Ibrahim*(32) was more than a friend to Deji*(31), he was a brother. They met as university students, bonded over their love for football, and spent years navigating adulthood together.

For Sunken Ships, Deji shares how that brotherhood slowly fell apart after he fell for a woman Ibrahim once wanted. 

Let鈥檚 start at the beginning. 

I met Ibrahim at a football viewing centre at our university. We kept running into each other during the 2017 Premier League season. One day, we got talking and found out we were both die-hard Manchester United supporters. That was how our friendship started. 

What were the early days of your friendship like?

Fantastic. Ibrahim quickly became my closest friend. We talked every day and shared everything: family issues, money problems, relationships, and career plans. He鈥檚 a year older than me and always seemed to have life figured out. I looked up to him like an older brother. Whenever something important happened in my life, he was the first person I called. 

 I can never forget an event that happened during my final year in 2018.  I lost a chunk of my school fees to gambling, and got desperate as the payment deadline got closer.  Eventually, I opened up to Ibrahim. He scolded me but also helped me raise the money, and made me promise to quit gambling. That moment deepened our bond even more.

Sounds nice.

Yes, I鈥檒l always be grateful to him for that. It made me feel like I could count on him no matter what. 

Even after school, we stayed close. In 2021, when I wanted to leave my family home, Ibrahim suggested we rent a two-bedroom flat together in a building his grandmother owned. The rent was cheaper, so it made sense.

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Right. And what was living together like?

At first, it was great. We split chores, paid bills on time and spent most evenings watching football together. Ibrahim also loved hosting game nights, so there was always something happening. It felt like living with a brother. 

The only area where we really differed was dating.

What do you mean?

Ibrahim believed money was the quickest way to a woman’s heart. He鈥檚 a data analyst and earns well, so he never hesitated to spend on the women he liked. I’m the opposite. I don’t earn as much as he does, so I rely more on conversation and personality. 

Right. Did this difference ever become a problem?

We joked about our different approaches, but it was never a serious issue.

Oh. 

Then in 2024, Ibrahim told me about a woman he’d met online.  He really liked her, but from what he told me, she wasn’t very receptive.

At the time, I didn’t think it was anything serious. He talked about her often and seemed disappointed that things weren’t progressing. Eventually, he stopped mentioning her, so I assumed he鈥檇 moved on. 

Then, in early 2025, I met the same woman through a mutual friend, and we started talking. Once I realised who she was, I knew I needed to talk to Ibrahim before pursuing anything.

How did that conversation go?

I told him I liked her and asked if he’d be uncomfortable with me pursuing a relationship with her since things between them hadn’t worked out. He said there was no problem, and I completely believed him.

If he’d told me he wasn’t comfortable, I would’ve backed off, but he seemed calm about it and gave his blessings.

So what changed after you started dating the woman in question??

Everything.  He became distant. We stopped doing things together, not the game nights or the football matches. Whenever I tried to make conversation, he’d shut it down with one-word responses.

Must have been tough.

The worst part was how he treated my girlfriend whenever she visited. He never greeted her, never spoke to her and acted like she wasn’t there.

She asked me a few times if she’d offended Ibrahim, but I kept telling her not to worry.

Did you try talking to him about it?

I did, but he insisted everything was fine and claimed he was busy with work. Still, his behaviour stayed the same. Then, in September 2025, he finally came clean.

He told me our living arrangement wasn鈥檛 working anymore and said I needed to move out. At first, I thought he was joking, but once I realised he wasn鈥檛, the shock and hurt hit me.

I was confused by the whole situation because I’d specifically asked for his blessing before pursuing the babe.

Right. Did you remind him?

Of course. That鈥檚 when he admitted that he only agreed because he didn’t want to seem selfish. That was the first honest thing he鈥檇 said about the situation.

But I continued looking for a new place anyway because he didn鈥檛 rescind his decision. He still wanted me out. The whole period between finding a new place and still sharing the apartment with him was miserable. We went days without speaking. It felt like I was living with a stranger. 

Eventually, I found a place in April 2026. It felt sad to leave because I鈥檇 spent years building that relationship. But it is what it is. I鈥檓 still with my babe, and the relationship is thriving.

Do you ever wonder if the relationship was worth losing Ibrahim over?

Sometimes. I don鈥檛 regret my relationship. I just wish I’d found a way to keep both. 

Do you think you’d reconcile if Ibrahim reached out?

It wouldn鈥檛 be easy, but I’d still try. A part of me hopes we’ll speak again someday.

The best part? It takes less than 15 minutes and a few kitchen utensils you already have. So grab your Golden Penny Choco spread and get ready to take your popcorn from ordinary to a snack you would always want a refill of!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Corn kernels
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Golden Penny Choco Spread

Step-by-Step Guide

Add vegetable oil to a pot or pan over medium heat, then stir in one tablespoon of sugar.

Pour in your corn kernels and stir until they are fully coated.

