Most dramatic celebrity break-ups of 2025

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2025 has been anything but calm in Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Beyond the music, films and viral moments, love stories fell apart in very public ways that turned private heartbreak into national conversations. Oghenovo Egodo-Michael writes on the most dramatic celebrity break-ups that defined the year

Fans were left stunned on Sunday, January 26, 2025, when legendary singer, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, announced the end of his marriage to actress Annie Macaulay Idibia after nearly 12 years. In a post that instantly went viral, the music icon said, “Hello to my beautiful people of all federations. Well, this thing I have to say is short but also long… Annie Macaulay and I have been separated for a while now and have currently filed for divorce. I would grant a press release soon to tell my story. Not because it is anyone’s right to know about my personal life but because I love my people and I need them to know my innocence or offence.” As shock rippled across social media, confusion followed. A subsequent message appeared on his Instagram Story claiming his account had been hacked. “My Instagram account has been hacked, efforts are being carried out to take back control. #OneLove,” it read. However, the uncertainty was short-lived. 2Baba later posted a video dismissing the hacking claim, confirming that the separation announcement was authentic. The contradiction only deepened public intrigue. While the couple appeared eager to move forward quietly, fans refused to let go. Some held out hope for reconciliation, while others argued the split was long overdue, given the years of public strain that had trailed the marriage. The drama escalated when 2Baba introduced a new woman, Natasha Osawaru, declaring his love openly and even appealing to Nigerians to help convince her to marry him. His mother, Rose Idibia, initially opposed the union but later appeared to accept Natasha as a prospective daughter-in-law. Yet, calm never truly arrived. 2Baba and Natasha soon found themselves at the centre of fresh controversy. The couple went viral after a heated exchange during media personality Daddy Freeze’s live video. Before then, reports emerged that the singer had been arrested by UK police following a public altercation involving Natasha. The separation was one of the year’s most talked-about celebrity sagas.

Comedian and skit maker, Ganiyu Morufu, popularly known as Ijoba Lande, saw his marriage implode in full public view after weeks of accusations, counter-accusations, and revelations that played out across interviews and social media.

The crisis became public when his estranged wife, Darasimi, known as Dara, granted a viral interview in which she accused the comedian of neglect, emotional distance, and abandonment, insisting that the marriage had collapsed long before public drama. According to her, the relationship had become suffocating, stripped of trust and basic companionship, leaving her feeling isolated within the union.

Lande, however, countered her claims in a separate interview, alleging infidelity as the breaking point of their marriage. He accused Dara of having an inappropriate relationship with Nollywood actor Babatunde Tayo, popularly known as Baba Tee. The allegation immediately ignited social media, dragging multiple parties into what quickly became one of the messiest celebrity marital scandals of the year.

Initially, Baba Tee denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the claims as baseless. But the narrative took a dramatic turn when the actor later admitted to a brief sexual encounter with Dara. In a public apology, Baba Tee described the incident as a moment of weakness, stating that it was short, regrettable, and never intended to hurt anyone. His admission gave weight to Lande’s claims and intensified public scrutiny around the marriage.

Dara, in her own defence, acknowledged knowing Baba Tee but maintained that her marriage to Lande had already collapsed emotionally before the incident. She insisted that years of unresolved issues, financial strain, and lack of emotional support had eroded the foundation of the relationship, making reconciliation impossible.

As the revelations piled up, the marriage became unsalvageable. Lande publicly declared the union over, expressing betrayal and disappointment, while Dara firmly stated that returning to the marriage was no longer an option.

Another relationship that ended under intense public scrutiny was that of social media influencer, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, and his girlfriend, Jarvis.

During the week, Peller was arrested by the Lagos State Police following a distressing livestream titled “RIP Peller.” In the video, recorded inside his newly acquired Mercedes-Benz, the influencer appeared emotionally overwhelmed while speaking on the phone, reportedly with Jarvis.

