According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the United States reduced its purchase of Nigerian crude oil sharply in January 2026, with imports dropping by about 47.16 per cent month-on-month.

Figures from the U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report indicate that U.S. crude imports from Nigeria fell to 1.664 million barrels in January 2026, down from 3.149 million barrels recorded in December 2025. This represents a decline of 1.485 million barrels within one month, showing a significant contraction in Nigeria’s share of the U.S. crude market.

This incessant rise has therefore affected the cost of living of the common man. Goods are now sold at exorbitant prices, making it unbearable for the masses to buy. An average trader now complains of low sales owing to the hike in prices of goods, which is preventing customers from buying one good or the other.

In my visit to ‘Oluode’, one of the popular markets in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, I was faced with several complaints from traders ranging from hike in price to poor patronage, among others.

In an interview, a rice seller, identified simply as Madam Suliyat, noted that a bag of rice used to be sold for 55 thousand but has now risen to 60 thousand, while a bag of beans has moved from 95 thousand to 110 thousand.

She, however, called on the federal government to come to their aid and proffer necessary solutions to the hike. She also called for peace among the warring nations of the world.

Similarly, another trader, Madam Hammed, also complained about the hike in food prices like yam flour, which is now sold for 300 thousand naira. She maintained that the high price has affected her sales.

She, however, pleaded with the present administration under Gov. Ademola Adeleke to create more soft loans for traders, which will be aimed at making life easier for them, saying that the last time they enjoyed such soft loan opportunities was during Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.

Meanwhile, the hike in petroleum price has pushed up transportation and living costs across the country. As the crisis continues, labour groups are demanding relief measures to help workers keep up with the rising cost of living.

The post Fuel Price Surge Sparks Nationwide Cost-of-Living Crisis appeared first on Afinju FM.

The society made this known through its Executive Director, Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, at the March edition of the State of the State address.

Commending the State Executive Council for visiting some of the areas affected by the weekend rainstorm, Oyedokun-Alli urged the government to implement a master plan for the state, emphasizing that such a plan is necessary to ensure residents do not build in ways that conflict with the state’s geographical realities.

Recall, Redio Afinju had earlier reported that a violent windy rain ravaged Osogbo, the Osun State capital over the weekend, leaving residents and businesses counting high losses

Read Also: People, businesses count losses as wind wreaks havoc in Osogbo

He cautioned against politicising the incidents, noting that such a period calls for coordinated action to safeguard lives and property rather than political narratives.

In preparation for the rainy season, the society has called for the clearing of waterways to prevent flash flooding across many parts of the state, urging the government to compile a comprehensive list of affected victims with a view to providing necessary support.

The society also sympathized with victims of the unfortunate incident and offered prayers for divine restoration of all that was lost.

Speaking on the poor state of electricity supply in the country, Oyedokun-Alli called on President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action on the power sector.

The Executive Director expressed concern that the current Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, appears comfortable despite the persistent epileptic power supply, saying that the situation continues to negatively impact the daily lives of citizens.

The post Rainstorm: Osun CSO Calls For Public Infrastructure Review Ahead of Rainy Season appeared first on Afinju FM.

Ayra Starr, born Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, released a single “Where Do We go” on March 6, 2026, to the delight of her fans and music fans generally. Produced by Ilya Salmanzadeh, popularly known as ILYA, and released under the Mavin Records label, ‘Where Do We Go’ is an Afro-pop track that has been described as a “sultry ode to an after-hours relationship”. It serves as her first solo release of 2026.

The song is built around one main question, the title – where do we go from here?

It is a pertinent question we all ask after arguments, confusion in love, or after realizing something is not working but has not led to an end either. But, while the song captures our emotions, it also raises a bigger question: did the song really go anywhere?

Ayra Starr’s voice remains one of her strongest tools and she delivered the song with a soft and almost detached vulnerability, more like someone who is tired of asking questions they already know would not be answered.

A line like “you lead me on, then I follow you blind” makes you feel a bit of pain and frustration; Ayra did not just sing there, she confessed.

There is a softness to her delivery, yet underneath it is a quiet tension, like someone trying to stay composed while dealing with emotional uncertainty.

