Afrobeats star Mr Eazi has claimed that English club Chelsea FC wanted to sign him before they signed former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel.

Mr Eazi disclosed this during an interview on Wednesday.

The singer said both he and Mikel were linked to a possible move to Chelsea at the time, but he opted to pursue music instead.

“They were gonna sign me.

He explained that he thought Mikel was better suited to football, while he had a future in music.

“I just thought that Mikel Obi is not; he doesn’t have talent as a musician.

Mr Eazi linked the decision to his philosophy in the music industry, where he sometimes steps back so others can shine.

“So with this, with the music too, I had to, like, step back, go make a couple billions and then let other people shine,” he added.

He also cited fellow singer Seyi Vibez, whom he jokingly called a great Nigerian philosopher, for popularising the phrase ‘Let your brother shine’, noting that he is comfortable allowing others to take the spotlight while focusing on his own goals.

Mikel eventually joined Chelsea in 2006 and spent 11 years at the club, winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the UEFA Champions League in 2012.

Mr Eazi has since become one of Africa’s most successful music exports, with a career spanning Afrobeats hit, business ventures, and contributions to the genre’s global growth.

An Abuja High Court sitting in Life Camp on Thursday, granted another adjournment in the assault trial of a rapper, Tochukwu Ojogwu, popularly known as “Odumodublvck”.

The lawsuit was instituted in November 2025 by Levi Ogbogiri, also known as Kraziecent, who alleged that the rapper assaulted him without provocation during a public event on Dec.

Justice J.O.E. Adeyemi-Ajayi, after listening to counsel on both sides, adjourned the matter until Dec. 8 for hearing of the application for amendment of the statement of defence.

At the resumed hearing, the claimant’s counsel, Uchenna Ojembe, announced appearance and told the court that the matter was slated for defence.

The Defendant’s Counsel, Magnus Nwangwu, told the court that he had a motion filed for amendment of Odumodublvcks statement of defence.

Nwangwu prayed the court to fix a date to enable him file a further affidavit in reply to the Counter-Affidavit filed by Kraziecents that was served on him in response to Odumodublvcks motion to amend his statement of defence.

Ojembe told the court that he was ready to proceed with the matter for the day, which was for the defendant to open his defence.

He added that the defence counsel served him with the motion on Tuesday after court sitting, and that he responded within 24 hours, on Oct. 28, filing and serving an advance copy on the defendant to avoid any delay in proceedings.

Ojembe informed the court that the matter had lingered at the instance of the defendant and that he did not want anything to obstruct or delay the proceedings, adding that he left the decision to the discretion of the court.

Kraziecent is seeking a public apology via the defendant’s social media platforms, two national dailies and payment of his medical expenses, or N2 billion in damages.

He also told the court that the defendant damaged his iPhone 15 Pro Max and caused him emotional distress.(NAN)

Veteran Nollywood actor Richard Mofe-Damijo, popularly known as RMD, is set to become the first male motion-picture practitioner to deliver the keynote at the Peace Anyiam-Osigwe (PAO) Nigeria Digital Content Regulation Conference (PAO-NDCRC).

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), organisers of the annual event, announced RMD as the keynote speaker for the 2026 edition.

According to the organisers, this year’s edition of the conference will hold from Nov. 18 to 19 at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

The statement said the two-day event is themed: “Film and Content Production in the Digital Era: Balancing Regulation and Innovation”.

RMD’s appointment follows previous keynotes delivered by media entrepreneur Mo Abudu in 2024 and filmmaker Bolanle Austen-Peters in 2025.

Executive Director/CEO of NFVCB, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, expressed delight at RMD’s acceptance of the invitation, describing his professional experience as relevant to the conference’s objectives.

“We are delighted to have Richard Mofe-Damijo deliver the keynote at this year’s PAO Nigeria Digital Content Regulation Conference.

“RMD represents a distinctive blend of creative excellence, entrepreneurial experience and public service.

“His journey across film, media, business and cultural administration offers valuable perspectives on the opportunities before Nigeria’s creative industries and the policy conversations required to sustain their growth,” Husseini said.

He said the conference would provide a platform for stakeholders to examine how regulation could support innovation while protecting audiences and promoting responsible content.

“As the boundaries between film, television and digital content continue to evolve, our challenge as regulators is to create an environment where innovation can flourish while protecting audiences,” he said.

Husseini said regulators must also promote responsible content and support the sustainable development of the industry.

The organisers said the conference will bring together filmmakers, content creators, distributors, streaming platforms, policymakers, academics and other stakeholders to discuss digital content production, distribution, technology and regulation.

The PAO Nigeria Digital Content Regulation Conference is an annual initiative of NFVCB that honours Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, filmmaker and founder of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). (NAN)