Entertainment

Timaya’s Plantain Boy Rules Music Scene… Picks N9.5m Escalade jeep, new Lover

Published

16 years ago

December 5, 2009

It is good time all the way for popular Nigerian dance hall star, Inetimi Odum popularly called Timaya whose fame soars in Nigeria music scene. Recently, he released a new single titled “plantain Boy” from his new album that is yet to be completed. The new single project currently rules the market and music scene raking in millions for the Egberi papa 1 of Bayelsa, who feels there is need for him to broadcast his success, with his songs, Obscenely declaring everything from his sexual life to his fleet of cars.

Many are of the opinion that the 33-year-old musician is so full of himself and brags of everything he has. To this effect an older dance hall crooner Nico gravity had released a single titled “I wan finish Timaya’ where he thoroughly Trashes Timaya, warning him not to allow his success get into his head.

In the new single, Timaya sang about how he used to hawk plantain and how he has been able to acquire a lot of wealth today, ‘plantain boy to big boy’, he sang. The Bayelsa State born militant Singer whose love for Nollywood actress EmpressNjamah turned sour when he was allegedly manhandled, hand cuffed and subsequently detained by Festac Police for conduncting hilself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace.

After his romance with Empress crashed, he decided to put all the show of shame behind him and to continue with his life, to that effect he recently added a new escalade truck valued at N9.5 million to his fleet of cars.

Timaya who is today one of the biggest stars in Nigeria came into limelight with his first major single, ‘Dem Mama’ an account of the 1999 destruction of Odi, a Riverine community in the oil producing Niger Delta by soldiers who were hunting down some people whom they claimed killed 8 police men. The village was burnt down and many people killed. Timaya bravely tackled the topic in his songs years later and won instant street credibility for his boldness.

It is obvious that Timaya is currently the rave of the moment in the Nigerian music scene with a lot of musicians clamouring to do a collabo with him. He has collaborated with J. Martins, Keffe, spyderman, Terry G, 2 shot, KC presh and a host of others.

Timaya was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. As a teenager in Nkpolu Oroworukwo secondary school where he won so many awards in inter school competitions, he later moved to Lagos to stay with his elder sister at his parents’ request in order to complete his secondary education.

In Lagos, he attended Ikeja High School mafoluku. He started his music career with a couple of eary collaborations with some undergrade artistes and was a back up singer for Eedris Abdulkareem.

Recently Timaya performed live at AY show held in Hotel Presidential Port Harcourt where he thrilled the mammoth crowed with some of his hit tracks.

Meanwhile, the news making rounds in the Entertainment industy is that Timaya has found a new lover. According to our source the new babe is said to be still a student in one of the leading universities in the country. The lady was sported recently at Timaya’s house in Marwa gardens Alaska during a musical video shoot of one of the Dance hall artistes parl.

Reports have it that after Timaya parted ways with Nollywood actress he picked another actress, Anita Joseph as replacement, but the truth is that he has found a new lover.

Entertainment

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn

Published

4 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.

Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.

Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.

The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.

Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.

What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.

Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.

Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.

Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.

Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.

And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.

Entertainment

Adekunle Gold, Simi Welcome Twin Babies

Published

4 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

Popular Nigerian music stars, Adekunle Kosoko, widely known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simi, have become parents again this time to twins.

The award-winning singer shared the joyful update on his Snapchat story on Wednesday, confirming the expansion of their family.

“Asked God for another child and he blessed me double,” she wrote.

While the couple has not yet disclosed the gender of the newborns, the announcement has sparked an outpouring of warm wishes from admirers, fellow celebrities, and industry colleagues.

Speculation had intensified in December when Simi posted a video on Instagram accompanied by the caption, “From my baby, for my babies.”

The clip showed her with a growing baby bump, fueling anticipation that another child was on the way.

Their latest blessings arrive just weeks after Simi highlighted a scene from Adekunle Gold’s newly released music video, “My Love is the Same,” further stirring excitement among fans.

The Tide Entertainment reports that Adekunle Gold and Simi who tied the knot in 2019 after a long history of friendship and musical synergy remain one of Nigeria’s most admired entertainment power couples. Both artistes were once signed to X3M Music before soaring into mainstream acclaim.

The pair welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.

Entertainment

Jesse Flames Opens 2026 With ‘Praise The Lord’ Featuring Magnito

Published

4 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

After closing out 2025 with the release of “Praise the Lord” featuring Magnito, Jesse Flames enters the new year with renewed clarity and purpose, continuing to build a body of work rooted in intention rather than noise. In a moment where Afrobeats is moving faster and louder than ever, his approach remains measured and deliberate, prioritizing meaning, craft, and longevity over momentary attention. The official music video arrives January 10.

Following the momentum of his breakout single “FLEX,” “Praise the Lord” represents a shift from celebration to grounding. Reflective and soulful, the record centers gratitude, growth, and perspective, capturing a quieter confidence that resonates beyond a single moment.

“This song is about recognizing the full picture,” Jesse shares. “The work people see and the work they don’t. The lessons, the setbacks, the growth.”

The collaboration with Magnito, a respected voice in Nigerian hip hop known for his sharp lyricism and cultural authenticity, adds depth and weight to the record, reinforcing its themes of resilience, faith, and self reflection.

Released in December at the height of Detty December, “Praise the Lord” became a natural soundtrack for both celebration and reflection as the year came to a close. With the video arriving in January, the record takes on new meaning, opening the year as a tone setter rather than a reset.

Born in the United States, raised in Festac, Lagos, and now based in London, Jesse Flames brings a global perspective to his sound, blending Afrobeats, hip hop, and melodic soul into something sleek and intentional. His music reflects lived experience and cultural nuance rather than trend chasing.

The Tide Entertainment reports that with over 11 million streams, performances at O2 Brixton Academy and OVO Arena Wembley, and coverage from The Guardian and Business Post Nigeria, Jesse’s rise has been steady and self made. Looking ahead to 2026 and 2027, he is preparing for collaborations with Ice Prince, M.I Abaga, and Smurlee.

“Praise the Lord” ft. Magnito is available now on all streaming platforms.