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  • Popular Nigerian comedian, Ali Baba evicted from his Lagos mansion

    Popular Nigerian comedian, Ali Baba evicted from his Lagos mansion

    Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, the Veteran Nigerian comedian popularly known as Ali Baba has reportedly been evicted from his Victoria Island property in Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) reports that the 60-year-old comedian  was evicted alongside his company, XQZMOI TV, after a writ of possession signed by the Federal High Court on August 15, 2025.

    In 2021, the federal government had sold the property to Ali Baba for N220 million through the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON.

    According to AMCON, the property was sold to recover the debts allegedly owed by Harold Expansion Industries Nigeria Limited.

    However, in a new twist of event, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, in his ruling on July 31, 2025, dismissed AMCON’s case, noting that the corporation failed to provide evidence of the alleged debt.

    The court ordered that the property be returned to its original owner, and also imposed a N500 million fine in damages on AMCON.

    It was gathered that  the comedian’s liability in the case came as a result of the timing he bought the property.

    Ali Baba, who was a tenant of the property’s original owner before their eviction by AMCON, reportedly bought the property while the case was still in court, despite an existing preservation order.

  • Okuoma: Killing of 17 soldiers highly abominable – Comedian, Ali Baba

    Okuoma: Killing of 17 soldiers highly abominable – Comedian, Ali Baba

    Nigerian comedian, Atunyota Akpobome, popularly called Ali Baba, has condemned the recent killing of 17 officers of the Nigerian Army in Delta, describing it as highly abominable.

    Akpobome, who condemned the act  in an interview with NAN in Lagos, said that the gruesome murder of the soldiers smacked of eroding societal values.

    He spoke on the sidelines of the presentation of “Anything and Everything Journalism” and “My Story of Many Colours”, books written by the publisher of Yes International Magazine, Mr Azuh Arinze, in Lagos on Monday.

    According to him, the murder of soldiers showed that the nation is suffering from poor moral education in the country.

    “Killing another human being is bad, the killing of anybody that works for an institution, especially an institution like the army that protects the people, is worse

    “Overseas, when you are traveling, they (airport authorities) board the military personnel first as well as retired officers.

    “What it means is that we need to begin to know our values totally in the country. This is unfortunate.

    “You do not respect the military that protects you, you went ahead to then kill them, whatever the reason you have, it is a huge crime.

    “You don’t kill a soldier man, you don’t even push him, slap him or resist an arrest. It is crime,” the comedian,who is also from Delta, said.

    According to him, whoever that is hurt by the misdemeanors by any public officers including soldiers is expected to take evidence and approach relevant authorities for redress.

    Akpobome, however, called on the Public Complaints Commission, the National Orientation Agency and other institutions established to douse tensions should be up and doing and restored public confidence.

    Advocating a new constitution for the country, the comedian said that the constitution that made the states and regions weak, could not take Nigeria to achieve the dream of its founding fathers.

    He said that the current constitution had made the centreto be so powerful ,affecting the progress of the  federating units.

    “It is hard for states to survive. We need more power for the states to make progress.

    “A lot of these states have even more than what we see them generating. We need a constitution that will devolve more powers to the states,” he said.

    On the clamour for state police, Akpobome said that the step had become very necessary in the light of the  present security challenges faced by the nation. .

    He said that policing should be from the grassroots to  effectively  address  insecurity.

    Recall that on March 14, at least 17 senior military officers and soldiers of the 181 Amphibious Battalion, deployed to quell   clashes between Okuoma and Okoloba communities  in Delta, were ambushed and killed in Okuama  Ughelli South Local Government Area of  the state.

  • Ladies who lived promiscuous lives first to insult people online –Ali Baba

    Ladies who lived promiscuous lives first to insult people online –Ali Baba

    Popular comedian and actor, Atunyota Akpobome, better known as Ali Baba, has criticized hypocrites who easily slam people online even when they are guilty of the same ‘sins’ or have done it in their early days as youths.

    According to the funnyman, who didn’t mince words in a lengthy outburst on his Instagram live, hypocrites are everywhere.

    Ali Baba said in part of his post, “I have been monitoring social media for a bit and what I noticed is that when something happens people jump on the bandwagon. A clear example is when the story of Chidinma Ojukwu broke in the media, some ladies particularly took it upon themselves to begin to abuse the Super TV’s boss, Usifo Ataga, that was killed. Some said ‘why was he jumping up and down… he had no respect for his wife and family and so on.’ Somebody even wrote that he deserved it.

