2025 was the year entertainment refused to take a backseat; Nigerian stars dominated with weddings, feuds, and record-breaking feats.
Global icons stirred up scandals that kept social media ablaze. It was a year of heartbreaks, hits, and headline-making drama.
From Afrobeats wins to Nollywood tragedies, here’s your Channels Television’s recap of the stories that had us glued to our screens, scrolling endlessly, and debating in group chats. Buckle up!
Celeb Romances: Love, Loss, Legal Battles
Innocent Idibia, aka 2Baba, shocked fans by announcing his separation from Annie Idibia after 13 years, amid swirling rumours of a proposal to Edo lawmaker Natasha Osawaru.
The saga escalated with family petitions to the police and public defences, turning into a full-blown media frenzy about loyalty and new beginnings.
Annie’s cryptic posts about stepping away added fuel, while 2Baba insisted Natasha wasn’t the cause and went on to marry her.
The billionaire politician, Ned Nwoko and actress Regina Daniels’s fairy-tale romance turned sour with public accusations of abuse and infidelity.
Regina deleted Ned’s photos from her socials, called him her “ex-husband” in emotional videos, and filed for divorce, citing trauma.
Ned fired back, refusing reconciliation and clarifying her age at marriage, sparking debates on power dynamics in celebrity unions.
Afrobeats star Davido tied the knot with Chioma in a star-studded “Lagos-to-Miami” “Chivido” wedding spectacle and extravaganza, complete with a white wedding that crashed Instagram.
The $3.7 million affair featured aerial views, emotional vows, and endless memes, solidifying it as the romance high of the year.
Power couple, Mr Eazi and Temi Otedola, celebrated with three epic weddings: a court ceremony in Monaco, a traditional bash in Dubai, and a church event in Iceland.
Estimated at $14M, it blended Nigerian heritage with global glamour, shared via stunning social media reels.
Attendees at the multi-country weddings (Iceland, Monaco, Dubai) included close family and friends, plus notable figures like Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, comedian Broda Shaggi, DJ Cuppy, and John Legend.
The ship also made headlines after Temi officially changed her surname to Ajibade on Instagram, days after completing her high-profile marriage ceremonies.
Afrobeats Stride
Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, snagged her second Grammy for Best African Music Performance with “Love Me JeJe,” beating heavyweights like Burna Boy and Yemi Alade.
Her emotional speech highlighted Nigerian pride, marking her as the first Nigerian with two solo wins.
The Mavin star, Ayra Starr, claimed Best International Act at the 2025 BET Awards, edging out Rema and Tyla.
Her win, announced amid fan chants, further highlighted her rising status in global Afrobeats.
Wizkid’s Streaming Crown: Ayodeji Balogun, also known as Wizkid, was named Nigeria’s most-streamed artist on Spotify and Apple Music for 2025, with “Morayo” surpassing 340 million streams.
His dominance sparked celebrations and debates on Afrobeats’ evolution.
Davido Dropped “5IVE“.
His fifth album belended R&B, Reggaeton, and high-energy beats. Released amid wedding buzz, it racked up streams and pushed his body of work.
Feuds, Scandals, and Cancel Culture
The “African Giant,” Burna Boy, cancelled US dates amid low sales and backlash from a viral incident with a sleeping fan.
Accusations of arrogance fueled cancel-culture debates, with immigration issues adding layers.
Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, was detained in Kwara State for defaming Fuji star Saheed Osupa, plus fighting with Ogun police.
Burna Boy is trending because nigerian influencers are struggling to redeem his image after Americans threaten canceling the singer after he humiliated a fan recovering from trauma.
“I no send you to be my fan. It pisses me the fk up, you are sleeping. wallahi i won’t perform… pic.twitter.com/3fHXlEO501
— Trending Explained (@TrendingEx) November 27, 2025
Charges included threats and incitement, turning his antics into a cautionary tale.
YBNL star Asake faced public pleas from his father over abandonment amid health issues, plus baby mama drama.
My Father Wants to Cajole Me, Asake Responds After Ailing Father Accuses Him of Neglect#第48回日本アカデミー賞 #يوم_الجمعة #amici24 #JISOO #PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/a3ZaKlfpDC
— Metropunch (@metropunch) March 14, 2025
Reconciliation followed backlash, with Asake buying a house for his dad.