Once they start popping, cover the pot and shake it so it doesn鈥檛 begin to burn.

When it鈥檚 perfectly popped, set it aside.

Wait until the popping stops completely, then take the pot off the heat.

Scoop about 3 tablespoons of your rich Golden Penny Choco Spread into a small bowl and then place the small bowl inside a larger bowl of hot water.

Stir until it turns silky, glossy, and perfectly smooth.

Once that is done, pour your popcorn into a large bowl, drizzle the rich Golden Penny Choco spread all over it, and mix until every piece is beautifully coated in chocolatey goodness.

Serve immediately and enjoy your sweet, crunchy, and chocolatey snack!

Conclusion

Once you try this, you won鈥檛 look at plain popcorn the same way ever again. It is quick, easy to make, and guaranteed to keep you coming back for more.

So, next time you are looking for a snack that fits that movie mood, head to the supermarket and grab a jar of Golden Penny Choco Spread in advance. For more recipes, follow us, check our and trust Golden Penny Choco Spread to deliver back-to-back deliciousness!

When Rema put out his sophomore album HEIS in 2024, the internet reached for a label almost immediately. Some called it Mara, some filed it under EDM, and some claimed it was the comeback of the Pangolo or hyper-fast street music of the Terry G era. It鈥檚 none of those. He鈥檚 an Afrofusion artist who dedicated a single project to a different sonic style. But one album is an experiment; it doesn鈥檛 make a new genre, let alone spark a resurgence of a style that was never a formal genre to begin with.

That鈥檚 the pattern running across Nigerian contemporary music right now: a talking drum under a synth line, a chorus that switches into Yor霉b谩 or other local languages before sliding back into English or not at all. These are called texture in music, and they don鈥檛 reclassify a song. A guitar interpolation from the 1970s doesn鈥檛 make a song Highlife. It鈥檚 Highlife because the artists follow the genre鈥檚 specific logic, and this goes for other music genres.

None of this is a knock on modern production. A Dance, Fuji, Juju or Highlife song can run through modern mixing, drum machines and whatever the studio has, but modernity doesn鈥檛 nullify a genre; what does is half-measures that pull the aesthetic without its structure. Commitment is the real test here. An artist can make a modern, current-sounding song and still be, principally, playing by an older genre鈥檚 rules. The Cavemen are a prime example of this, having successfully committed to the modern interpretation of Highlife rather than just borrowing its elements. In contrast, a trending track like is playing a different game: it borrows the elements of the 鈥�80s Boogie and Electronic music (like Chris Okotie and Mike Okri did), but overlays it with modern Yor霉b谩 flavours. Both are great, but only one is building a genre. However, what鈥檚 happening right now, at large, isn鈥檛 that.

So this cluster of nostalgia-driven songs doesn鈥檛 have a real name yet, and it shouldn鈥檛. What鈥檚 happening is closer to sketching the sound than building and completing. Artists are testing ideas from a place of curiosity and nostalgia, not from a settled artistic position. As we saw with Rema鈥檚 HEIS, one album is a brilliant evidence of curiosity, not the birth of a movement. Before this can be called a resurgence or even a new genre, there needs to be consistency: an artist returning to the same well more than once. A handful of one-off experiments running in parallel shouldn鈥檛 get mistaken for a pattern.

Call it what it actually is for now: Afro and the mix of other genres it fuses. Contemporary artists are using traditional Nigerian sound as a mood board 鈥� borrowing a synth here, or a Yor霉b谩 folk chant there, much like Solana does on 鈥淥KUNKUN.鈥� That鈥檚 allowed. A working title only needs to change once a dedicated subculture forms around a sound. The audience has to identify with it completely, not just to enjoy it as a temporary flavour inside a broader genre. Cruel Santino achieved a version of this with his experimental, industrial-Alt茅 Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN album. He built a universe of Punk and video game soundscapes that his audience aggressively identifies with. That鈥檚 what creating a subculture actually requires. But for the broader industry right now, that鈥檚 a level of dedication that鈥檚 yet to happen, and it begs another discourse that even goes beyond just music.

Why are creators and consumers obsessed with labelling everything in the first place?

For a logical reason: cultural exchange. A label functions like a shipping tag. It鈥檚 easier to move something across borders and languages when it travels with a name attached. 鈥淎frobeats鈥� moves in a way that 鈥渁 song from Lagos鈥� never will. A label compresses the whole of a cultural context into something a stranger can grab onto fast, and that matters when the goal is export.

READ NEXT: Why Are Nigerian Pop Albums So Forgettable These Days?

A second explanation brings us to our post-modern reality of things running through the algorithm. Since social media reorganised itself around interest instead of around who you actually know, labels became how creators attach an identity to their work, sometimes on purpose, sometimes without fully clocking that they鈥檙e doing it. Platforms use labels and tags to sort content and decide who gets shown what.