    “While I was going through the comments I came across the comment of a lady who is dating my friend who is married, she was asking why the late Super TV boss was having an affair with Chidinma in the first place. Also, a week ago, the issue of a lady who was the secretary to Adenuga came up and the same lady jumped on the trend again. This times she was asking “what was wrong with Adenuga, that he should have left the woman alone, why can’t he leave the house for her…” But If you must come to equity, you must come with clean hands.

    “Let me say this most of the women who are online, some who come out to speak, we just ignore some of them. If we begin to mention names some of them will not last in their husbands’ houses. There are some girls/ladies who own houses and businesses in Lagos State, I mean in highbrow areas in Lagos like Banana Island, Victoria Garden City, Osborne, etc. A lot of them were dating civilian governors, military governors, etc. The problem with some of us is that when it comes to that we like to ignore it.

     

    “Some of these women who are in their 50s and above now were dating governors in their younger ages. Didn’t we hear of newscasters that were marrying big men and billionaires? They have now got to a particular age where their market is no longer selling and the girls who went to #Oba in Anambra (For Obi Cubana’s mom’s burial) are now prostitutes. But you were in the business before the younger ones came to take over. By the way, there are some ladies who are leading praise and worship in churches today, but they are not holy. Don’t forget that the ladies that have children are the bad ones; what about you that has removed multiple pregnancies? You’re not considered bad because the pastor sees you as a holy person. The one that had a child out of wedlock is considered bad. Some ladies would have dated married men from their 20s to their 30s and finally got married, then when they see others dating married men it becomes a sin and they condemn easily…”

     

  • I didn’t want to go – Ali Baba recounts experience at late TB Joshua’s church

    I didn’t want to go – Ali Baba recounts experience at late TB Joshua’s church

    Popular comedian, Ali Baba, has related an encounter he had with Prophet T.B Joshua, the late founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

    The cleric died on Saturday night at 57.

    In a lengthy Instagram post, Ali Baba admitted he was skeptical about performing at Joshua’s 50th birthday.

    He, however, stated that Joshua instead impressed him with hospitality and told him to draw near to God.

    The late SCOAN founder also dazed Ali Baba several times by reading the thoughts on his mind.

     

    Ali Baba wrote: “When you turned 50, and your people said you wanted comedians to come entertain your congregation, I was VERRRRRRY SCEPTICAL.

    You said you wanted them to know that laughter helps to heal the soul, just as a little red wine was good for the stomach.

    @mcabbeydaprof and @lepaciousbose were the only ones who agreed to come. Even these two, had reservations. Just like when we went to entertain President Yaradua in Kastina, @lepaciousbose said, “Bros if you will go, I will follow you.”

    I remember during the performances when my colleagues were done, and during my performance, I walked unto the Altar and picked an apple and a banana… the whole congregation went silent. You later told me that you watched all our performances from your office and cracked up at the look on the faces of the congregation.

    When we (Abbey and Bose) each had our private meetings with you, you asked why I had not gone into church ministration. I replied that I didn’t think I want to fast or intercede for anyone. And I said I have not been a good boy.

    You laughed and asked me, “Are you badder than King David and Apostle Paul? Even if you are a killer God can use anyone.”

    You then started telling me, what only I knew about my life. Just as you were saying those things, I thought, this man may be fake, and you said, “You may think I am fake, it’s ok. I can’t make you change your thinking. That is you”

    I froze.

    Then you prayed and gave me a “thanks for coming”. I then said thank you. And thought “I would share it 3 ways”. You did that mind reading again. “That’s for you alone”.

    You stopped at the door and went to a drawer to gift me a Fisher Electronic Bible. “Always stay close to God and read his word every day. You have a destiny for God”

    In the last 8 years, you have consistently called to “My brother, how are you? Draw nearer to God”. One time you asked, “What is holding you up from God’s work?” And after my covid experience you called to prayed and sent something “for phensic”. I told you the “phensic” made the prayer work faster. You laughed.

    You always joked that you were older than me by just 12 days, as I was born on June 24th…

    Rest on Man of God.

     

  • Registering For NIN amidst COVID-19 is dangerous- Alibaba tells FG

    Registering For NIN amidst COVID-19 is dangerous- Alibaba tells FG

    Nigerian comedian, Atunyota Akpobome better known as Ali Baba has urged the Federal Government to postpone the National Identification Number registration exercise in order to curb the spread of coronavirus infection amid the second wave of the pandemic.