Other lines like:
“Where do we go from here, After I dry my tears,
“After we say goodbye,
“You never made it clear, I wanna know…?”

At certain points, her voice almost feels fragile, like it could crack, but it never does. That control makes the emotion more believable. You can hear the questions in her tone even before you process the lyrics.

Another line says:
“Where do we go, go, go?”

The chorus repeats this question many times. It is catchy, yes! But after a while, it starts to feel like the song is just going in circles. Instead of adding new ideas or deeper thoughts, it keeps repeating the same feeling. So, it becomes less powerful as it goes on.

The song needed more emotion, maybe more pain, more anger, or even a breaking point, but it never gets there.

“Where Do We Go” is a beautifully produced, emotionally relatable song that captures the uncertainty of modern relationships but not the full depth of it.

It is a song that does not try to impress you instantly, it grows on you, settles into you, and then gently unsettles you. By the time it ends, you might not have answers, but you will definitely have questions..maybe that is the whole point though.

The post When The Music Asks Questions: A Review Of ‘Where Do We Go’ By Ayra Starr appeared first on Afinju FM.

Another woman, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, entered as the sole female aspirant in her party before stepping down for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The journeys of these two women, though with different outcomes, reflect an existing reality: for women in Nigerian politics, getting on the ballot is the beginning of a much steeper climb.

Beyond Ojei and Ohanenye, a group of women determined to change the narrative declared their interest in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential race. Among them were Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi of the Social Democratic Party, who said she was motivated by her desire to rekindle hope and make Nigeria work for all Nigerians, as well as Carol Nwosu of the African Action Congress (AAC), Ibinabo Joy Dokubo, of the All Progressives Congress, Patience Key, also of the People’s Redemption Party, Olivia Diana Teriela, of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP,  and Angela Johnson, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

A report published by Plan International states that females make up 49.47% of the total population as of December 2021, and also account for 47.50% of registered voters for the 2023 General Election in the country. Despite these revealing data, the presence and participation of women in political offices still remain very low.

According to the 2023 voter data released by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, 44,414,846 of 93,469,008 registered voters were women in 2023. Even at this realization, it still did not translate into greater political representation.

At the federal level, the numbers are drastically low. Women currently occupy just 4 of 109 Senate seats, and 15 of 360 House of Representatives seats. The imbalance is higher at the state level. Data released by Trust Radio states that out of 990 seats across Nigeria’s 36 states, women currently occupy only 54 seats, representing approximately 5.5% of the total.

Another data published by Trust Radio states that 13 state assemblies have no female lawmakers at all, including Abia, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Osun, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara. This highlights how few women are elected to positions of power and authority.

Women can face numerous barriers to their effective participation and the fulfillment of their electoral rights. Although this is not an exhaustive list, some of the obstacles that women in different capacities may encounter during the electoral process can be found below;

• Traditional gender roles, gender-based stereotypes, and discriminatory attitudes.
• The perception of politics as dirty or inappropriate for women.
• The burden of domestic work and family responsibilities
• Male-dominated model of politics that tends to undermine the value of women’s contributions and their participation.
• Lack of party support or backing for female aspirants.
• Limited access to campaign funds and financial resources necessary to run a competitive campaign
• Lack of formal or political education and limited access to information.
• Lack of media coverage and gender-based stereotypes and bias in the media
• Violence and threats from within and outside the party
• Lack of political experience
• Lack of formal or political education and limited access to information.
• Gender-based violence

A keen look at these structural, cultural, and systemic barriers reflects that the odds are stacked against Nigerian women politically; while there are many women who have expressed readiness to reshape governance in any political seat to be seen as role models for younger generations, real political power continue to elude women.

While there may have been some improvements women inclusion in politics and governance over the years since the inception of democracy in 1999, the ratio of men to women in politics and governance continue to remain abysmally low.

It must be stated that the participation of women in politics is not only an asset, but is also necessary in addressing the many complex issues in today’s world, particularly political issues, as women are known to be efficient, empathetic, fiercely determined, and accountable.

Breaking down barriers women face in the political process is challenging, but perhaps an even more difficult task is changing traditional mindsets and long-held cultural beliefs that continue to impede women’s rights.