Ifoghale Wilson, a designer and visual artist, digs deeper: 鈥淐ulture is really fragmented, so creators can鈥檛 lean on the old faithfuls. They have to stimulate little corners of the internet best they can. And labels work in that regard, especially when there are loads of listeners who identify with that label for some reason.鈥� By claiming these isolated corners, the label becomes a dividing line. It signals who鈥檚 part of the subculture and who isn鈥檛.

As music journalist and culture curator Ayomide 鈥淎OT2鈥� Tayo points out, this is how labels create a sense of exclusivity. But given the current structure of Nigerian music, that exclusivity is usually just a sugar rush; sweet for a moment, but quick to fade. AOT2 adds, 鈥渢he ones that last are propagated by a culture, not an individual.鈥� Exclusivity on its own doesn鈥檛 build anything that lasts, nor does it produce a renaissance. What exclusivity builds is cults. Look at Cruel Santino鈥檚 Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN 鈥� his extreme commitment to a nich茅, hyper-specific sound built a fiercely loyal cult following, but it remained intentionally an exclusive space. It鈥檚 a great achievement, but not a widespread cultural movement. Inclusivity is where culture-building is: through a sound becoming porous enough that more people can step into it without needing to be the 1%.

At the core of this trend lies the audience, and exactly why there鈥檚 such a sudden appetite for this blend of modern and traditional sounds right now.

Part of the answer, according to writer and culture consultant The Jide Taiwo, is about the country itself. He says, 鈥淣igeria, at its core, is a blend of many things, languages and histories that don鈥檛 always agree with each other but somehow share one element. In a postmodern era, things bleed into each other far more easily than they did thirty years ago. The line between old and new, traditional and contemporary, blurs more easily now, and that blurring shows up in the music because it shows up in everything else the culture touches.鈥�

Audiences, often without realising it, are drawn to a blend of something familiar from a past era, plus wherever the culture currently stands. Using 鈥淥KUNKUN鈥� again as an example. The audience is doing more than just responding to its good, catchy hook; it鈥檚 relishing a trusted popular music structure that鈥檚 wrapped around a cultural moment.

Put all the aforementioned factors side by side, and a single element starts to show through all of them. The genre resurgence question stays unresolved because it sits entirely downstream of two other larger forces: algorithmic fragmentation and the audience鈥檚 appetite for nostalgia. Labels are reached for because an algorithm-run culture needs a flag planted fast, and a listener needs a name to identify with faster than an artist needs to build a genre鈥檚 identity. Whether we like it or not, the audience鈥檚 appetite, not a commitment to older genres, is what most artists are actually responding to when they mix the old with the new. It鈥檚 capitalisation on what the audience wants, not a stylistic pledge.

Which is also why stylistics, not language, are what actually build a genre. Singing a hook in Yor霉b谩 doesn’t make a Yor霉b谩 genre song. Most of the new-age songs trying to recreate a classic sound or mimic a traditional genre鈥檚 style rarely leave anything behind. They come, generate a burst of excitement among younger listeners, earn a nod of recognition from older ones, make some noise and slowly disappear. This isn鈥檛 because the artists lack talent, but rather because these songs are built to feed that same nostalgia-driven appetite described above instead of being rooted in genuine genre commitment.

There鈥檚 a mimetic element in all of this worth naming plainly. Music, first and foremost, is expression. Genre is our rudimentary way of sorting that expression into something we can talk about and file next to other things. Across artificial intelligence, memes and mimetic language generally, the pattern for what sticks stays consistent: a single idea compressed into something that travels easily, that a person can grab in a short time without losing the point.

Virality runs on giving people something new wrapped around something familiar, which is why old-school cool keeps resonating no matter how many production cycles pass. What happens if this appetite eventually goes deeper, past novelty into real commitment, is hard to say. Maybe it grows into something sustained, or it stays exactly what it is right now, just a moment. Nobody knows yet, and any certainty here is mere guessing.

The genre question should be about attention instead, because attention right now runs on nostalgia. And it isn鈥檛 even remotely unique to music. It shows up anywhere people try to guess what鈥檚 coming next in fashion, film or other art forms. People are constantly negotiating their relationship with the past, engaging with one era and disengaging from another, over and over. It鈥檚 the same cycle of human consumption as it鈥檚 always been. The internet/algorithm just made it faster.

So the next time an artist like Rema or Solana drops an experiment, we don鈥檛 need to invent a new genre to understand it. We just need to pay attention.

ALSO READ: What We Demand When We Ask Celebrities to 鈥淪peak Up鈥�

“Female friendship is the star of the show” 鈥擪emi* 29

Love Island has convinced me that female friendships matter more than romantic relationships. F*ck the boys.

The women have built a community. Even when Melanie and Aniya liked the same man, they still looked out for each other. During Casa Amor time, they actually got to know the new boys before deciding there was a connection. Meanwhile, the men were quick to flirt and trash-talk the women they’d left behind.

