A viral tiktok video claims to show the New Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, celebrating her ministerial appointment by smoking at an event somewhere in Nigeria.
The claim is FALSE
The 30 seconds video shows a woman that looks like the minister dancing and vaping at a party.
Musawa is a muslim from Katsina state Nigeria and has never been found in such a public display.
Checks showed that the video was first posted on the 15th day of August 2023 by Diorest05 on Tiktok. It had 1711 likes and 133 comments. Note that Hannatu Musawa’s confirmation as minister didn’t come till August 18.
The original extended version seen on TikTok had the singer praise the woman in the video as ‘Kike baby’ indicating that the woman in question is not of the northern extraction.
CONCLUSION
The claim that a new minister was vaping and celebrating at a party as seen in a viral video is FALSE.
Today, we proudly mark the 100th edition of the WABMA Fake News Debunker — published consistently in audio, video, and text formats.
This milestone is more than just a number. It is a testament to our resilience, commitment, and belief in the power of truth. For nearly two years, through changing tides and persistent challenges, we have worked tirelessly to expose misinformation, challenge disinformation, and protect the public discourse in West Africa.
Fake news undermines democracy, endangers lives, and erodes trust. That is why we have stayed the course — week after week — empowering citizens with facts, and strengthening media literacy across communities.
Thank you to every researcher, producer, presenter, and supporter who made this possible. The work continues — because truth still matters.
It all started with a social media post that sparked confusion and speculation. The claim was bold: Netflix had reportedly donated a whopping $7 million to Kamala Harris’ campaign.
But was it true?
The buzz grew louder as the story spread, leaving many wondering how deep Netflix’s political involvement ran. Could a company that entertains millions really throw such enormous financial support behind a candidate?
The truth, however, turned out to be much more personal—and surprising.
After diving deep into the investigation, we uncovered a twist. It wasn’t Netflix itself that made the donation. The answer came from Reed Hastings, Netflix’s co-founder and executive chairman. He confessed during an interview with The Information: after watching a particularly disheartening debate, he felt compelled to act. “After the depressing debate,” Hastings admitted, “we are in the game again.” And with that, he made his largest personal contribution ever—$7 million.
But here’s the catch: this was not Netflix’s doing! It was Hastings’ personal endorsement. Reputable media outlets quickly clarified the distinction: Netflix, the company, had no hand in the donation. It was purely Hastings’ decision.
The conclusion? The viral claim that Netflix itself funneled $7 million into Kamala Harris’ campaign is completely false. Instead, it was Reed Hastings, acting on his own, who made the generous contribution to her 2024 run.
The lines between corporate and personal blurred for a moment, but the facts set the story straight.