Overcoming these cultural and social limitations will demand a plethora of actions that may include, but cannot be limited to the following:

• Increased advocacy to end gender-based violence and discrimination against women
• Functional empowerment for women and girls so that they can function as active members of our society
• Review and re-organization of electoral laws to end violent practices that discourage women from seeking electoral offices.
• Strong advocacy against cultural and religious beliefs that consider women to be second-grade citizens who cannot be allowed to hold leadership positions.
• Implementation of strict gender quota systems to catalyze the inclusion of women in politics and governance.
• Mental empowerment for women to break them free of all mental barriers that have held them down for decades.

Effective governance requires greater inclusion, especially for women, as gender heterogeneity in governance allows for multidimensional perceptions and approaches to leadership and public service.

The post Many Barriers, Few Seats: The Struggle of Women in Nigerian Politics appeared first on Afinju FM.

Today, even after life has returned to normal, the debate between online learning and traditional classrooms still continues, with a question of which of these channels of learning is truly more effective still in the picture.

Traditional classroom learning has long been the pillar of education in Nigeria. From nursery schools to universities, the physical presence of teachers and students creates an organized environment that encourages interaction and discipline. The feeling that comes with sitting in a classroom, raising your hand to ask a question, or having a teacher explain a concept face-to-face until it becomes clear feels so natural and humanly. Beyond academics, physical classrooms help students build social skills, confidence, and friendships that often last for life and connections that help later in life.

In many parts of Nigeria, this method still proves to be the most reliable because of the incomplete penetration of digital literacy, and the internet. In rural communities especially, electricity supply can be irregular, making online learning difficult or even impossible. For such students, the traditional classroom is not only effective, it is indispensable.

However, online learning has introduced a new level of flexibility that cannot be ignored. With just a smart device and internet access, students can attend classes from anywhere, go back to recorded lectures, and learn at their own pace. This is very useful for working-class students, distance learners, or those with several responsibilities.

Online learning platforms have also opened doors to global knowledge, allowing Nigerian students to access courses, tutorials, and certifications outside their immediate environment, but this convenience comes with its own challenges.

One of the biggest issues with online learning in Nigeria is the cost and accessibility of data. Internet subscriptions are not cheap for the average student, while network instability can also interrupt learning.

Read Also: Cancel Culture in Nigeria: Justice or Cruelty?

Many students also struggle with self-discipline, as it is easy to become distracted or unmotivated without the physical presence of a teacher or the structure of a classroom.

There is also the issue of engagement. Learning through a screen can sometimes feel distant and impersonal. Students may hesitate to ask questions, and teachers may find it harder to gauge whether their students truly understand the lesson. In contrast, a physical classroom allows for immediate feedback, group discussions, and real-time interaction that enhance the learning experience.

Remarkably, some Nigerian institutions and educators have begun to adopt a mixed approach by combining both online and traditional methods. This hybrid system allows students to enjoy the flexibility of online learning while still benefiting from face-to-face interactions. For example, lectures may be delivered online, while practical sessions, tutorials, or examinations take place in person. This model is gradually gaining acceptance, especially in higher institutions.

To answer the question of “which is more effective today?” The answer is not entirely one-sided because in a country like Nigeria, effectiveness depends largely on environment, access, and individual learning style.

For students with reliable internet and a high level of self-discipline, online learning can be highly effective. But for many others, especially those in underprivileged areas, traditional classrooms remain the most practical and impactful option.

Eventually, the future of education in Nigeria may not lie in choosing one over the other, but in finding a balance between both. Online learning has come to stay, but it cannot fully replace the human connection and structure that traditional classrooms provide.

As Nigeria continues to grow and adapt in a digital world, the real challenge is not deciding which method is better, but ensuring that every student regardless of background has access to quality education in any form it comes, because at the end of the day, the goal is not just where learning happens, but how well it prepares students for life beyond the classroom.

The post Online Learning, Traditional Classrooms and the Way to Quality Education appeared first on Afinju FM.

The losses cut across individual homes, businesses, public infrastructure, and several public utilities. According to the Afinju FM reporter who went on the streets to assess the damage, “it was as if the wind had a mission to leave so many people in agony”.