Watching the girls celebrate each other and show up for one another made me realise how much we centre romance, even though friendships are often the relationships that carry us through our hardest moments. 

“Leave when they disrespect you” 鈥擧adiza*, 26

Watching Melanie and Sincere reminded me why you should leave the first time someone disrespects you. They weren’t exclusive, so I don’t blame him for exploring other connections. The problem was the lies.

He told Melanie she was the only one while kissing other girls and making them the same promises. Every step of the way, he had the chance to be honest. Instead,  he kept everyone around by telling them what they wanted to hear.

Melanie kept giving him the benefit of the doubt. She even passed up another connection because she trusted him. By the time she found out the truth, she was physically shaking.

That’s why I don’t believe in waiting for someone to change. Every extra chance you give someone who’s already shown you who they are only makes the heartbreak worse.

“The producers have an agenda” 鈥擣atima*, 28

The producers care more about drama than helping people find love.

Take Melanie and Sincere. Sincere is responsible for his behaviour, but the producers kept throwing things at Melanie just to get a reaction out of her. It felt like they wanted her to crash out for a viral moment,  not because they wanted her to know the truth. 

The show is supposed to be about finding love, but healthy couples barely get any attention because they’re “boring”. Instead, the people causing the most chaos get rewarded.

“The men are red-pilled” 鈥擩essica*, 25

Nigerian men on X need to stop . Nobody is angry that he explored other connections. That’s the whole point of Love Island. People are upset because of how he treated the women he was coupled up with. He lied and disrespected them for no reason.

The most alarming part has been watching so many men excuse the guys’ behaviour. Zach and KC鈥檚 views on women sound exactly like the kind of red pill content that’s become popular in the US. I fear we’re slowly importing that mindset into Nigeria and treating manipulation like it鈥檚 just another dating strategy. 

“Corbin is racist” 鈥擩oshua* 31

I don’t think Corbin likes or supports Black women. The pattern is hard to ignore. 

Consider how he interacted with Aniya and Trinity compared to the other girls. He was eager to kiss Kayda and Melanie, but the only women he kept at arm鈥檚 length were the two Black women, despite seeming to have good connections with both of them.

To make things worse, his ex recently claimed on a live stream that he鈥檚 racist towards Black women. Watching him in the villa proves her point.

“Sincere isn’t boyfriend material” 鈥擜dam*, 26

The girls need to realise Sincere is perfect for a sneaky link, not a boyfriend. 

He’s anything but sincere. He鈥檚 a serial liar who tells every woman exactly what she wants to hear. Every time he messes around with someone new, he rewrites the story before taking it back to the girl he’s coupled up with.

When he kissed Sol, he told Melanie she’d initiated it, even though he leaned in first. Then he’d tell Sol he wanted to focus on her, only to turn around and tell Melanie he missed her and didn’t want things to end.

He doesn’t have a type. He just says whatever keeps his options open. The girls need to clock that and leave him alone.

“Women need to trust their intuition more” 鈥擯rincess* 24

Women need to trust their intuition more. Aniya always seemed unsure about KC. You could tell she never fully relaxed around him, but she convinced herself to give him a chance because everyone else thought they were a good match.

Then the new bombshell arrived, and her body language changed immediately. She was happier and more affectionate without forcing it. KC couldn’t understand why she’d never been that way with him, but it鈥檚 clear she never felt safe with him. 

Too many women ignore their instincts because they don’t want to seem difficult or picky. But body language rarely lies.

“KC shouldn’t be on the show” 鈥擮sas*, 23

KC should’ve been dumped the moment nobody stepped to his door. That moment influenced his entire game. He expected someone to choose him. When nobody did, he settled with Aniya because it guaranteed him a place in the villa.

He fooled me with the nice guy act.  That鈥檚 why the KC we met in the first week is nothing like the KC we’re seeing now. He鈥檚 a scammer and should be voted out as soon as possible.

“Titi is a snake” 鈥擟hioma* 27

Titi isn’t a girl’s girl. She’s playing the long game in the villa.

She knows she needs the girls on her side, but she also can’t afford to lose KC. So she’s constantly walking the line,  defending the girls just enough to protect her image while making sure KC never takes the full heat.

I don’t think she’s clueless at all. I think she’s one of the most strategic people this season. I hope everyone catches unto her soon. 

Read Next: Married Nigerians on Staying After Their Partner Cheated

Somewhere along the line, someone decided that pasta deserved a proper Nigerian makeover, and native pasta became the answer. If you’re reading this article, we’re hoping you’re part of the second kind looking to make something different because we鈥檙e about to give you a guide with the result being A+ in enjoyment.

