Most people had never heard of Igho Ubiribo until his death. That was, in many ways, exactly how he operated—in the orbit of fame without being its centre. He was wealthy, well-connected, globally mobile, and, until the NDLEA made his name public in 2023, largely invisible to the wider Nigerian public.
Yesterday, that changed. When Davido stood at a podium in London and struggled to find words for the man he lost, Nigerians stopped and asked, ‘Who exactly was Tiny?’
The Man in the Circle
Igho Ubiribo, known widely as “Tiny” or “Denisi”, was a core member of Davido’s 30BG inner circle who lived a life of quiet luxury. 
He was a Nigerian businessman and socialite who shuttled between Lagos, Harare, Los Angeles, and London with the ease of someone with deep global footprints.
Tiny described himself as a childhood friend of Davido, a bond that stretched back nearly two decades. The singer once posted a photo with Tiny next to a Rolls-Royce, captioning it: “Almost two decades in the game! I’m super proud of my little brother. We went from boys to men.”
He wasn’t a musician, nor was he an entertainer. Instead, he was the kind of man who existed in the shadow of celebrity, attending high-profile events, travelling on private jets, and always being present in the photos without ever being the subject of them. He was the loyal friend who showed up, rather than the star under the spotlight.
Tiny’s romance with Zimbabwean fashion designer Danielle Simba Allen had been building in the public eye for years. The couple first showed their deep commitment in 2021 by having each other’s names tattooed on their fingers. By January 2022, they hosted a spectacular lobola (traditional wedding) celebration in Harare, drawing a guest list that read like a who’s who of African wealth and entertainment.
Then, in March 2023, they solidified their union in a lavish Domboshava wedding ceremony that completely captivated social media. Davido attended the spectacular event as one of the groomsmen, a profound testament to his tight bond with Tiny.
The life they built together looked spectacular from the outside. Then came the turn of fate later that year.
The NDLEA Declaration
In April 2023, Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) declared Igho Ubiribo, his wife Danielle Simba Allen, and Faith Ugochi, a Port Harcourt-based prophetess and founder of Christ Power Adoration Ministries, wanted.
The NDLEA alleged that Ubiribo and Allen were the “arrowheads” of an international drug trafficking syndicate operating from Los Angeles. Prophetess Ugochi reportedly served as the recruiter, using her church to identify and groom teenage girls for the cartel.
The investigation began in November 2022. NDLEA operatives at Lagos airport intercepted 32.70 kilograms of “loud”, a strong variant of cannabis, concealed in cartons of used clothing. A freight agent was arrested first. Four more suspects followed. Then two teenage girls—one only 15 years old—were picked up from a rented duplex in Lekki, where the syndicate housed young girls used for marketing and distributing illicit drugs.
One arrested suspect confessed to working for Igho and his wife, identifying them as the criminal group’s overall heads.
When the NDLEA sent invitation letters, Igho and Danielle sent a lawyer to request a different date. Then they went incommunicado. The agency obtained a court order to freeze N80 million traced to their company, Lasgidi Backwood Ltd, and to seize properties, including a fuel station in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
Igho Ubiribo and his wife were officially declared wanted. They went into hiding.
A Sudden Death
In March 2026, Igho Ubiribo reportedly died of a heart attack in the Philippines. His death was first announced by his associate Joel Heugh Boyseen through Instagram stories on 5 March 2026: “Love you always, my broski. This one pained me.”
Davido shared photos of them together with a touching message: “You loved and believed in me so much! I won’t let you down.”
Condolences poured in from across the Nigerian entertainment community, with many saying they were unaware of Tiny’s existence until the news of his passing broke.
The Burial That Stopped the Timeline
On Friday, May 29, 2026, Igho Ubiribo was laid to rest in London. Davido travelled to the United Kingdom alongside Cubana ChiefPriest, Kiddwaya and a host of other close associates to attend the funeral.
The burial was extravagant, with a golden coffin and a gathering that reflected the scale of wealth and connection Tiny had accumulated in his lifetime. The kind of send-off that simultaneously honours a man and raises every question about how he lived.
In an emotional tribute at the podium, Davido stood before the congregation and said: “I won’t lie, it is not easy when someone like Tiny leaves. His absence is heavy; it doesn’t feel real. A man of so much energy, so much presence. The silence is heavy. He is not someone I ever thought I would be speaking about in the past tense.”
Cubana Chiefpriest, known for rarely showing public vulnerability, was visibly in tears during the tribute, a rare sight that moved many watching online.
A video later emerged showing Davido turning away, unable to watch as the golden coffin was lowered into the grave.
After the burial, another video surfaced. Cubana Chiefpriest was seen leaving the cemetery in a luxury convertible, saying, “Yeah man, we outside, cemetery chilling.” The remark sparked heavy criticism online, with many calling it insensitive.
SEE ALSO: He Taught Students Days Before Passing: Nollywood Mourns Pat ‘Energy’ Okoye
The Full Picture
Igho Ubiribo was a man who lived in the complicated space between celebration and controversy. A devoted husband, by all accounts. A loyal member of one of Nigeria’s most famous inner circles. A man wanted by one of Nigeria’s most powerful law enforcement agencies. A man who died without ever coming home to face those allegations. A man buried in a golden coffin in London.
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