A bad day for Signage owners

Some of the worst-hit are signage owners whose billboards and signposts were severely damaged.

A drive from Oke-Fia through Orita Olaiya to Abere, revealed the devastation that signage owners and public advertising operators suffered.

At the Aregbe junction, a recently installed billboard crashed into an articulated truck, severely damaging the trailer. As of the time of filing this report, efforts were ongoing to lift the billboard off the truck as vehicular movement is also hampered.

Along the same route and the Old Garage axis, several other billboards and signage structures were either ripped apart or collapsed.

Public and private properties badly affected

Osogbo Grammar School, one of the oldest Secondary Schools in the town, had a stretch of its fence torn down.

The campaign office of the former House of Representatives candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Irepodun/Olorunda/Orolu/Osogbo Federal Constituency seat, Mrs. Abosede Ogooluwa, also got badly hit.

The popular Jesus Court building in Oke-Fia was also affected as some parts of its roof were blown off. Two properties beside Jesus Court were not so lucky as their roofs got blown away entirely, leaving the buildings open to the elements, with attendant loss of properties.

From the popular Orita Olaiya to the State Secretariat in Abere, our Reporter counted about sixteen solar street lights that had collapsed as the wind ravaged the town.

Impending disaster in some locations

While many structures were destroyed in some locations, the wind left behind impending disasters in some other locations around Osogbo.

Several billboards were badly hit, but did not collapse, becoming disasters in waiting if they are not immediately inspected and taken down. Some of these were spotted in several locations around the town.

These half-damaged structures suggest that Government’s response to the disaster must not be restricted to the obvious damages, but must extend to inspection of several other structures that survived, but have been left in dangerous conditions.

Gov. Adeleke directs immediate response, promises support

In a swift reaction to the unfortunate event, the Governor of Osun State, Sen. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, speaking via a statement released by his Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, directed relevant government agencies to swing into action.

In the statement, the Governor directed the Ministry of Works to quickly swing into action by clearing the motorways to prevent further accidents.

He sympathised with the victims of the heavy rainstorms, and promised that his government will do “everything morally and officially possible through Osun State Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA) with a view to offsetting the attendant losses incurred by the victims in Osogbo and other communities affected by such unfortunate developments.”

The post People, businesses count losses as wind wreaks havoc in Osogbo appeared first on Afinju FM.

In today’s social media world, nothing truly disappears. Old tweets, interviews, pictures and careless jokes can resurface years later, especially when a celebrity is at the peak of their career. For many Nigerian stars, the past has shown up uninvited and it has not always been kind.

For Nigerian music star Simi, what began as a call to speak against sexual violence quickly turned into a moment where she had to answer for her own past words.

It started in mid-February, when a young lady named Mirabel shared a video on TikTok alleging sexual assault. Many people showed sympathy and called for justice. Simi also went on X to speak up.

She wrote: “I’m sickkk of this. STOP RAPING WOMEN. They need to castrate rapists and burn them.”

Some people agreed with her anger. Others felt her words were too harsh. When some users argued with her, she replied, “Stfu.”

That short response made things worse, people began to drag her and started searching through her old tweets; tweets from 2012 were brought back online. One of them said, “David has a crush on me… Should I give him a chance? P.S He’s 4.”

At the time it was likely meant as a joke, but many people saw it differently years later. Critics said it was inappropriate. Supporters said it was an old harmless joke.

Simi later addressed the issue, she explained that the tweets were from many years ago and that she has grown since then. She said people should not twist her past to create a false story about her character.

She is not the only one who faced this; her husband, Adekunle Gold, who is also a Nigerian artiste, has also had old tweets resurface in the past.

When celebrities become big, people often search for things they once said, sometimes to hold them accountable, sometimes just to drag them.

Another is Ezra Olubi, the co-founder and former CTO of Paystack. His story trended online because old tweets he posted many years ago resurfaced during a sexual misconduct controversy.

The scandal involving Ezra Olubi started with a personal dispute that quickly grew into one of the biggest online controversies in Nigeria’s tech world.

It all began in November 2025, when someone claimed that Olubi had behaved inappropriately toward a subordinate. This allegation immediately caught the attention of social media users, and the story started spreading fast on X.