Ingredients You鈥檒l Need

• 1 pack Golden Penny Pasta
• Palm oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• Fresh peppers (ata rodo and tatashe blend)
• 1 cup smoked fish, shredded
• Ponmo, dried fish
• Crayfish
• Seasoning cube
• Salt to taste
• Ugwu leaves
• Water as needed

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add your Golden Penny Pasta. Cook according to the instructions on the pack until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the Native Sauce Base

Place another pot on medium heat and add your palm oil. Allow it to bleach slightly before adding the chopped onions. Saut茅 your onions for a few minutes until fragrant and then add your locust beans, blended peppers and stir well. Allow the pepper mixture to cook for about 5鈥�7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Add Your Proteins

Add the smoked fish, pomo and crayfish to the sauce. Stir everything together and allow it to simmer for a few minutes. Add seasoning cube, and salt to taste. Stir thoroughly to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed throughout the sauce and simmer for another 3-5 minutes. By this time, your kitchen will already begin to smell amazing.

Step 4: Coat Properly

In the pot with your sauce, pour in your Golden Penny Pasta. Mix gently until every strand of pasta is properly coated and the flavours are hugging each other. Add ugwu leaves to give it that final local touch and stir. There you have it, the .

Step 5: Introduce the star of the day

Serve your Golden Penny native pasta hot with your choice of protein and serve with a cold drink. If you鈥檙e feeling extra, add fried plantains on the side because there鈥檚 no such thing as 鈥渢oo much enjoyment鈥�.

Conclusion

If you take the last forkful of your native pasta and you鈥檙e not already planning when next you鈥檒l make it, then something is wrong somewhere because even the naija feel, and the hot pepper kick with Golden Penny Pasta will have you craving another round.

So the next time you’re tempted to make your same old pasta recipe, try giving it a native twist using this with Golden Penny Pasta, check for more and chop life like never before.

If you live in Lagos鈥攐r visit the city often鈥攖his is worth your attention.

According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare鈥檚 State of the Health of the Nation Report 2025, Lagos recorded the highest number of HIV diagnoses in Nigeria in 2025, with 10,430 cases documented through testing.

As Nigeria鈥檚 commercial hub, Lagos sees millions of people living, working, and connecting every day. But another factor is also driving these numbers: many people still delay HIV and STI screening because of inconvenience, privacy concerns, or fear of stigma.

That鈥檚 why more people are choosing private STI screening.

is a 4-in-1 rapid STI screening kit designed to help you privately screen for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis from the comfort of your home. It offers a convenient first step toward knowing your status.

When should you consider screening?

• Before a new relationship becomes intimate.
• Before you and your partner stop using protection.
• After a sexual encounter if you鈥檙e concerned about possible exposure, while following recommended testing timelines.
• As part of your routine sexual health check-up.
• Whenever you want a more private screening experience.

The latest HIV figures are not a reason to panic鈥攖hey鈥檙e a reminder that early screening and knowing your status matter.

Know your status. Protect the people you love.

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Source: , State of the Health of the Nation Report 2025.

Our countrymen might be absent but the love for football transcends patriotism. From Portugal to England, Argentina to Senegal, we asked Nigerians what countries they are adopting for the World Cup.

France 鈥� Excel, 23, Male

I鈥檓 supporting France because of Mbappe. They jokingly call him a dictator but I just think he鈥檚 misunderstood and I am rooting for him to win two world cups before thirty which would be an insane achievement. I am also supporting Portugal because Bruno Fernandez plays for them and also plays for Manchester United, the club I support. His winning will improve his chances of winning the Balon d鈥橭r.

Portugal 鈥� Divine, 26, Male 

I鈥檓 supporting Portugal because I think Ronaldo is the greatest football player in the world and he needs to win a World Cup to prove the naysayers wrong.

France 鈥� Alpha, 24, Male 

I鈥檓 supporting France because the whole team is basically made up of Africans. If Nigeria can鈥檛 make it in at least let me support a country with African representation.

No Allegiance 鈥� Tobi, 24, Male

I鈥檓 supporting any country with the hottest players, my allegiance lies with beauty.

Norway 鈥� Didi, 29, Female  

I鈥檓 supporting Norway because I think Erling Haaland is the hottest man ever. African countries are playing nonsense. No rage, no desire, no passion.

Portugal 鈥� Inem, 25, Male 

I鈥檓 supporting Portugal because of Bruno Fernandez and Brazil because they have the most beautiful women.

Norway 鈥� Nic, 26, Male 

I鈥檓 supporting Norway because I also support Manchester City and Haaland plays for both. I鈥檓 dedicated to both club and country.

Argentina and Spain 鈥� Ebube, 26, Male

I support both countries because of Messi and Yamal. They鈥檙e the chosen ones so any of them winning is a win for me.

Portugal 鈥� Becca, 24, Female 

My real support is for Ronaldo because that鈥檚 my GOAT.

France 鈥� Kenyo, 24, Male

I support France because the supreme leader Mbappe is their captain.

Which country do you support? Let us know. 

From partners who confessed their own infidelity to those who endured the painful process of uncovering a spouse’s betrayal, these stories reveal the grief, bargaining and difficult conversations that determine what comes after an affair.