    According to him, whatever goal the government wants to achieve with the exercise could be achieved later after the pandemic had subsided.

    Ali Baba made this known on Sunrise Daily, a show on Channels TV.

    He said, “Believability of information from the government is at the lowest ebb right now, especially with the cases of the palliatives that were hidden when people were hungry. Government has not really been in the good books of believability.

    “Then to crown it all, in the face of this second wave, you tell people to do National Identification Number registration and people are packing themselves in places. The number of people that are going to catch Covid and become victims of Covid from going to register will be higher than people who go to the beach or people who throw parties.

    “So, you can’t, on one hand, say, Covid is real, maintain social distancing and on the other hand, you say, people have to go and queue for the (NIN) registration.

    “There are ways we can technologically deal with these things. Information technology has gotten to the point that we really do not need to go to a particular point to register.

    ‌
    “It is not now that there is a pandemic that you should insist on that kind of thing. Let the pandemic be over. Whatever it is can be done later. Whatever purpose you want to achieve can be achieved later.

    “It is important that people are considered first. But when you say people should start registering for NIN, it means that you are endangering the people.”

  • How FG’s directives on NIN registration fuels peoples’ believe that COVID-19 is not real – Ali-Baba

    How FG’s directives on NIN registration fuels peoples’ believe that COVID-19 is not real – Ali-Baba

    Popular comedian Atunyota Akpobome (Ali-Baba) has said the Federal Government’s recent directive on compulsory registration for the National Identity Number (NIN) is one of the major reasons some Nigerians believe that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is not real.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that government had earlier threatened last year to block SIM card(s) not linked with the NIN of the owner by December 31; a decision it later extended for six weeks following nationwide outrage.

    The directive however saw Nigerians turning out in vast numbers at National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) offices for registration but with absolute disregard for the COVID-19 rules of social distancing and compulsory use of face masks.

    Ali Baba who recently got infected and survived the terror of the virus stated that the registration exercise came at the wrong time, considering the second wave of COVID-19 in the country and the world at large.

    The A-list comedian who spoke Friday (today) on a monitored Channels Television programme believes demanding NIN registration at this time is like supporting the notion that COVID-19 is not real and should not be taken seriously.

    “The attitude of the government is also helping to fuel the stories that COVID-19 is not real because if COVID-19 is real, you won’t be talking about people going to do registration for NIN.”

    He added, “It is important that people are considered first; when you ask people to go register for NIN, it means that you are endangering the people, it is like inviting them to a beach to come and party.”

    Ali Baba noted that Nigeria should have gone past the stage where people would stay in long queues for registration.

    He said by asking people to go to the NIMC offices, they stand the risk of getting infected with COVID-19.

    According to the comedian, it is important for the government to wake up to its responsibility of protecting the people.

    He stated, ”It is not now that you have a pandemic that you should insist on that kind of thing, let pandemic be over; whatever you are waiting for can be done later

    “The number of people that are going to become victims of this COVID-19 from going to register will nearly be like people that went to the beach.”

    “Government has not really been in the good books of believability for people; then to crown it all, in the face of this second wave you are tell people to do national identification registration and people are going and packing themselves in places,” Ali Baba added.

  • [Video]: Covid-19 is real, I saw many patients die in my isolation center – Ali baba warns Nigerians after recovery

    [Video]: Covid-19 is real, I saw many patients die in my isolation center – Ali baba warns Nigerians after recovery

    Foremost Nigerian stand-up comedian, Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba has warned Nigerians to take all protocols put in place by the government on the deadly Coronavirus, seriously.

    Ali Baba who made the remarks in a video via his Instagram stressed that he saw many patients die at the Covid-19 Center in Yaba area of Lagos, where he also received treatment before testing negative to the disease.

    His post reads: Don’t let anyone tell you it’s a scam. I just came out of isolation. Several people died while I was there. Some of my close friends knew and they were very supportive.I thank the Lagos State governor @jidesanwoolu and the commissioner for health, the MD of the COVID CENTRE in YABA.

    Watch video:

  • How Lagbaja contributed to commercial success of comedy industry- Ali Baba

    How Lagbaja contributed to commercial success of comedy industry- Ali Baba

    Popular comedian and showbiz impresario, Atunyota Akpoboriome, better known as Ali Baba, has stated that the history of the success of stand- up comedy cannot be written without the contribution of Lagbaja.