Before the sexual misconduct claim went viral, there was already a personal tension between Olubi and someone who owed him money.
According to online discussions, it was this person who first started digging through Olubi’s old social media posts. The idea was allegedly to find dirt or leverage over him because of the debt dispute.

They found old tweets he made between 2009 and 2013. The tweets, many of which were sexually explicit, raised many questions. Some of the posts that circulated widely included:

“Monday will be more fun with an ‘a’ in it. Touch a coworker today. Inappropriately.”

“I judge my female friends by the sound their pee make. Thanks to the audio recorder in my bathroom.”

“Save water. Take a bath with your neighbour’s daughter.”

“On a lighter note, I hear sex wit a minor cures HIV. So my +ve followers, help yourselves. Ur neighbour’s daughter isn’t looking bad today”

For many, these posts were not just jokes, they were a glimpse into attitudes and behaviour that seemed completely unacceptable, especially from someone in a high-profile position like Olubi, co-founder of Paystack.

Some users wrote:

“If this is what he tweeted years ago, imagine what could have happened behind closed doors.”

“This is why people say the internet never forgets. Your past can always catch up with you.”

The public outrage became so loud that Paystack stepped in, deciding to suspend Olubi from his role as Chief Technology Officer, saying it was taking the allegations seriously and that a proper investigation would follow.

Olubi later deactivated his X account, but by then, the screenshots had already spread across blogs, and Instagram.

A disagreement over money may have been the spark, but the fuel was Olubi’s old tweets and the sensitive nature of the allegation. In a matter of days, a private conflict became a nationwide conversation about ethics, accountability, and the power of social media.

Another instance of burden of the past was the old Tweets from BNXN (formerly Buju), before he rose to fame. BNXN used Twitter like many young people did, as a diary and a space to share everything on his mind.

Back then, life was tough on him, in 2016 and the years that followed. He tweeted about how hard things were, even jokingly begging for food and airtime, including spaghetti and shawarma.

Later, after he became a successful singer with hit tracks and collaborations, those old posts resurfaced online. People began sharing screenshots and laughing at the tweets they once ignored.
One of the most shared screenshots showed the young BNXN joking about being hungry and in need of a meal:

“Guy I’m crying, una owe me spaghetti for this, I love you.” — Benson (@BNXN)

His early tweets weren’t just about food, he also tweeted about airtime struggles, he wrote:

“Good morning everyone except Diamond Bank, y’all did me dirty. I had only ₦1,000 in that account, y’all debited ₦100.”

Fans also found posts where he begged for small help online, including airtime, shawarma and cash, shared over time as he struggled before fame.

After these resurfaced, BNXN responded with humility and reflection, turning what some called embarrassing into something inspirational:
BNXN’s Responded to His Old Tweets and said:

“I hope you draw some sort of inspiration aside from the comedy from all this. I went after every dream I had and overcame. You can too. Believe. ” — Benson (@BNXN)

“All I feel is gratitude to God almighty. Una no go fit fully understand… Twitter really was my diary at some point.” — Benson (@BNXN)

This story is a reminder that in today’s world, your online past never truly disappears. Even posts from more than a decade ago can resurface and change the way people see you, especially if you hold a position of influence.

The truth is simple: when you are famous, your old mistakes become public property.

“Stardom and the burden of the past” is a story about accountability and forgiveness. Celebrities are public figures, but they are also human beings who grow and change. The challenge is learning how to hold people accountable while still allowing them to become better than they were before.

It also presents a challenge to celebrities who came from humble backgrounds, or may have been controversial in the past; as the fame grows, celebrities must go back in time to clean up past errors before they become material for public discourse.

It is important to note that indeed, some celebrities need to make full recompense for past antisocial behaviour, especially the kind that suggest participation in sexual abuse, or gender-based violence; such celebrities must be made to feel the full weight of the law, no matter how long it has been since the offence was committed.

The post Stardom And The Burden Of The Past appeared first on Afinju FM.

As some children wake up early to go to school to learn, memorize multiplication tables in their various schools, others memorize the prices of goods given to them to hawk, and as some prepare to write tests and exams, others are on the streets hawking under the sun, crossing from one road to the other, navigating traffic, and interacting with strangers.