鈥淲e both cheated and forgave each other鈥� 鈥� Jemimah*, 36

My husband moved to Germany in 2019 while I remained in Nigeria. The distance was tough, but I stayed faithful and counted down the days until we could finally be together again. When I visited him in 2021, I found messages that revealed he鈥檇 been involved with another woman.

I was devastated. He apologised and insisted it had ended long before, but I was hurt. After I returned to Nigeria, I started an affair with a colleague who鈥檇 been flirting with me for months. I thought it would even the score or make me feel better. Instead, I felt guilty and ashamed.

I joined my husband in Germany in 2024, and we鈥檝e spent the last year rebuilding our marriage. The trust didn鈥檛 return overnight, but we鈥檙e still together and slowly finding our way back to each other.

鈥淢y trust hasn鈥檛 returned鈥� 鈥� Charles*, 45

My wife and I belonged to the same friendship circle before we got married. There had always been chemistry between her and another friend, but he moved abroad and life went on. We got married, built a life together and I never had any reason to doubt her.

Years later, a mutual friend told me my wife had admitted to kissing him after we鈥檇 married. When I confronted her, she admitted.

I chose to forgive her, but I couldn鈥檛 stop asking myself difficult questions. Had she settled for me because he wasn鈥檛 around? Four years later, we鈥檙e still together, but I still don鈥檛 trust her the way I used to. Whenever she鈥檚 away, I worry more than I should.

鈥淚 stopped expecting my husband to be faithful鈥� 鈥� Bola*, 42

My husband has cheated on me multiple times throughout our marriage. Whenever I confronted him, he鈥檇 either deny it or turn the conversation into a lecture about respect.

For years, I hoped he鈥檇 change. Eventually, I realised fighting the same battle over and over only drained me. It never changed him. These days, I focus on my children and my peace. Whenever we鈥檙e intimate, we use protection because I refuse to put my health at risk.

People might not understand why I stayed, but marriage isn鈥檛 that simple. I鈥檓 not willing to walk away from everything we鈥檝e built because of his behaviour.

鈥淥ur children discovered my wife鈥檚 affair鈥� 鈥� Aminu*, 45

One day, our children showed me messages they鈥檇 found on my wife鈥檚 phone. As I read them, I realised she鈥檇 been exchanging explicit messages with another man. I later discovered money was involved, which she claims drew her into the relationship.

The affair hurt, but knowing our children uncovered her infidelity hurt even more. They should never have been exposed to something like that.

Our families eventually stepped in, and she cut off contact with the man. Since then, we鈥檝e tried to rebuild our marriage. What I still struggle with is her attitude. I don鈥檛 think she truly understands the pain, embarrassment and humiliation the affair caused, especially for our children.

鈥淗e found someone else to act out his fantasies鈥� 鈥� Charity*, 38

I didn鈥檛 realise my husband was addicted to pornography until it started affecting our marriage. What began as requests to experiment in the bedroom gradually escalated into fantasies involving peeing, choking and other things I wasn鈥檛 comfortable with.

My breaking point came when he wanted us to try anal sex. I told him that if those experiences mattered that much, he鈥檇 have to find someone else because I wasn鈥檛 willing to compromise my health.

To my shock, he did. His confession hurt, but it also forced us into honest conversations we鈥檇 avoided for years. We鈥檝e accepted that we have very different expectations around sex and our marriage has become more peaceful since we stopped trying to change each other.

鈥淢y husband鈥檚 confession changed how I saw our marriage鈥� 鈥� Mary*, 47

In 2017, my husband became deeply religious and decided to come clean about his past. During one of those conversations, he confessed that he鈥檇 cheated on me with two women I knew.

I was blindsided. We鈥檇 been married for years and I鈥檇 never suspected a thing. The betrayal was painful enough, but what hurt most was realising something so significant had happened under my nose.

He confessed because he wanted to move forward with a clear conscience, and I chose to stay.

Years later, the memory still returns when I least expect it. Sometimes I still wonder how someone I trusted so completely managed to keep a secret that big for so long.

鈥淎 joke ruined my trust鈥� 鈥� Nonso*, 38

My wife and I have struggled to conceive since we got married, and the emotional toll has been enormous for both of us. During one conversation, she joked that she鈥檇 soon try having a child with someone else.

She laughed it off, but I couldn鈥檛. I kept replaying those words and wondering whether she鈥檇 considered it. For the first time, I questioned both her commitment to our marriage and my adequacy as a husband.

We鈥檝e talked about it since, and she insists it was only a joke. But I haven鈥檛 been able to let it go. Even though I have no reason to believe she鈥檚 been unfaithful, I catch myself watching her differently.

鈥淗e keeps his other family away鈥� 鈥� Kayinsola*, 48

Before I married my husband, I made one thing clear: I never wanted a polygamous marriage. He grew up around polygamy but promised it would never happen to us. 

