From Champagne Pops to Campaign Promises: Is Cubana Chief Priest Really Ready for 2027 Politics?

If you’ve spent any time on Nigerian social media in the last decade, chances are you already know the name Cubana Chief Priest or at least you’ve seen the lifestyle. Why? Because every Eke market day, he’s trending for one thing or another.

From champagne showers to dissing the Giant of Africa, spraying thick wads of cash at parties and hosting celebrity-studded nights in cosmopolitan cities across Nigeria. He’s a man who built a brand around grandiosity, extravagance and premium enjoyment.

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Now, that same man, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, better known as Cubana Chief Priest, says he wants to swap nightlife for nation-building. According to reports, the nightlife entrepreneur and social media personality has declared interest in contesting for political office in 2027.

And just like that, Nigeria has a new question to argue about online: Is Cubana Chief Priest a serious political prospect, or is this another celebrity experiment after Funke Akindele’s?

To answer that, you first need to understand who he really is, beyond the gra gra (bravado).

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Cubana Chief Priest is not a musician, actor, or influencer who stumbled into fame by accident. He is a hospitality businessman who rose through Nigeria’s booming nightlife industry.

He became widely known through his association with the Cubana Group, a luxury hospitality brand that owns several of the country's most popular clubs and lounges. 

As a manager and promoter, he helped turn nightlife into a cultural event, attracting celebrities, politicians, and big spenders.

But his real breakthrough came from his understanding of what appeals to Nigerians, which is not true success but the appearance of it. They love watching it. So, Cubana Chief Priest documented his wealth loudly and consistently. He’d spray money, flaunt luxury cars, and host star-studded events. 

Cubana Chief Priest currently owns Club Xhrine, Donald's Restaurant/Lounge, and De Angels. 

Over time, his online persona became bigger than the clubs themselves. To many, he represents hustle paying off. To others, he represents everything flashy, excessive, and unserious about Nigeria’s elite culture. Both can be true.

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Cubana Chief Priest’s public image hasn’t been all champagne and confetti. Over the years, he’s been involved in controversies, public disputes, and allegations that have kept his name trending, sometimes for the wrong reasons.

He has had:

• Public fallouts with former associates and business partners

• Social media feuds that spiralled into name-calling and legal threats

• Ongoing legal issues involving currency abuse allegations and public misconduct.

None of these controversies has fully disappeared from public memory. And in Nigerian politics, where credibility and integrity are already fragile, reputation matters, whether fairly or not.

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Nigeria is not new to celebrity politicians. We’ve seen entertainers, activists, and public figures cross into politics with mixed results. Cubana Chief Priest’s proposed transition raises three big questions:

So far, his declaration has been light on policy and heavy on symbolism. Nigerians know his lifestyle, not his stance on:

• Youth unemployment

• Education

• Healthcare

• Economic reform

• Security

More than popularity, politics demands clear positions and objectives.

Cubana Chief Priest has influence, especially among young people and nightlife culture followers. But influence is not the same as governance. Running a club is not the same as running a constituency.

Perhaps the hardest question of all. Can a man whose brand is built on extravagance convincingly rebrand as a lawmaker? Can Nigerians take seriously someone they associate with money spraying, online brouhaha, and public disputes?

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Cubana Chief Priest is undeniably influential, charismatic, and business-savvy. He is also controversial, polarising, and untested in public service.

If his political ambition remains just another headline, Nigerians will move on as they always do.

But if he chooses to:

• Articulate clear policies

• Address past controversies honestly

• Prove seriousness beyond social media

Then this might be more than a celebrity headline. It could be the beginning of a difficult, but not impossible, reinvention.

However, at this point, Nigerian youths studying or who studied political science might want to drop out or chew their certificates.