The Honest Bunch Podcast has denied claims by Mr Nigeria Supranatural Ugo Nwokolo that he was manipulated into making controversial remarks during his appearance on the show.
Nwokolo had alleged in an interview with social media personality Lucky Udu on Wednesday that former podcast host Nedu Wazobia pressured him into saying that he found “poor girls” more attractive, a statement that sparked outrage in January.
The model claimed he approached Nedu after winning the Mr Nigeria Supranational competition in October 2024, seeking an opportunity to share his journey ahead of the global contest in Poland.
He alleged that Nedu demanded N5 million for the feature and dismissed his initial topic as uninteresting to Nigerians.
According to him, Nedu later informed him that another guest would be joining the episode to make it more engaging.
Nwokolo said he objected, insisting he had paid to promote himself, but after negotiations, he was promised a partial refund of N2 million.
He further claimed he was pressured into making the controversial statement and was instructed to mention social media critic VeryDarkMan (VDM) to generate buzz.
“Poor girls don’t turn me on. Nedu told me to say that,” he alleged.
“It’s against my character. I have met manipulators, narcissists, gaslighters, and scammers, but Nedu is a discovery.”
In response, The Honest Bunch Podcast, on Instagram on Thursday, dismissed Nwokolo’s claims, insisting he was a paid guest who had full control over his discussion points.
The show’s producers stated that Nwokolo arrived with a notepad outlining his talking points, contradicting his claim of being manipulated.
The podcast expressed disappointment over the allegations, questioning Nwokolo’s credibility.
They also called on the organisers of Mr World Nigeria and the Silverbird Group to reassess his character, given his upcoming international representation.
“We are truly shocked that someone who lacks integrity and dignity—willing to spread falsehoods for fame—has been crowned by the prestigious Mr. World Nigeria,” part of the statement read.