According to the estimates released by the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour in 2024. About 54 million of these children are in hazardous labour that is likely to jeopardize their health, safety, or development.

Although the latest data showcases a total reduction of over 22 million children since 2020, reversing a significant rise recorded between 2016 and 2020. While this can be considered a significant milestone, the world has missed its target of eliminating child labour by 2025.

Child labour varies; it doesn’t mean the chores children do at their various houses, nor does child labour mean running errands for parents or guardians after school activities. All these activities are expected for a growing child.

According to Education International, Child labour refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially, or morally dangerous and harmful to children and that interferes with children’s schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school, obliging them to leave school prematurely, or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

It is exploitation of a child’s right when a parent allows a child to be involved in child labour, working to replace education, and indirectly becoming the family’s main source of income or an alternate source of income. Children belong in school, not in work. It is never a child’s responsibility to bring income for the family.

Sadly, this is still happening around us today. A new UNICEF Data Brief states that nearly 1 in five children, an estimated 41 million, are engaged in child labour in Eastern and Southern Africa, with the region accounting for almost one-third of the global total and the highest number of children in hazardous work, including mining and construction.

Why does this continue worldwide?

There is a rigid fundamental mindset that must be seriously addressed, which is the mindset that “hardship builds character”. Many people believe that a very effective way of building a good and lasting character is by learning the hard way. Some also believe that children must be exposed to hard labour, believing that they would succeed because they also worked at a very tender age and survived every challenge that came with it. This is often because survival is easily confused with development.

There’s also the undeniable factor of poverty. Child labour occurs when families face financial challenges or uncertainty, whether due to poverty, sudden illness of a parent/caregiver, or job loss of a primary wage earner, or sudden economic hardship. In these difficult circumstances, children are pulled into working to support the family.

What are the hidden costs surrounding Child Labour?

Aside from the physical exhaustion that children experience while walking around and standing long hours under the scorching sun, exposure to harmful substances and the risk of trafficking pose great risks.

Children who are exposed to child labour not only lose access to academics, but they also lack confidence, suffer low self-esteem, poor social development, and lose the opportunity to dream freely like other children in society. Once a child is denied access to education and pushed to labour because of the financial status of the family, the poverty cycle continues. The future pays the price when a child works instead of learning.

Although roughly two-thirds of labouring children are enrolled in school, a large body of evidence shows that working children are more likely to leave school early. By leaving school early, young people give up competencies that later allow them to enter jobs with a steeper wage.

More dangerously, children risk being trafficked, especially if they are migrating alone or taking irregular routes with their families. Trafficked children are often exposed to violence, abuse, and other human rights violations.

How society sees child labour but walks away

As an individual living in Nigeria, when was the last time you saw children doing hard labour on the street and take a pause? Society seems to have found a way to remain indifferent about the issue. We buy from children, hire children as domestic staff, tagging struggling children as strong. We only feel sympathy towards them, but sympathy alone cannot drive children away from the street.

The problem is visible to everyone, but we don’t tackle it.

What then can be done?

The real change that is needed not only requires sympathy and awareness. The government must enforce child protection laws; communities must work hand in hand with the government to enforce laws; schools must by all means be made accessible for children; communities and advocacy agencies must not relent in their efforts. Most importantly, parents must be accountable and responsible for the upbringing of their children.

Individuals also have a significant role to play supporting programmes that help in taking children out of the street and back to school; learn to speak up when an unsafe condition is seen, and encourage parents to keep their children in school.

Very importantly, government and advocacy agencies must intensify family planning campaigns so that families are compelled to only have children that they can cater for. At the base of the poverty problem in Nigeria is irresponsible reproduction practices, and solving the problem of child labour will be eased by successful family planning campaigns.

The post Child Labour in Modern Society: Still Happening Around us Today appeared first on Afinju FM.

Cancel culture means people stop supporting someone because of something they did or said that the social media mob does not agree with. It could be a celebrity, an influencer, or even an ordinary person.

