Mercy Johnson Under Fire Over ₦25,000 Girls Tag Menstrual Kit

Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson-Okojie has come under intense criticism on social media following her unveiling as a brand ambassador for Girls Tag, a menstrual and puberty care product reportedly priced at ₦25,000, sparking fresh debate over period poverty in Nigeria.

The controversy began after Mercy Johnson and her daughter, Purity Okojie, were introduced as ambassadors for the brand, alongside fellow actress Regina Daniels, who was later also unveiled as a face of the product.

Girls Tag is described as an all-in-one menstrual hygiene and puberty kit designed for girls aged nine and above. The package reportedly includes sanitary pads, period pants, panty liners, wipes, sanitary bags, a purse, and an educational puberty guidebook authored by the actress.

While the brand positions the product as a premium hygiene and education solution, its pricing has triggered widespread outrage online, with many Nigerians describing it as insensitive amid rising inflation and worsening economic hardship.

Across social media platform X (formerly Twitter), users argued that essential menstrual products should not be marketed as luxury items in a country where millions of girls already struggle to afford basic sanitary needs.

READ ALSO:

• Iran Tightens Grip On Strait Of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions With US
• Wizkid Becomes First African Artiste To Reach 11 Billion Spotify Streams
• WHO Declares Ebola Emergency In Congo, Uganda As Death Toll Hits 139

Critics say period poverty in Nigeria remains a serious public health and education challenge, with reports indicating that many schoolgirls miss classes during menstruation due to lack of access to affordable sanitary products.

One user, @Lai, defended the brand’s commercial approach, saying:

“Not everyone is a philanthropist. Nigeria’s problems are not everybody’s problem. She knows who her customers are. This is business.”

However, others strongly disagreed. User @MsJorji wrote:

“Mercy Johnson, you are an embarrassment to women. In a country where women are struggling to afford sanitary pads, you want to charge 25k for a sanitary pad.”

Another user, @ATallEdoGirl, commented:

“The target audience had to be baddies.”

@kenny added:

“Nigeria is a poor country. Elitism should never extend to the basic rights and dignity of girls and women. Sanitary pads are not luxury items.”

Another user, @bidemi wrote:

“In a country where sanitary pads are meant to be free, someone is selling them for 25k and people are defending it because of packaging.”

The backlash highlights growing frustration over the commercialization of essential health products, particularly for women and girls, in Nigeria’s current economic climate.

Supporters of Girls Tag, however, argue that the product goes beyond sanitary pads, combining menstrual hygiene supplies with puberty education, emotional guidance, and confidence-building resources for young girls transitioning into adolescence.

They maintain that the premium pricing reflects the comprehensive nature of the kit, even as critics insist that affordability remains a key issue in addressing menstrual health inequality.

The debate continues to trend online, reigniting broader conversations about women’s health, sanitary pad affordability in Nigeria, and the need for stronger policy interventions to address menstrual hygiene challenges across the country.

Mercy Johnson Under Fire Over ₦25,000 Girls Tag Menstrual Kit

Wizkid Becomes First African Artiste To Reach 11 Billion Spotify Streams

Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Wizkid has become the first African artiste to surpass 11 billion streams on Spotify, extending his dominance as one of Africa’s most streamed and commercially successful music exports.

The milestone was announced on Tuesday by music statistics platform ChartsAfrica via X, formerly Twitter, which confirmed that the Grammy-winning singer is the first African artiste to hit every major Spotify streaming milestone from one billion to 11 billion streams.

The post read: “First African artists to reach major Spotify milestones: 1 billion — Wizkid, 2 billion — Wizkid, 3 billion — Wizkid … 11 billion — Wizkid.”

The achievement comes just days after Wizkid’s latest collaboration with DJ Tunez, titled State of Mind, recorded more than 685,000 streams on Spotify within its first 24 hours of release, further boosting his global streaming numbers.

Earlier in January, the singer, popularly known as “Big Wiz,” became the first African artiste to cross the 10-billion-stream mark on Spotify, a feat widely celebrated across the entertainment industry and among Afrobeats fans worldwide.

READ ALSO:

• WHO Declares Ebola Emergency In Congo, Uganda As Death Toll Hits 139
• Army Arrests Four Suspected Terrorists, Collaborators in Kogi, Kwara Operations
• Putin Discusses Iran Uranium Storage Plan With Xi in Beijing

A significant portion of Wizkid’s total streams comes from his international collaborations, especially One Dance by Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla. The 2016 global smash remains one of Spotify’s most-streamed songs ever, with over three billion plays on the platform.

His hit single Essence featuring Tems also played a major role in his streaming success. The song became the first Nigerian track to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy nomination, helping accelerate Afrobeats’ mainstream acceptance globally.

Beyond Spotify, Wizkid has continued to break international records throughout his career. In 2021, he became the first African artiste to receive a Brit Billion Award for surpassing one billion audio-on-demand streams in the United Kingdom. He has also headlined major venues including London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and sold out the O2 Arena multiple times.

Entertainment executives and music analysts described the latest Spotify milestone as another defining moment for African music globally, noting that Afrobeats has evolved from a regional genre into a dominant force in global pop culture.

Fans and celebrities also flooded social media with congratulatory messages, praising Wizkid for consistently pushing African music to international audiences and inspiring a new generation of artistes across the continent.

Wizkid Becomes First African Artiste To Reach 11 Billion Spotify Streams

Sandra Okunzuwa Reveals Movie Kiss Scene Ended Her Relationship

Nollywood actress and filmmaker Sandra Okunzuwa has opened up about how performing romantic scenes in movies affected her personal relationships, revealing that one of her past relationships ended after a misunderstanding over a film kiss scene.

Speaking on the BTS Reality Podcast, the actress explained that her ex-boyfriend ended their relationship after someone allegedly sent him a movie clip showing her kissing a male colleague on set.

Sandra said the incident exposed how difficult it can be for actors to separate professional roles from private life, especially when partners struggle with insecurity or public perception.

According to her, filming romantic scenes is a highly controlled professional environment and far from what many people assume.

“When actors kiss while filming, about 20 people are watching them, instructions are being given, and the director is monitoring everything,” she said.

She added that such scenes are not emotionally or physically driven as many viewers might imagine.

READ ALSO:

• Iran Demands Sanctions Relief In Response To US Peace Offer
• Chike Reacts To Rumours Linking Him With Frank Edoho’s Estranged Wife
• Kidnapped Oyo Teacher Beheaded As Makinde Confirms Arrest Of Six Suspects

“Onscreen kisses are not even enjoyable. If they can be scrapped and viewers will still enjoy movies, I am in support,” she added.

Sandra further noted that repeated misunderstandings over her acting roles eventually created tension in the relationship, which later led to its breakdown.

She explained that while she understood her partner’s reaction may have stemmed from insecurity, it highlighted a broader challenge faced by actors in romantic roles.

“At the time, I felt his reaction came from a place of insecurity. But honestly, it is not easy,” she said.

The actress also stressed that people who choose to date actors must be prepared to understand the nature of the profession, especially the emotional demands and public exposure that come with it.

She encouraged colleagues in the film industry to maintain clear boundaries between their on-screen characters and real-life relationships to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

Sandra Okunzuwa, known for her performances in several Nollywood productions, continues to gain recognition for her roles in drama and romance-themed films within the Nigerian entertainment industry.

Her comments have sparked conversations online about trust, insecurity, and the challenges actors face in balancing fame with personal relationships.

Sandra Okunzuwa Reveals Movie Kiss Scene Ended Her Relationship