Entertainment
Nedu, Ex-Wife Disagree over How Children Were Handed Over to OAP
Comedian Chinedu Ani, better known as Nedu, says his ex-wife, Uzoamaka Ohiri, willingly handed their two daughters to him at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, on Tuesday.
She, however, told The PUNCH that she did so under duress.
Nedu also posted the statement written by his ex-wife at the SCID, wherein she stated, among other things, that she was handing the children over because she had challenges with rent.
In the statement, she said she would be given full access to the children while they remain in her ex-husband’s custody.
The statement she wrote at the SCID reads in part, “I, Uzoamaka, on this 28th day of September, 2021, handed over my daughters, Kaylah six years old, and Praise, four years old, to their father, Mr. Chinedu Emmanuel Ani.
“I brought them back from Owerri where they were staying with my mother, Mrs. Uzoamaka Ohiri, because our rent in Lagos had expired so my kids arrived in Lagos on the 27th of September, 2021.
“Mr. Chinedu has agreed that as the children are with him, I Uzoamaka will have uninterrupted access to the kids and if their school is changed, I will be informed until the court grants any one of us custody of our daughters.”
In addition to explaining how he took over the two female children, the comedian also posted receipts of the air ticket he booked for his ex-wife to fly the children down to Lagos from Owerri where they were staying with their maternal grandmother.
Explaining the issue via his verified Instagram page, Nedu states:
“I am sad that once again, I need to clear the air on what I consider a private matter. But for the sake of all the parties involved, it is pertinent that I do so.
“Please let the following be clear to all journalists, blogs, news platforms, etc;
“1. Contrary to the rumours being peddled around, I do take care of my children and will continue to as it is my duty.
“2. Neither I nor the police forcefully took my kids away from my ex-wife. It was a unanimous agreement. Please feel free to read her handwritten statement and also see the bag with which she brought their clothes.
“3. The children in question were taken to Owerri to live for over a month without my consent or permission. My ex-wife took that decision without consulting me… I paid for the flight for her to go and bring them back to Lagos after it was agreed by all parties that it was better they were returned to Lagos especially as they school in Lagos.
“4. I am a person who believes in doing things the right way and so far on this matter, I have stayed within the provisions of the law. A case was filed against my ex-wife for cyber-bullying and other grievances. She was invited to respond and the matter is ongoing alongside custody resolution.
“I am tired of the sensational manner in which this news is being dispersed. I do not grant interviews or speak on the matter to the press. I would advise my ex-wife and her cousins/sister to follow suit.
“We are not dealing with inanimate objects here but living and breathing beings who will one day deal with the consequences of this fall-out.
“I truly want to continue to focus on my career, my family and my life as I am not the first or the last man to have a failed marriage.”
In a swift reaction, however, the ex-wife told The PUNCH that the Police and Nedu forced her to hand over her kids against her will.
Uzoamaka said that, for several days when she was reporting at the SCID, she was treated as a crime suspect by the Police, while her lawyer was usually not allowed to be in the interrogation room with her.
The comedian’s ex-wife said Nedu was allowed to bring in phones and take pictures at the SCID, while she was always made to leave her phone at the entrance, which, she said, was evidence that the Police were partial.
She alleged that her phone was eventually seized by the Police, all in a bid to prevent her from writing anything about her ordeal on social media.
The 37-year-old mother-of-three wondered why the Police would get involved in a purely civil case and why it was at a Police facility that the children were handed over to Nedu.
She said, “That is so untrue. Those people have dealt with me so much. They have threatened me and forced me to do things that I didn’t want to do.
“My children were not meant to be back in Lagos. Those people have threatened me so much.
“Yes, we’ve been having rent issues. Yes, we’ve been asking him to support and help us, which he has refused to do. So, these people have done a whole lot.
“There is nothing like willingly giving him my children. There was nothing like that.
“Nedu is just hell-bent on getting rid of me. I have a lawyer, but every time he came with me to the Police, they would send him out; but Nedu would be allowed to enter with at least five people, including one NGO woman, Landa, his prophet and his co-workers. They all troop in while they don’t allow me to see my lawyer.”
Uzoamaka and Nedu have been engaged in a messy feud in the last one month.
She had called out her ex-husband, accusing him of domestic violence and refusing to take care of the family.
Nedu had also responded by posting a DNA test result of their first child and only son, which showed that he was not the child’s biological father.
The Punch
The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria has voiced strong objection to ban imposed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s trending song, “Tell Your Papa.”
