Pretty Mike speaks on club raid, viral stunts and why he still wants marriage

• He recounts the emotional aftermath of the NDLEA raid and rebuilding Proxy Club.

• He explains the inspiration behind his viral stunts and controversial public appearances.

• He reveals he is looking forward to marriage.

Pretty Mike made these revelations during a recent conversation with journalists.

Recall that the socialite was arrested in October 2025 after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) raided Proxy Nightclub in Victoria Island, Lagos, over allegations of illicit drug activities. He was later arraigned alongside the club’s supervisor on charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful possession of hard drugs, and permitting the use of the premises for illegal drug activities. However, a Federal High Court in Lagos later discharged and acquitted him after ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a case against him.

Speaking on the difficult experience, Pretty Mike said the incident came at one of the lowest moments of his life.

“It happened during a very sensitive period in my life. It was barely 16 or 17 days after I buried my father. I had just returned from the burial and was still trying to put myself together emotionally and mentally. Then, around 2AM, over 100 military officers, along with about 30 or 40 NDLEA officers, stormed the building. Everybody was ordered to sit on the floor, and people were arrested. Honestly, it felt like the world was crashing down on me.

When I saw the NDLEA, I assumed it had something to do with drugs. But if you check my history over the years, there has never been any connection between me and drugs," he said on the news-making raid.

At first, I wondered if I was personally the target or if they were after someone inside the club. Eventually, when we got to their station, they said they had received information about a ‘drug party’ happening at Proxy. They even showed me a flyer. I immediately pointed out that it made no sense, since clubs like ours no longer use physical flyers. Everything is digital now. Still, before I knew it, I was arrested. I was told the order came directly from Abuja, which made things even more difficult.”

According to him, the aftermath of the incident left him with huge financial losses.

“Then there was the cost of rebuilding and restoring the business. We had to renovate, repair damages, and rebrand the space to restore people’s confidence in the club,” he said.

The nightlife entrepreneur also reflected on how he got the name “Pretty Mike”, noting that his reputation for being surrounded by beautiful women dates back to his younger years in the United States.

“In the US, I was known as the guy who loved parties and enjoyed having a good time. I also grew up around women because I have four very beautiful sisters. I was always around them and their friends," he shared.

“People started jokingly calling me ‘Pretty Mike’ because I was always surrounded by pretty girls. The name stuck. Whenever there was a party, people would say, ‘Oh, Pretty Mike is throwing a party. There are going to be beautiful women there.’ Over time, the name became a brand.”

Despite coming from an academically inclined family, he revealed that he chose a completely different path.

Pretty Mike explained that Medicine was almost like a family tradition. His father was an engineer who later earned a doctorate in engineering, and his family pride themselves in the pursuit of academic excellence.

“But I think life is sometimes divine. Not everybody in one family can follow the same path. Someone has to step outside that structure a little bit. I believe that is what happened with me,” he shared on his decision to embrace the glitz and glamour of the corporate life rather than following his family's academic legacy.

Known for his dramatic entrances at events and headline-making stunts, Pretty Mike said he sees his controversial appearances as part of performance art and entertainment.

“I see it as part of the business. Before I do anything, I already know it can go either way, so I prepare myself mentally. Over the years, I have developed a thick skin. Some stunts go viral positively, some attract criticism, but I never let it affect me psychologically," he says on his headline-making event appearances that always involved dozens of supporting cast, often dressed in dramatic costumes.

“I always tell myself that after a few days, the noise will fade. Honestly, some of them feel divine. I do not have a creative team sitting down to plan these things. Sometimes I just wake up with an idea. As for the criticism, I understand it. But I also see stunts as entertainment and performance art.

There is really no limit to what I can spend on a stunt because, to me, it is part of having fun and creating an experience. Some people spend money travelling or partying. I channel mine into creative expressions.”

His dramatic event trope has brought him fame, and despite the controversies and questions it generates, the entertainer believes it's part of a creative expression, and he refuses to be gagged.

On marriage, he said he still hopes to settle down someday.

“I am looking forward to getting married. I believe marriage is a major achievement. There is nothing as beautiful as a man or a woman getting married, having children and training them through school, giving them out for marriage, and ultimately becoming grandparents," he shares his stance on family life, which is conservative, unlike his radical event entrances

On his type of women, Pretty Mike says he prioritises personality over looks.

“I am one of the few men who don’t have a spec when it comes to women. The body doesn’t necessarily attract me. I am not in love with big ass or boobs. When it comes to a wife, it’s all about the behaviour and personality because in this day and age, nearly everything can be bought.”

For Pretty Mike, rising above adversity is what drives him. After a traumatic experience with the NDLEA, he has picked himself up and reopened his famous club with the intentions of making it grander. For a man who is one of Nigeria's most eccentric celebrities, he intends to continue making observers marvel with his artistic expression.