in the state.
Magistrate Halima Wali reportedly handed down the marriage directive on Monday after arraigning the pair on charges relating to the production and distribution of obscene content online.
Reacting to the development, NBA President Afam Osigwe described the court order as a “grave misunderstanding of the limits of judicial authority under the Nigerian Constitution and constitutes an affront to the fundamental rights of the individuals concerned.”
Osigwe noted that no court has the power to compel any person to marry another person or two persons to mandatorily marry, adding: “It is indeed unconstitutional and therefore unlawful for any court to purport to have power to make such an order.”
He added that such an order would constitute a violation of several fundamental rights guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“Marriage, by its very nature, is a voluntary union between consenting adults. It cannot, under any circumstance, be imposed as a form of punishment, moral correction, or judicial remedy.
“No court in Nigeria possesses the constitutional authority to compel two persons to marry, and any attempt to do so violates the rights to personal liberty, dignity of the human person, and privacy as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
The alleged order, according to the NBA president, is an example of judicial overreach that not only infringes on personal freedoms but also could undermine public trust in the legal system.
“The courts must remain the bastion of justice and protectors of constitutional rights, not instruments for enforcing social conformity or moral compulsion,” Osigwe added.
The NBA then called for an immediate review of this decision by Magistrate Halima Wali and urged the relevant judicial authorities to take steps to prevent a recurrence of such unconstitutional orders.
It also directed the NBA Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum to monitor the situation to ensure that the rule of law prevails.