Most of the time, the idea behind cancel culture when it comes to celebrities is to make fans stop following the individual in question. For brands or businesses, it is to influence the public’s choice from buying, or supporting the person behind the business or brand, resulting in low patronage that may lead to the collapse of the business.

The big question however is – Does cancel culture facilitate justice, or has it become a tool for dehumanization and witch-hunt?

In Nigeria, many people think of this culture as a way to hold others accountable, on the assumption that the justice system does not act quickly. Social media cancel culture therefore presents as a quicker means to social justice, despite its obvious flaws.

There have been many real-life examples. During the End SARS protests, some celebrities were heavily criticized because they did not speak out as early as the others. Others were attacked for saying things that the public considered to be wrong. Social media users quickly judged them and, in some cases, tried to cancel them.

Popular figures like Debo Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, have faced backlash online because of their strong opinions about government and society. At the same time, influencer, Halima Raheem, aka Papaya Ex, has been called out many times for her content, with people asking brands to stop working with her.

It is not only celebrities that are affected. Regular Nigerians have also been cancelled. Sometimes, a simple video or an old tweet can go viral, and suddenly thousands of people are insulting, judging, or even threatening the person. Some have even lost their jobs because of online backlash.

Supporters of cancel culture say it is a good thing. They believe it helps people take responsibility for their actions. It also gives victims a voice and helps to call out bad behavior. In some cases, it has forced people to apologize or change.

Read Also: Noise Over Dialogue: Why Our Society is Losing the Art of Listening

However, there is another side to it. There is but a narrow line between cancel culture, bullying, and hate. Many times, people judge without knowing the full story, and go beyond boundaries of human dignity to denigrate, intimidate, and destroy the reputation of people whose stories they do not know, nor fully understand.

In Nigeria especially, where our emotions are high online, cancel culture can quickly turn into a digital mob action. One person makes an accusation and thousands of others join in, before facts are verified. Hashtags begin to trend, opinions become facts, and the person accused is judged based on public opinion. In such moments, there is rarely room for fair hearing, growth, or even forgiveness.

Another concern is that cancel culture often leaves no space for change. Humans are not perfect; people make mistakes, sometimes out of ignorance, pressure, or poor judgment; but when society refuses to allow room for learning and improvement, it creates fear instead of growth. People become more concerned about avoiding backlash than actually doing what is right. This can lead to silence on important issues, as people may choose to say nothing instead of risking being misunderstood and cancelled.

There is also the danger of selective outrage. Some people are cancelled for certain actions, while others who do similar or worse things are ignored, simply because of popularity, influence, or public sentiment. This inconsistency raises questions about fairness and whether cancel culture truly seeks justice or simply feeds on trends and emotions.

In the better case, cancel culture can serve as a tool for accountability, especially in a society where institutions sometimes fail to act quickly. It can expand voices that would instead go unheard and bring attention to serious issues. But in the worst case, it becomes a weapon of destruction, driven by anger, wrong assumptions, and the need for online validation.

So, is cancel culture in Nigeria justice or cruelty? The answer may lie somewhere in between. It is neither completely good nor entirely bad, but what matters is how it is used.

As Nigerians continue to engage actively on social media, there is a need for more responsibility, empathy, and critical thinking. Before joining a drag, it is important to ask questions like: Do I know the full story? Am I seeking justice? or, Am I just following the crowd?

At the end of the day, behind every trending topic is a human being, and no one deserves to be reduced to just a hashtag where they should enjoy the privileges of fair hearing.

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IK Dairo who was known during his lifetime as an awe-inspiring musician, wrote his name on the tongues of everyone and in the household of Jùjú music as an inexpungible, owing to his determination, commitment, music styles and messages passed to the listeners.

IK Dairo was born into the family of 12 children on January 6, 1931 in the town of Offa, Kwara State; his family was originally from Ijebu-Jesa before moving to Offa. He was the son of a carpenter who worked with the Nigerian National Railway until 1937, when he resigned to focus on farming in Ijebu-Ijesa, Oyo State.

IK Dairo attended a Christian Missionary primary school in Offa but later quit his studies due to the depleting finances of his family. During this trying time for his family, Dairo decided to travel to Ijebu-Jesa with the drum his father built when he was seven years old. As at the time of residing in Ijebu-Jesa, he was fond of playing drum, especially when he is idle, and because of the love he has grown for music, he picked interest in listening to the early pioneers of Jùjú music which he practiced with his drum.