Okoye Brothers’ Legal Saga: P-Square’s feud hit courts with Peter accusing Jude and Paul of fraud, including alleged $800,000 theft.
EFCC charges followed, but no evidence supported some claims, prolonging the family rift.
Photo: Instagram/Tope Alabi.
Nigerian actress Lizzy Anjorin slammed the popular gospel singer Tope Alabi for refusing a birthday performance, claiming she’s “holier” and more impactful.
Alabi’s no-show stemmed from prior disputes, igniting holiness debates.
Few months ago,that one was crying up & down that she wanted to do housewarming,that she invited all of them & they turned her down…Iyabo ojo when she was doing housewarming,where were you ?
___Lizzy Anjorin pic.twitter.com/tgq4gn4gKs
— KOMISI HQ (@HEYBIDEMI) December 13, 2025
Record Attempts, Cultural Highlights
Chef Hilda Baci cooked 8,780kg of jollof rice, winning the Guinness record and “Jollof Wars” for Nigeria.
The pot-breaking mishap went viral, but her success celebrated West African cuisine.
A vlogger, Alma Asinobi, attempted the fastest seven-continent journey but faced visa hurdles, highlighting passport privilege issues for Africans.
However, she completed it in 71 hours, inspiring global discussions.
Chess champ, Tunde Onakoya, and Shawn Martinez set a Guinness record with 64 hours of chess in Times Square, symboliisng the board’s squares and raising funds for education.
The 2025 Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu-Ode drew thousands of attendees, blending royalty, fashion, and culture.
It boosted tourism with vibrant parades and global media coverage.
Twenty-three-year-old Imisi won Season 10 of Big Brother Naija with 42.8 per cent votes, taking ₦150 million and inspiring Ebute Metta homecomings.
She beat 28 housemates in a season of twists.
Femi Adebayo won Best Lead Actor for “Seven Doors,” with “Freedom Way” as Best Film at AMVCA 2025.
The red carpet was a fashion extravaganza, honouring African storytelling.
Elsewhere, renowned writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, confirmed welcoming twins while releasing her first novel in a decade, “Dream Count,” exploring love, grief, and immigrant life.
It became a bestseller, praised for its depth.
Low Moments
But the industry experienced several painful losses.
Veteran actor Tom Njemanze, 75, died of prostate cancer, while Things Fall Apart star Fabian Adibe passed at 81 after years of health challenges.
Both men were widely celebrated for their memorable roles and lasting contributions to Nollywood
Actress Nkechi Nweje also died at 57 after a brief illness, and was laid to rest amid emotional tributes.
The sudden death of actor-influencer Odira Nwobu, 43, reportedly from high blood pressure in South Africa, shocked colleagues and fans alike.
Global Waves
On the global scene, it witnessed a series of convictions and chaos in the industry.
The jailing of Sean Combs’ aka Diddy, for sex trafficking amid scandals like the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni feud (escalating to $400 million lawsuits over abuse claims) and Kanye West-Bianca Censori’s shocks capped a year of reckonings.
Kendrick Lamar performed at the Super Bowl as the main headliner for Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
His halftime show featured strong storytelling and social commentary and became the most-watched in U.S. television history with over 133.5 million viewers.
The performance included guests such as SZA, Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, and Mustard, and songs like “HUMBLE.,” “DNA.,” and “Not Like Us,” which came from his highly publicised rap beef with Drake.
Cardi B and Nicki Minaj’s feud flared up again in 2025 after Nicki mocked Cardi’s new album and made personal comments about her pregnancy and family.
Cardi clapped back online, and the exchange quickly grew heated, with both rappers dragging personal issues into the fight.
The drama spread widely on social media, even drawing comments from US Vice President J. D. Vance.
On the flip side, pop star Katy Perry went Instagram official with a former Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau, sharing Japan trip pics. Their unlikely pairing fueled memes and tabloid frenzy.
2025 reminded us that entertainment is as unpredictable as it is captivating, full of highs, lows, and everything in between.
What story defined the year for you? Dive into these for more details and share your thoughts.
Here’s to 2026 bringing even more buzz!