The IPMAN President, Pretty Okafor, emphasised that the ban was likely to backfire, as it only serves to amplify the song’s reach and relevance in light of the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigerians.
Okafor stated: “The first major mistake is banning the song because it’s going to make the song even go viral right now. Those who haven’t heard about the song or haven’t even listened to it will go now to look for the song and will start promoting it. The song has practically pinched the government somewhere, that’s why they ordered for the ban. So, there is already a mistake that has been made by the NBC or even the government by paying attention to that particular song.”
Discussing PMAN’s position on the matter, Okafor remarked, “We don’t have the power to offer the artiste support right now because it is a very sensitive issue, so, we need to be careful. We will just be watching because people are dying and the suffering is too much. How do we repair the economy? We cannot pretend that all is well. The song is telling us the truth, and there is nothing wrong with that song.”
The NBC barred Nigerian radio and television stations from airing the trending song, “Tell Your Papa,” by popular rapper Eedris Abdulkareem, citing its “objectionable nature.”
In a memo dated April 9, 2025, and issued by the Coordinating Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Susan Obi, the commission declared the track “Not To Be Broadcast” under Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
This section prohibits content deemed inappropriate, offensive, or in breach of public decency from being aired on Nigerian broadcast platforms.
According to NBC, while the song had gained momentum across social media platforms, its lyrical content failed to meet the standards of responsible broadcasting.
The statement titled, “Restriction on broadcasting ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem,” reads, “The National Broadcasting Commission has identified the song ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem, currently trending on social media, as content deemed inappropriate for broadcast due to its objectionable nature.
” It is, therefore, classified as Not To Be Broadcast (NTBB), as it violates Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“The commission requests that your station exercises discretion and refrains from airing this song to maintain responsible broadcasting standards.”
The controversial song, released earlier this week, targets Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, calling on him to confront his father over the worsening socio-economic conditions in Nigeria.
In the track titled “Tell Your Papa,” which was shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Abdulkareem delivered a blunt message, painting a grim picture of the hardships facing everyday Nigerians.
The song comes in response to Seyi Tinubu’s recent comments in Adamawa State, where he described his father as “the greatest President in Nigeria’s history.”
In the hard-hitting lyrics, Abdulkareem raps, “Seyi, tell your papa country hard. Tell your papa people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga.”
“Seyi, how far? I swear your Papa no try. Too much empty promises. On behalf of Nigerians, take our message to him; kidnappers dey kill Nigerians.
“Seyi, try travel by road without your security, make you feel the pains of fellow Nigerians. You dey fly private jets, insecurity no be your problem.”
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, last Sunday sponsored the premier of Radio Voice, the much-anticipated movie produced by Richard Mofe-Damijo.
At the event held at the Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, Mofe-Damijo described the movie as “the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. It’s about the life of people on radio and their challenges and the things they have to go through; cyber bullying and the like, and succeeding against all odds. I don’t want to reveal everything about it; it’s a movie everyone needs to watch”.
Explaining why he is venturing into movie production, he explained, “It’s time when it’s time, you know. I’ve produced before but this is the first time in the new era, so to speak”.
Since launch in 2003, Globacom has carved a niche as the biggest corporate supporter of Nigeria’s entertainment industry. The company has signed on many musicians, actors and comedians as brand ambassadors, sponsored several entertainment reality shows including X Factor, Glo Naija Sings, Battle of the Year and Dance with Peter, and also hosted several music and comedy shows across Nigerian cities to avail talents in the industry the grace to their gifts.
Radio Voice is a motivational story of resilience, passion and transformation. It features notable Nollywood giants including Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), who equally produced the movie; Nse Ikpe Etim, Nancy Isime, Deyemi Okanlawon, Damilola Adegbite and Timini Egbuson.
Radio Voice has the support of the Office of the Vice President as it is meant to complement the Federal Government’s investment in the Creative Arts and Digital Transformation.
Afrobeat music singer, Davido, has announced that his Church wedding with Chioma will take place in August, 2025.
The singer disclosed this in a recent interview with The Breakfast Club.
He likened the upcoming event with the traditional marriage in Nigeria, which he said was a “Carnival”.
Davido said: “I’m doing my white wedding in Miami (USA) in August. The wedding I did was traditional; it was like a carnival in Nigeria, like a holiday. The whole world stood still. Me and my wife’s relationship was in the public eye, especially after I did that one song.
“So, a lot of things happened. Even apart from losing our child, I messed up a lot of times so that full circle moment everyone was like finally she can get what she deserves.”