12 years later, someone called to tell me he鈥檇 impregnated another woman and planned to marry her. He broke a promise he鈥檇 made to me. I stopped speaking to him for a while because I couldn鈥檛 understand how the man I trusted could make a decision that would change our family forever.

Still, he went ahead with the marriage. Accepting that he has a second family is one of the hardest things I鈥檝e done. We鈥檙e still together because he respects the boundaries I set. He keeps his other family completely separate from ours. Since they got married in 2022, I鈥檝e only seen them once.

鈥淚鈥檓 still in the marriage for my own reasons鈥� 鈥� Joan*, 43

My husband cheated on me before we got married. I knew, but he convinced me it meant nothing emotionally. According to him, casual sex didn鈥檛 count as cheating, and I was young enough to believe him.

Marriage didn鈥檛 change anything. The affairs continued, usually during work trips or nights out with friends. Eventually, I grew numb. We鈥檙e still married, but infidelity changed how I see him. I slowly fell out of love, and these days, I鈥檓 only here because the marriage still benefits me.

鈥淢y wife鈥檚 affair came during our hardest season鈥� 鈥� Chibueze*, 48

My wife confessed to an affair in 2014. We were struggling financially, and I wasn鈥檛 handling it well. I shut down emotionally and pushed her away every time she tried to get close. She said she felt lonely and neglected, but that explanation didn鈥檛 make the betrayal hurt any less.

I was convinced the marriage was over. I only stayed because our children were still young. I told myself I鈥檇 leave once they were older. But I never did.

Life slowly improved. I became more financially stable, and we found our way back to each other. I still wish she鈥檇 chosen a different way to deal with our problems. But I鈥檝e also accepted that my emotional withdrawal created cracks in our marriage. Today, I no longer want a divorce.

鈥淚 found out about my husband鈥檚 second marriage from his cousin鈥� 鈥� Zainab*, 59

My husband always promised he鈥檇 never take another wife. Then, in 1998, one of his cousins told me he was preparing to marry a younger woman. I was blindsided. He鈥檇 been transferred to a state near his hometown, and, from everything I later learnt, his family pressured him into marrying again.

What hurt most was that no one told me until the wedding day. Still, I attended and shared souvenirs. I wanted him to know I was aware.

The look on his face told me he鈥檇 never imagined I鈥檇 show up. Afterwards, I refused to compete with his new wife and continued treating him with kindness. As the universe will have it, their marriage didn鈥檛 last. Within three years, it had fallen apart.

鈥淗is affair nearly ended our marriage鈥� 鈥� Prisca*, 43

One of my husband鈥檚 friends casually mentioned he had a girlfriend in the city where he worked.

At first, I thought it was a misunderstanding. Then I looked into it and found out it was true. Whenever he came home, I barely acknowledged him. We lived like strangers for months, and at one point, we were essentially separated.

But that wasn鈥檛 the end of our story. Eventually, time brought us back together. He moved back home full-time in 2024, and we had to face each other again. We started talking, listening to each other and were forced to deal with everything we鈥檇 avoided for years. Today, we鈥檙e in a much better place.

鈥淚 pretend we鈥檙e in an open marriage鈥� 鈥� Jacob*, 47

My wife has cheated on me more than once. Each time, she鈥檇 apologise, promise to change and eventually do it again. One day, I simply stopped fighting. I work away from home for long stretches, and I got tired of trying to change someone who didn鈥檛 want to change.

Eventually, the anger disappeared. So did the disappointment about what our union had come to. 

We鈥檝e stayed together because of our children and everything we鈥檝e built over the years. I鈥檝e accepted that pretending we鈥檙e in an open marriage works best for us. Now, when I鈥檓 away, I see other people too.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want my children to experience divorce鈥� 鈥� Imole*, 41

My husband鈥檚 infidelity has hurt me more than I can put into words. Still, leaving has never been an option. I grew up as a child of divorce. After my parents separated, I lived with my father and a stepmother who didn鈥檛 treat me well.

I鈥檝e never forgotten what that felt like. That鈥檚 why I鈥檝e always wanted something different for my own children. Over the years, I鈥檝e stopped tying my peace to my husband鈥檚 choices.

Instead, I鈥檝e focused on raising my children and becoming financially independent. There鈥檚 comfort in knowing that if I ever decide to leave, I鈥檒l be able to stand on my own.

听*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the subjects.

If you loved this, you won’t want to miss the next episode. The Parenting Shift explores how marriage changes once children enter the picture. Dropping July 10th.

Read Next: Married Nigerians Get Honest About Their First Years Together

The secret is not always your baking equipment or the expensive cake toppings. Sometimes, it’s simply using the right ingredient that adds richness, flavour, and that irresistible homemade goodness everyone loves because when you make it with Golden Penny Spread, you are not simply baking but making a dessert that is good for your family and loved ones.

Why Use Golden Penny Spread?

