In this power clash between political and traditional power, we find Muhammadu Sanusi II (Sanusi Lamido Sanusi), former Emir of Kano, and Abdullahi Ganduje, then-Governor of Kano State at logger heads.

The tension began brewing after Sanusi—known for his outspoken views—publicly criticized the Kano State government’s policies and alleged mismanagement under Ganduje’s leadership. In response, Ganduje's administration began moves to weaken Sanusi’s influence. In 2019, Ganduje controversially split the historic Kano Emirate into five, effectively reducing Sanusi’s domain and symbolic power. He went a step further in March 2020, dethroning and exiling Sanusi under the guise of “insubordination.”

The move was widely seen as politically motivated and sparked national debate over the autonomy of traditional institutions and the cost of speaking truth to power.

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The feud between Afrobeats star Davido and media mogul Dele Momodu began in 2015. Davido and his family were in a custody dispute over his daughter, Imade, with her mother, Sophia Momodu — who is Dele Momodu’s niece. When the Momodus accused Davido’s family of attempting to take the child abroad without the mother's consent, the matter escalated publicly.

Davido vented his frustration on social media and took shots at Dele Momodu in multiple songs, most notably in Falz’s “Bahd Baddo Baddest” where he rapped, “Mr Dele na my boy, Dele na my boy.” The jab went viral, sparking debates about respect, celebrity behavior, and media power in Nigeria and remains one of the most talked-about celebrity-media clashes in Nigerian pop culture.

Who do you have as the ultimate winner?

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The tension between Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Akwaeke Emezi emerged publicly in 2021 but had roots in earlier disagreements. It began after Emezi, a non-binary Nigerian author who was once mentored by Adichie, criticized Adichie for her 2017 comments that questioned whether trans women are the same as cis women. Adichie's comments sparked backlash, particularly within LGBTQ+ communities.

Emezi, who had been part of Adichie's writing workshop, later removed Adichie's name from the acknowledgments of their debut novel and called her out publicly for transphobia. In a 2021 essay titled “It Is Obscene,” Adichie indirectly addressed the situation, accusing unnamed younger writers (widely understood to include Emezi) of bad faith, performative outrage, and using social media to stoke division.

The fallout revealed generational and ideological divides in Nigerian literary and activist spaces, touching on issues of identity, mentorship, and the limits of public discourse.

Who do you have as the ultimate winner?

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The long-standing tension between Nigerian pop stars Tiwa Savage and Seyi Shay erupted publicly in June 2021 when the two artists had a heated confrontation in a Lagos salon. A video of the argument quickly went viral, showing Tiwa accusing Seyi of being fake for greeting her despite allegedly dissing her in the past—most notably in a 2016 freestyle by Seyi Shay on The Juice where she threw subliminal shots at Tiwa.

The incident was the boiling point of years of industry rivalry, whispered shade, and online fan wars.

Who do you have as the ultimate winner?

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In 2004, Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem got into a highly publicized altercation with American rapper 50 Cent during the Star Mega Jam concert in Nigeria. The conflict reportedly began when Eedris attempted to sit in the first-class section of a plane reserved for 50 Cent and his crew. This led to a scuffle, and 50 Cent eventually pulled out of the concert, citing security concerns.

The incident sparked national debate about respect, local artistry, and how foreign acts were treated better than Nigerian artists in their own country. The fallout from the incident marked a turning point in conversations about artist rights and national pride within Nigeria's music industry.

Who do you have as the winner?

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On January 1st 2016, as a New Year beckoned, two of Afrobeats' most revered kingmakers clashed publicly at the Headies Awards. The conflict started after Mavin Records’ Reekado Banks won the highly coveted “Next Rated” award over YBNL’s Lil Kesh—a decision Olamide felt was unjust. During his acceptance speech for another award, Olamide expressed his frustration with an expletive-laced outburst on stage.

Don Jazzy responded minutes later during his own speech, telling Olamide to "come and collect the car" if the award meant that much to him—a reference to the SUV traditionally given to the Next Rated winner. The moment stunned viewers and quickly spilled onto Twitter, where both stars continued trading insults in now-deleted tweets.

The feud was short-lived, though.

Let us know in the comments: who was the ultimate winner?

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