The Honest Bunch Podcast has issued a statement rejecting the manipulation claims made by Ugochukwu Nwokolo, the current Mr Supranational Nigeria, following his recent appearance on the show.
In a statement released Thursday, the podcast organizers clarified that Nwokolo’s controversial comments during his January interview were entirely his own, with no coercion or manipulation involved. During the interview, Nwokolo, a model and beauty pageant winner, made headlines by stating that “poor girls turn me on” and “the poorer the girl, the more attracted I am to her.” These remarks sparked significant public backlash, prompting Nwokolo to later claim that he had been manipulated into making such statements for the sake of virality.
Nwokolo further alleged that Nedu, one of the hosts of The Honest Bunch Podcast, pressured him into making controversial remarks and even coerced him into mentioning a social media personality, VeryDarkMan, to boost the episode’s visibility. He also claimed in a recent conversation with YouTuber Lucky Udu that Nedu had told him he needed to pay ₦5 million for his appearance and follow specific instructions to go viral.
However, the Honest Bunch Podcast has refuted these allegations, asserting that Nwokolo’s appearance on the show was a paid one, and he had full control over the topics discussed.
The statement read: “We have become aware of recent claims made by Ugo Nwokolo regarding his appearance on The Honest Bunch Podcast. For the sake of clarity, we would like to set the record straight. Mr. Ugo Nwokolo appeared on our platform for a paid appearance, during which he had the freedom to select a topic of his choice—which he did. At no point did we suggest a specific topic to him, nor was he instructed on what to say, either as a team or individually. Furthermore, he was never pressured to discuss any particular issue. He arrived with a notepad outlining his points.”
The podcast organizers also expressed their shock at Nwokolo’s accusations, questioning how someone who lacks integrity could represent Nigeria on the global stage as Mr Supranational Nigeria. “We are truly shocked that someone who lacks integrity and dignity, and is willing to spread falsehoods for fame, has been crowned by the prestigious Mr World Nigeria. It is concerning to think that this individual is now set to represent us on the global stage,” the statement continued.
The podcast also called on the Silverbird Group and the institution overseeing Mr Nigeria to investigate Nwokolo’s character, adding: “We remain steadfast in our commitment to transparency and value the diversity of opinions expressed on our platform, regardless of our personal views. We kindly ask that the institution and the Silverbird Group look into the character of this man.”
In a related development, Nedu stepped down as the host of The Honest Bunch Podcast on February 13, citing “unfounded accusations” and the toll it took on his peace of mind and family as reasons for his departure.