    Ali Baba made this known on Tuesday when he shared a story about his first time opening for the musician.

    ”The history of the commercial success of stand up comedy can’t be written without mentioning the role this man, @officiallagbaja played in its, process, development and activating the cash. From #SeaGarden to #Motherlan’, he was very clear about how he wanted me to be part of his project. ‘Ali, I want you on stage by 12 midnight till 12:30 or thereabout. Can you handle it?’ He asked me at an auto mechanic shop on Oregun…“ he wrote.

     

    On he got the invitation to perform at Lagbaja’s monthly concert at Motherlan, Ikeja, he said: “Ali, I want you on stage by 12 midnight till 12:30 or thereabout. Can you handle it?” He asked me at an auto mechanic shop on Oregun.
    _
    I had seen him play at some events at different parts of Lagos. I knew he had a cult following amongst the upwardly mobile young men and women.
    _
    I said yes. And were My assumptions right?
    _
    “I need intelligent and spontaneous jokes that will cut across, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa and all others who will come to watch us. And I want you to yabbbbbbbb them well well.”
    _
    What l then said must have sealed it. “Shey you won’t say I should tone it down?”.
    _
    There was one guy, who sat in at the meeting. He had eyes like a Tortoise Car. His mind was half there at the meeting… and half at the BMW he had instructed one of his mechanics to fix.
    _
    His fears were not unfounded. Because, as he was trying to respond to my rhetorical question, the car the young apprentice was trying to jack up, rolled over what he used to wedge the front tyre.
    _
    We all dashed to assist in pushing the BMW back from where it had rolled into the door of another car.
    It was a sloppy workshop.
    _
    Lagbaja was wearing brown chinos and a checked top.
    _
    He turned to the mechanic, Adeoye or Ade something, (it’s been long) “So, what do you think?”
    _
    “He is the man”. And returned to dealing with the vehicle bumper.
    _
    Lagbaja, at this time, was sitting on the burnet of a car, got up to his feet and shook my hand. “See you on Friday next week”
    _
    That Friday came. And The crowd were as predicted, lawless, loud and unruly. They were rich. I had a goal to reach. So, I left the jokes. Mo bu shege kuro lara awon were. Gradually, they started to listen. There was a new sheriff in town.
    _
    And from SeaGarden to Opebi, the art and act of Stand Up, was eased into the corporate world. Banks. Oil companies. Conglomerates. Military boys… all in”.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAYN6a7n6ny/?utm_source=ig_embed

     

     

     

  • COVID-19: Ali Baba hails Buhari’s govt, speaks on brain behind creative industry committee

    COVID-19: Ali Baba hails Buhari’s govt, speaks on brain behind creative industry committee

    Chairman of the newly set up post-Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) committee for the creative industry, Mr. Ali Baba has expressed appreciation to the President Muhammadu Buhari government.

    Ali Baba expressed his appreciation following the inauguration of the post-Covid-19 committee for the creative industry by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Tuesday.

    Speaking on why the committee was set up, Ali Baba said there was a need to know who is who in the creative industry and what each person is contributing to the industry as a whole, including how each of those services had been interrupted.

    “Thank you all for responding to the call by the #CreativeIndustryCommittee. The platform for the questionnaires has now closed. The interesting thing we found out, is that many people don’t like to share what will benefit others.

    “So, you are a Deejay, you filled as an individual, you know many other Deejays like you, but refuse to tell them to go do the same. But you will share with them jokes, videos, Instagram reposts… etc at the drop of a hat.

    “The Committee was set up because of the need to know who is who in the creative industry and what each person is contributing to the industry as a whole. Including how each of those services had been interrupted.

    “The other purpose of the mandate is also to enable us suggest to government how they can support the sector in the new way of going about its business, post COVID-19.

    “Many of the sub sectors, which form the whole industry, depend on each other to harness the economic value of all players. It’s an Ecosystem of connected chains, linked by services, platforms, creativity and value propositions, feeding off one another.

    “Musicians depend on radio and television to give them airtime. The broadcasters cannot use generator sound to entertain listeners. And no advertiser will come if they do not see your listeners and viewers.

    “Your journalists, photographers, reporters, presenters, keep your media empire alive. Writers need printers and publishers. Proofreaders and editors need writers to be in business.