Moments later, the livestream captured a reckless drive that ended in a crash along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, damaging the vehicle and triggering widespread concern online.

Confirming the arrest, the Lagos State Police Command, through its spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, described the incident as a threat to public safety. “The Lagos State Police Command has arrested and detained Habeeb Hamzat, alias ‘Peller’, for further investigation following a viral video in which he was seen driving recklessly, leading to a dangerous road crash while the incident was being live-streamed,” the statement read.

Amid the backlash and public debate that followed, Jarvis confirmed the end of their relationship. She appealed to the public to stop mocking Peller, stressing that the situation had gone beyond entertainment.

The breakup did not come entirely as a surprise to close followers of the couple. Over time, their relationship had been punctuated by online disagreements, emotional outbursts and subtle unfollow-and-refollow cycles on social media. Friends and fans had often raised concerns about the emotional intensity that defined their bond, warning that it appeared fragile long before it finally collapsed.

Even though the duo had earlier broken up in late 2024, their public feud over the end of their relationship resurfaced in January 2025 when street-pop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, and his estranged wife, Queen Dami, resumed their online warfare with renewed intensity.

What began as cryptic posts quickly spiralled into a full-blown spectacle of accusations, counter-accusations and emotional livestreams that once again dragged their private history into the public square.

Queen Dami, who had largely stayed off the radar after their separation, returned to social media with a series of posts accusing Portable of emotional manipulation, neglect and public humiliation throughout their marriage. In one particularly viral moment, she lamented that loving the singer cost her peace, dignity and stability, suggesting she had been reduced to a shadow of herself while trying to survive his chaotic lifestyle.

Portable, never one to retreat from controversy, responded almost immediately. In a string of Instagram videos, the singer dismissed Queen Dami’s claims as clout-chasing. He accused her of ingratitude, insisting that he had “made her somebody” and alleging that she constantly disrespected him and his household. At several points, his rants veered from defence into mockery, further inflaming public sentiment.

The situation escalated when Queen Dami granted interviews and appeared on live streams where she detailed what she described as repeated emotional trauma during the relationship. She alleged that Portable’s volatile temperament made their home unsafe and unstable, while also hinting at physical intimidation without going into graphic detail. Her calm but firm tone stood in sharp contrast to Portable’s explosive responses, winning her sympathy from many online observers.

Portable, however, doubled down. He claimed Queen Dami abandoned the marriage, accused her of infidelity and insisted she could not cope with the realities of being married to a celebrity. In one viral clip, he declared that peace returned to his life the moment she left, framing the breakup as liberation rather than loss.

Nollywood actress, Anita Joseph, and her husband, Fisayo Olagunju, aka MC Fish, recently joined the list of celebrity unions that unravelled publicly in 2025.

Though the news was first circulated by different blogs, Anita confirmed it in an Instagram post on December 22, where she shared photos of herself in a wedding dress with the caption, “Life has a way of testing our strength in ways we never expect, especially in marriage. Lately, I’ve been walking through a season of deep reflection, pain and healing. I may not have all the answers, but I’m choosing grace, growth and faith, one step at a time. Calling a spade a spade, my marriage is over ogbugianyi! Omere ka Anyi Mara ihe!”

Joseph followed the post the next day with a plea for potential partners to give her time to heal before moving on. “I’m single, yes!! And I’m not searching pls. You guys should not crash my phone. Zuonuike. 8 years and 11 days is not 8 months, I need my head cleared. Give me gigs biko, thank you.”

Although this was the first time the actress completely confirmed the news, she had dropped a series of hints in the past. In one of the posts, she wrote, “Not everything gets access to me in 2026.”

Actress Anita Joseph and MC Fish blended entertainment worlds when they began dating. Their relationship was fuelled by mutual admiration and lively public banter. After a while, Joseph became a born-again Christian and openly talked about her call to ministry, even posting short sermons and Bible verses.

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