Grammy Award-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, known globally as Tems, was recognized at the inaugural Billboard Global Power Players Event held Wednesday at Shoreditch House in east London, England. Tems was among a select group of honorees, including British music icon Sir Elton John and EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi Shami.

Tems received the Diamond Award, presented by incoming Billboard Africa editor Nkosiyati Khumalo. In her acceptance speech, the Oscar-nominated artist emphasized the significance of the recognition, stating, “Being African and a musician is a whole new world and I feel like Billboard has been so supportive of not just African music but the whole scene and the culture.” She further acknowledged Billboard’s crucial role in the advancement of African music, noting its unprecedented rise and Billboard’s contribution to “moving that needle forward.”

Sir Elton John was presented with the Creators’ Champion Award, while Ghazi Shami, head of EMPIRE, received the Clive Davis Visionary Award. Notably, Nigerian musician and YNBL label executive Olamide presented the award to Shami. The event also marked the launch of the first-ever U.K. Power Players chart.

This honor further solidifies Tems’ place as a leading figure in the global music landscape. She holds the distinction of being the most-awarded African artist in Billboard’s history. In the previous year, Tems achieved another milestone as the first Nigerian woman to be honored at the Billboard’s Women In Music Event. Her consistent recognition underscores her significant impact and growing influence within the international music industry.

Nigerian musician Folarin Falana, known professionally as Falz, has publicly refuted claims of a romantic relationship with controversial crossdresser Bobrisky. This denial surfaces amidst ongoing legal proceedings initiated by Falz against social media personality VeryDarkMan (VDM).

The legal battle stems from an incident last year when VDM allegedly leaked a private phone conversation between Falz and Bobrisky during the latter’s incarceration. In response, Falz filed a defamation suit against VDM, triggering speculation about the singer’s personal life.

During a recent interview on Arise TV, Falz provided an update on the court case. He stated that VDM has yet to formally present a defense. “Update on the court case, very much still in court. There’s a substantive suit which myself and my dad are alleging defamation. We filed the case and ever since we filed the case, they have never entered the defense. Instead, they entered a preliminary objection saying the court doesn’t have jurisdiction to hear the case or something,” Falz explained. He added that the court has dismissed VDM’s preliminary objection, requiring him to enter a defense or risk the court ruling on the case based on available evidence.

Addressing the rumors surrounding his relationship with Bobrisky, Falz clarified, “I never had any relationship with Bobrisky prior to that phone call. He messaged me on Instagram and said, ‘I’m in this case and I want to speak to you about how you can help.’” He emphasized that he receives numerous similar requests for assistance and approached Bobrisky’s situation with compassion. “In a lot of those cases, I will give them an audience, like what is the P, how can I help? Compassionately. Little did I know.” Falz concluded by stating that the experience has made him more cautious about offering assistance in the future, expressing a sentiment of “once bitten, twice shy.” He implied a potential reluctance to offer help as freely as before, highlighting a heightened awareness in future interactions.

Following a meeting between Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and President Bola Tinubu in Lagos, singer Davido has publicly derided former Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, over his recent comments. The meeting, which also included Governor Adeleke’s elder brother, Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, and Davido himself, has fueled speculation regarding a potential political alliance between Governor Adeleke and President Tinubu.

These speculations arose amidst an ongoing crisis surrounding local government elections in Osun State, which has reportedly resulted in the withholding of local government allocations since February 2025. In response to the rumors, Hon. Timothy Owoeye held a press conference in Osogbo on Wednesday, asserting, “Adeleke family is not welcome in the APC. There is no space for PDP and Adeleke in APC.”

Davido responded to Owoeye’s statement via a post on X, pointedly mocking the former Speaker. The singer’s comment, “No be this guy naked for bush?” references a 2018 incident where a video circulated online allegedly showing Owoeye naked and engaging in ritualistic activities.

This incident highlights the increasingly contentious political landscape in Osun State and the prominent role that public figures like Davido play in shaping public discourse. The singer’s pointed commentary underscores the deep divisions and personal attacks that are becoming increasingly prevalent in Nigerian politics. The long-term ramifications of these exchanges remain to be seen, but they undoubtedly contribute to a charged and often divisive political climate.