After a period of his admiration of Jùjú music, in 1942, IK Dairo joined a band led by Taiwo Igese; however, the band could not stand the test of time as it broke up within a few years. In 1948, he went to Ede in the present Osun State where he worked as a pedestrian cloth trader and also played music with a local group on the side. However, he got sacked when he thought his Boss might stay long during his travel which made him decide to play at a local ceremony, not knowing his boss would come back same day; his absence got his Boss angry and consequently got him fired.
IK Dairo later moved to Ibadan, where he joined Daniel Ojoge, a pioneer Jùjú musician’s Band and played for a brief before returning to Ijebu-Ijesa; most of the performances he had with Ojoge’s band were at night.

In 1957, after returning to Ijebu-Jesa, Dairo fully committed himself to music career when he founded a ten-piece band named the Morning Star Orchestra. This step contributed immensely to the growth of his career. In 1960, a popular Ibadan-based lawyer and politician, Chief D.O.A Oguntoye, invited his band to play during the celebration of Nigeria’s independence through which he earned admiration from prominent Yoruba patrons at the event, many of whom later invited him to perform during cultural celebrations and other parties.

In the early 1960s, he decided to change his Band’s Morning Star Orchestra name to Blue Spots. During the period, he won a competition televised in Western Nigeria to showcase the various talents in jùjú music and formed his record label in collaboration with Apala maestro, Haruna Ishola, shortly before he became famous.

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IK Dairo brought many initiatives into the revered genre during which he introduced news instruments into the jùjú music world, including the ten-button accordion, Latin-derived rhythms and researched into the oral traditions of the various Yoruba sub-groups. IK Dairo’s ability to bridge the gap of ethnic lines by infusing other tribes’ instruments and languages without affecting the use of deep Yoruba culture in his arts contributed a lot to his career success.

Aside from being the first high profile musician to play accordion, IK Dairo’s Band played other musical instruments like electric guitar, talking drum, double toy, akuba, ogido, clips, maracas, agogo, and samba.

In 1962, he released a major hit song titled ‘Salome’ under Decca records which was a mix of traditional elements in Yoruba culture and urban life as major themes. Another popular song he sang was Ka Sora, Let Us Be Careful, the song is sometimes described as predictive of the Nigeria Civil War. He also released other popular hits including one about Chief Awolowo, who was imprisoned at the time the song was released.
His versatility did not go unnoticed as Queen Elizabeth awarded Dairo the MBE (Member of the British Empire) for his contributions to the culture of the Commonwealth in 1963. He is the only African musician ever to receive such an honor.

The emergence of new musicians like Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade in 1964, affected the popularity he enjoyed. However, Dairo continued with his music, touring Europe and North America in the 1970s and 1980s. He worked for the welfare of musicians, helping to found the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN) and serving as President of the Nigerian chapter of the Performing Rights Society (PRS). He was also involved in a few interest groups dealing with the property rights of musicians. Between 1994 and 1995, he was a member of the Ethnomusicology department at the University of Washington, Seattle.

In 1966 a music poll was held in Spear, a popular Nigerian magazine, and IK Dairo won handily. The readers therefore conveyed their responses on the sense of his enormous appeal as: “Sensible hedonist. Dairo’s consistent drumming, sedulously, impartiality and unservitudeness make him the Shakespeare of Music. An earthly god of music!”; “His music contains a lot of the up and down of his world. It teaches us knowledge, moral spirits and other things.” “His is music without tears.”

IK Dairo, before his demise on February 7, 1996 in Efon-Alaye in Ekiti, sang different remarkable songs like Salome 92, Ise Ori Ranmi Ni Mo Nse, I Remember My Darling, Erora Feso Jaiye, Se B’Oluwa Lo Npese, Yoruba Solidarity, Mo ti yege, Ashiko Vols 1&2 Early 1970s’, among many others.

IK Dairo who was the first truly international star of African music with a career spanning more than fifty years, toured Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, paving the way for younger musicians such as King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Sina Peters and many others.

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