    “What would gallery owners display if not creative works of artists? The artists also need the Galleries to showcase their works. Who covers events? Photographers and videographers. Journalists report the event.

    “Yet, Event planners will tell you they are the most important sector in the ecosystem and as such, they are the most hit by the pandemic. True that they have been hit. But the broadcast industry, has been hit, and they are still on air.

    “The creative industry is closely knitted together. That is why a holistic approach has to be employed, to curate the Covid-19 damage to all the sectors. We are still working to cover all. It’s less than 2 weeks to go,” Ali Baba stated.

    TNG reports Lai Mohammed inaugurated the post-Covid-19 committee for the creative industry on Tuesday with a call on all members of the industry to support the committee in the interest of the industry.

    “The Committee’s membership, as announced two weeks ago, has now been expanded to include as many sectors as possible. This is to ensure a fair representation.

    ”However, while the committee cannot accommodate all members of the

    industry, it is certain that all members will benefit from its work.

    “I therefore want to implore the entire industry to support this committee. This is no time for division. All hands must be on deck so the industry can rebound,” the Minister said while inaugurating the committee.

    Lai Mohammed described the creative industry as a very critical sector of the nation’s economy and a major plank of the economic diversification policy of this administration.

    He said that in view of the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the creative industry, it has become imperative to have a collective and government-supported approach in dealing with the immediate, short and long term economic stimulus and initiatives for the industry, in order to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the sector.

    “Two weeks ago, I announced the establishment of this committee. In doing so, I said the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on the nation, and that the Creative Industry has been particularly hard hit, considering the fact that it is an industry that has people-interaction at its core. I also said that instead of addressing

    these problems piecemeal, we should do so holistically for a more positive outcome,” the Minister said.

    While commending members of the Committee for their sacrifice and love of country, he urged them to do justice to the assignment, which will culminate in suitable recommendations that will help the industry to thrive and expand.

    The committee’s terms of reference are: assess the expected impact of the pandemic on the industry in general; advise the government on how to mitigate job and revenue losses in the sector as well as to create succour for the industry small businesses; suggest the type of taxation and financing that is best for the industry at this time to encourage growth and advise the government on any other measure or measures that can be undertaken to support the industry.

    Members of the Committee are:

    1. Ali Baba – Comedy, Film and TV (Chairman)

    2. Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim – Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria

    (BON) – Vice Chairman

    3. Bolanle Austen Peters – Film and Performing Arts

    4. Charles Novia – Television and Independent Producer

    5. Segun Arinze- Actor and Producer

    6. Ali Jita – Actor and Musician

    7. Baba Agba – Film Director

    8. Kene Okwuosa – Cinema and Distribution

    9. Efe Omoregbe – Record label and Collective rights management

    10. Prince Daniel Aboki – Radio and Film

    11. Chioma Ude – Streaming

    12. Olumade Adesemowo – Television and Platform (FreeTV)

    13. Dare Art Alade – Livespot Entertainment

    14. Oliver Enwonwu – President, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA),

    15. Alhaji Saleh Rabo – President, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria

    16. Bala Hassan – Booksellers Association

    17 Ali Nuhu – Kannywood

    18 Tajudeen Owoyemi – Hotels

    19. B.M. Dzukogi – Association of Nigerian Authors

    20. TY Bello – Photography

    21. Lanre Da Silva Ajayi – Fashion

    22. Anita Eboigbe – Secretary

  • We don’t recognize our own talents in Nigeria- Ali Baba

    Nigerian comedian and social commentator, Ali Baba has declared that in Nigeria talents are not recognized and appreciated.

    The revered entertainer questioned why a Nobel laureate like Wole Soyinka hasn’t be conferred with the title of GCON by the government of Nigeria.

    In a new Instagram post, Ali Baba wondered why Nigeria only recognizes and appreciates its country men when they excel abroad, but never when they are in the country.

    In his words:“International Committee recognized this man before we did. You know why? Because we don’t recognize, develop and protect our talents here in Nigeria. We wait till they go overseas and start doing great things, then we start inviting them for national assignment. No be only assignment. Na homework. Even after the Nobel price, there is no reason he should have been given a GCON… but nooooo. Ordinary writer? Teacher laaaaasaaan. But if he were a support of PDP, APC, with better financial support during elections… na one time!! Asa had to leave Nigeria… for we to see that there was fayaaaaa on the mountain, and nobody was on the run. Except running for office.”

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BulkdlplV00/