Nigerian comedian-turned-prophet Woli Arole and actor Sanusi Izihaq, popularly known as Apa, have raised concerns over the whereabouts of singer Ola Best after accusing him of relocating to Canada while holding money from a monthly thrift contribution.
The development has sparked a social media controversy, with the entertainers demanding payment of their contributions and seeking clarification from the singer.
The monthly contribution, commonly known as Ajo or thrift, is a popular savings arrangement in Nigeria in which a group of people contributes a fixed amount regularly, with members taking turns to receive the total contribution for a particular month.
The arrangement is widely used among workers, traders, friends, families and social groups as a way of raising money without going through formal financial institutions.
In this case, Woli Arole alleged that the group started its contribution in January and that he was expected to receive the money for August.
In an Instagram post on Friday, Woli Arole said he had attempted to reach Ola Best but could not get through to him.
He also claimed that he saw a WhatsApp status suggesting that the singer had travelled to Canada.
Woli Arole warned that he would publicly identify the singer if he failed to respond and pay the money allegedly owed to him.
“I’m sending this video to you and I’m making it public. The next video I’m going to do, I’m going to mention your name,” he said.
He explained that the contribution started in January and that he was scheduled to collect the August contribution.
“Oga pay my owo ajo. Your number is not reachable. You wrote thank God for journey mercy on your WhatsApp story. I saw you in Canada,” Woli Arole said.
He added that Ola Best’s telephone line needed to become reachable within a few hours or he would publicly mention his name.
The issue was also taken up by actor Apa, who said Woli Arole was the person who introduced him to the monthly thrift arrangement.
In a video shared on Instagram, Apa said he became concerned after seeing Woli Arole’s post and attempted to contact the person managing the contribution.
“Woli Arole, I don’t understand your last post but what I can tell the public is that, you’re the one that introduced me to the monthly thrift,” Apa said.
He added that he tried to contact the administrator of the contribution after seeing Woli Arole’s complaint but was unable to reach him.
The development has raised questions among members of the group about the status of the contributions and when the affected members would receive their money.
However, Ola Best later responded to the controversy in a video posted on Instagram.
The singer confirmed that he had travelled to Canada but rejected the suggestion that he had abandoned the people involved in the thrift arrangement.
Ola Best said he had arrived in Canada two days earlier and had been granted a two-year visa.
He appealed to Woli Arole to give him some time to settle the matter and pay the money.
“Baba, Woli Arole, you are our father, you can’t be going around social media because of ajo,” the singer said.
He explained that his recent arrival in Canada meant he needed some time before settling the financial obligation.
“I just arrived in Canada two days ago. I was given a two-year visa. Give me some time to pay your money,” he said.
Ola Best also questioned why the matter had been taken to social media, asking Woli Arole not to create unnecessary alarm over the thrift money.
The exchange has since attracted attention online, with the issue moving from a private financial disagreement into a public dispute involving entertainers with a following on social media.
There was, however, no independent confirmation of the amount involved or the number of people participating in the thrift arrangement.
It was also not immediately clear whether all members of the group were affected or whether the dispute concerned only Woli Arole’s expected August contribution.
Thrift contributions, popularly called Ajo, Esusu or Adashe in different parts of Nigeria, have remained a common informal savings system.
Members usually agree on a fixed contribution and schedule for receiving the pooled funds. While the system can help participants raise substantial amounts of money, disputes can arise when a member responsible for collecting or transferring funds becomes unavailable.
The controversy involving Ola Best has therefore drawn attention to the need for participants in such arrangements to maintain clear records and establish reliable means of communication.
For the entertainers involved, however, the immediate issue appears to be the payment of the August contribution.
Woli Arole has publicly demanded his money, while Apa said he was also unable to reach the administrator after the controversy emerged.
Ola Best, on his part, has acknowledged that he is now in Canada but asked for time to meet the financial obligation.
His response appears to have reduced some uncertainty over his whereabouts, but it did not immediately settle the question of when the outstanding thrift money would be paid.
The dispute remains a personal financial matter between the parties, and there is no indication from the material available that any formal criminal complaint has been filed against Ola Best.
For now, the matter continues to play out on social media, where the parties have presented their different sides of the disagreement.
The controversy has also provided a reminder of the challenges that can arise from informal savings arrangements, particularly when members travel or become difficult to reach.
While Woli Arole has threatened to reveal the singer’s name publicly if the money is not paid, Ola Best has appealed for patience, insisting that his recent relocation to Canada should not be interpreted as an attempt to avoid his obligation.