Mohbad, presidential election top 10 most trended Nigerian news in 2023

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, who died on 12 September, 2023 topped the 10 most trended Nigerian news on google in 2023.

News about Mohbad even trended more than the 2023 presidential election, which came second in the ranking released by Google.

Mohbad died on 12 September in a controversial manner, which led to worldwide outcry for the police to unravel the circumstances surrounding his demise.

As a result of his death, top music artistes, such as Naira Marley and others were arrested by the police in the course of investigation into the matter. The late singer trended from September till the end of the year.

The 2023 presidential election won by President Bola Tinubu ranked second among the 10 most trended news in Nigeria in 2023. Tinubu defeated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi in the election, even up to the Supreme Court.

In third position is Hilda Baci, who set a new Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon (individual), with a time of 93 hours 11 minutes in June 2023.

Baci’s record has since been eclipsed by Alan Fisher from Ireland, who cooked for an incredible 119 hours and 57 minutes at his restaurant in Japan.

Actor John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu is the fourth most trended Nigerian news on google in 2023. Mr. Ibu’s sickness which led to the amputation of one of his legs set the internet on fire. The intrigues surrounding how the money donated for him were spent also fuelled internet reactions.

Simon Ekpa, a Biafran agitator in Finland is the fifth most trended Nigerian news in 2023. Ekpa, from his base in Finland had been directing most sit-at-home in the Southeast following the arrest of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Ekpa is on the wanted list of the Nigerian government.

The sixth most trended Nigerian news in 2023 was the release of Ministerial list by President Bola Tinubu, while the seventh was the arrest of Seun Kuti for slapping a policeman.

The removal of Fuel Subsidy by president Bola Tinubu on 29 May, 2023 was the eighth most trended Nigerian news in 2023. Tinubu had in his inaugural speech said “Fuel Subsidy is gone” and that was the end of it.

The Tribunal judgement affirming the election of President Bola Tinubu was the 9th most trended Nigerian news in 2023, while the appointment of Yemi Cardoso as the Governor of the Central Bank (CBN) was the 10th most trended news in Nigeria in 2023.