Yes, anyone can bake cakes but not everyone knows the one ingredient that can instantly elevate your cake game, is Golden Penny Spread.

It is smooth, creamy and blends easily into your cake batter, helps you get that soft and fluffy cake texture and rounds it up with the perfect balance of an amazing taste. Before you bake your next cake to satisfy your sweet cravings on a Saturday afternoon, here’s how to make a yummy cake with Golden Penny Spread.

Ingredients You鈥檒l Need 

Here鈥檚 a no-stress shopping list for a simple vanilla naked cake to make things easier:

• 250g all-purpose flour
• 200g sugar
• Golden Penny Spread
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1鈦�2 cup milk

Now let’s get baking:

In a large mixing bowl, combine your sugar and Golden Penny Spread. Slowly beat until the mixture becomes light, smooth, and fluffy.

Crack in your eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition. Then add in the vanilla extract and stir.

In a separate bowl, mix your flour, baking powder and whisk together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk and mix gently until everything is combined.

Preheat your oven to 180掳C then grease your cake pan lightly with Golden Penny Spread and a little flour to prevent your cake from sticking once baked.

Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake for 30鈥�40 minutes or like the Nigerian way, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool. Serve and enjoy with your drink of choice.

CONCLUSION

One of the best things about making cakes at home is not just eating it. It is watching everyone gather around when they smell it baking while asking 鈥榓h ahn, who made this?” and then you give that smile with a side eye knowing Golden Penny Spread played a huge role in making that happen!

For when you ever have an 鈥業 deserve cakes鈥� moment, head to the nearest store around you or check our , buy packs of Golden Penny Spread, preheat your oven and get ready to bake and enjoy a snack that鈥檚 good for the family.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, spoke at the Renewed Hope Initiative鈥檚 second-quarter meeting with the wives of state governors. There, she talked about giving out grants to help people start petty trading businesses, like roadside corn-roasting.

Call us traumatised, but we鈥檙e not shocked by the First Lady鈥檚 advice. These kinds of out-of-touch suggestions for deep systemic problems are completely on brand for her.

Let’s look at her rap sheet…

Remi the farmer

In July 2024, she suggested that Nigerian women start home gardens to address the country’s food insecurity crisis. Showing off her own home garden where she planted spinach, waterleaf, bitter leaf, ewedu, lemongrass, scent leaf, and okra, she said: 鈥淭his little garden will be able to provide healthy vegetables enough for my household, and I would definitely be able to let some of my staff have as well. The solution to any problem lies in everyone contributing their own quota to getting that solution.鈥�

We are not saying the First Lady is lying, but the 2026 budget for foodstuff and catering at Aso Rock is over 鈧�375 million. Her 鈥渉ousehold鈥� is definitely not surviving on okra from her backyard. Yet, millions of poor Nigerian families are somehow expected to garden their way out of hunger caused by multidimensional poverty.

Remi the fashion killa

Nigeria has always struggled with tribalism. This was worsened by divisive politics like the 鈥淵oruba Ronu鈥� movement during the 2023 elections, a campaign in which the APC played a central role.

Remi Tinubu鈥檚 solution? Asoebi!

In 2024, the First Lady launched the 鈥淥ne Nigeria Unity Fabric鈥� to 鈥渟upport local textile industries, create jobs, and celebrate Nigeria鈥檚 strength as one united nation.鈥� Because matching outfits automatically solves deep-rooted ethnic tension, obviously.

Go, Remi, It鈥檚 Your Birthday!

Then, in September 2025, Remi Tinubu asked Nigerians to send her money for her birthday to help complete the National Library project in Abuja.

The project has been under construction since the government of Shehu Shagari in 1983, but remains uncompleted due to poor budgeting and a lack of political will. From her bag of tricks, Remi Tinubu pulled out another classic solution: birthday crowdfunding for a massive federal government infrastructure project.

Nigerians already crowdfund ransom payments to rescue people from terrorists, so why not for a national library, right?

Perhaps, for the ladies, a car?

Just three weeks before her Akara advice, Remi Tinubu gave cars to APC women leaders in states with opposition governors.

So, cars for politicians and their lackeys. But akara and kuli kuli business for the rest of us? 

Banger after banger

Many Nigerians are incredibly vexed by Remi Tinubu鈥檚 akara-selling idea. The anger is completely understandable, but honestly, nobody should be surprised at this point.

Grants for roasted corn and kuli-kuli are just the latest production from the brilliant mind that brought you:

• Gardening to solve food insecurity.
• Asoebi to solve tribalism.
• Crowdfunding government projects.

Nigerians are God鈥檚 strongest soldiers, and Remi Tinubu is proof.

罢丑别听听is returning on August 22, 2026, in Lagos! Come learn from finance experts and industry leaders, and partake in unfiltered conversations about building wealth and diversifying your income stream in a country like Nigeria.听Real stories, expert advice you can actually use, and a community ready to build wealth together.听.