In recent weeks, some celebrities have been in the spotlight for their rollercoaster relationships. From bitter rivalries to new friendships, their reconciliation journeys have captivated colleagues and fans. Oghenovo Egodo Michael looks at some of the notable reconciliations that have taken place in the entertainment industry.
Toyin Abraham and Funke Akindele
Toyin Abrahams has made a candid confession, revealing the competitive environment in Nollywood that has fostered hostility amongst his colleagues. In a heartfelt Instagram post addressed to his perceived rival Funke Akindele, Toyin called for an end to the silent hostility that has clouded their relationship. In the Instagram post, Toyin wrote, “Dear Nollywood, stop disparaging the industry with gossip. You have done a lot of damage with 'this said, that said'. At that time in the Yoruba movie industry @funkeakindele was like number one after the likes of Aunty Bookie and Aunty Facetia. I was second. The competition was tough and there was a lot of gossip in between that made us competitors, undesirable people. You don't own the industry. The industry is bigger than you.”
Abraham acknowledged the damaging effects of industry gossip, stressing the need for unity among industry players and urging fans to move beyond divisive narratives. This is not the first time the actress has spoken about her rivalry with her colleagues. In a 2021 radio interview, Abraham urged fans not to pay attention to social media rumors after another actress, Iyabo Ojo, accused Funke Akindele of paying someone to write a bad review of one of her (Toyin Abraham) movies, “The Ghost and the Toot.” However, Abraham had this to say: “She (Akindele) is my senior colleague and someone I respect a lot. So, I don't know what everyone is saying, believe me. She is one of the few people I respect. Sometimes, some people don't understand that we are colleagues and not family. So, I can't talk to all my colleagues. We talk and we follow each other.”
“If I saw her, I'd get down on my knees and say, 'Auntie Funke, are you OK?'”
She also said that you don't have to be friends to be successful colleagues. “A lot of people don't understand that we work in the same space. You don't have to be close friends. When you see each other, you say hi. Forget social media. Trust me,” she said.
There was a time when opinions were divided among fans as the actresses both dropped out of the film at the same time, forcing fans to choose which actress to watch and forcing reviews to drop as well.
Bnxn and Ruger
The music industry has witnessed a surprising reconciliation between Daniel Benson, aka Bnxn, and Michael Olayinka, aka Ruger. Despite a tumultuous history of social media altercations and public disagreements, the two have put their differences aside and are set to collaborate on a joint album titled RMD in April 2024.
Prior to the album's release, the two once bitter rivals engaged in heated debates about each other's musical talents, and fans were caught up in a competitive exchange of banter that began when Luger hosted a Q&A session with fans. During the Q&A session, a fan with the username BXNX 001 opined, “LOL bnxn is better than you but this low budget Samuel L. Jackson is no good.”
In response to the allegations, Luger took to Twitter to respond, “I love Buju. He's good but not better than me. Everything I've done since the beginning has been Luger. All my hits have been Luger. I'm always proud to stand on stages around the world with my hits and have people singing along. See the difference?”
The spat between them hasn't stopped since, with Luger criticizing Bxnx's body and calling him fat, while Bxnx has accused Luger of using stream farms to promote his music on streaming apps.
But when Bxnx received the Next Generation Artist award at the 15th Annual Headies Awards held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in September 2022, he dedicated the award to Luger. He said, “This is for Ira, this is for Luger. I love this boy.”
Wasiu Alabi and Saheed Osupa
Fuji Music fans were excited when veteran musicians Wasiu Ayinde (aka K1 de Ultimate), Saheed Osupa and Wasiu Alabi (aka Pasma) were seen together at an event in August 2023 after years of feuding. The trio, who had been on bad terms, surprised everyone by performing together at the 50th birthday party of Islamic singer Ahmad Alawie. During the event, they entertained guests, with K1 de Ultimate leading the performance. Osupa and Pasma joined them on stage, making it a significant reunion for the Fuji Music industry. Their reconciliation has created excitement among fans, who are hoping for a future collaboration that will bury their past feuds.
A few years ago, Pasuma and Osupa had a falling out and began releasing songs and even albums attacking each other. Their rift also spilled over to Wasiu Ayinde (aka K1), who was particularly close to Pasuma.
The rift between Saheed Osupa and Pasuma was caused by a combination of factors including a battle for supremacy in the Fuji music industry, a clash of egos and misunderstandings that grew over time. Both artistes were vying for the position of top Fuji musician, which led to rivalry and caused them to try to outdo each other.
Additionally, there were reports that disagreements over musical collaborations, performance opportunities, and personal differences further strained their relationship. As their careers soared and their fanbases grew, the tension between Saheed Osupa and Pasma further worsened.
Ai and Basket Mouse
There has been a long-standing feud between popular comedians Bright Okpocha (aka Basketmouth) and Ayo Makun (aka AY) but the pair finally found a way to put their differences aside and make amends. The turning point in their relationship came when they realized that their rivalry had overshadowed the friendship they once had. Both comedians realised that their bond went beyond professional competition and was based on mutual respect for each other's talent and hard work.
The rift between Basketmouth and AY arose from a series of misunderstandings and professional disagreements. In a 2023 interview with Chude Jideonwo, AY revealed the origins of his 17-year feud with comedian Basketmouth, tracing it back to 30,000 naira not being paid for a performance. Initially, AY was frequently called by Basketmouth to perform at events, but the feud began when AY stood in for Basketmouth at the event and expected the usual 30,000 naira pay. However, he did not receive the payment, leaving AY in financial difficulty. In the interview, AY revealed, “I got this job, but people were not very happy to see me because they were expecting Basketmouth to come. Long story short, the guy was happy after the performance, after the performance. We kept in touch. And then I left.”
“For two weeks straight, I could not find the 30,000 naira. I was starving in Iponli because I could not find the 30,000 naira. I decided to ask for the 30,000 naira but they told me the person had not sent the money. They were not happy.”
AY said the argument started when he showed pictures of his conversation with both of them, adding that this led to a feud between the two.
He said, “It was quite amusing to hear from them that the full amount was paid long before the event.”
Basketmouth initially did not respond to AY's allegations and expressed reluctance to have any further involvement with him. However, he later reversed course and apologized to AY and others in the industry for any harm he may have caused. In a video posted to his Instagram, Basketmouth said, “To my friend AY, I don't know if my apology still stands, but if it does, I want you to forgive me for anything I've done or said in the past that has affected you in any way. And know that I forgive you for anything you've said or done, knowingly or unknowingly. I just want peace and harmony.”
Ruby Orjiakor and Destiny Etiko
In July 2023, Nollywood actress Destiny Etiko accused her colleague Ruby Oljakol of unpaid debts. Destiny claimed that Ruby had failed to show up for a movie despite being paid 700,000 naira. In a video response, Ruby called Destiny a liar and explained that she had told Destiny about her busy schedule before the payment was made. Ruby stated that she would not refund the money and challenged Etiko to take further action, suggesting that she could only make up for it by appearing in Etiko's future movies. She had said, “You called me for work and said I am very busy. You have a lot of work at hand and you begged me to see how you can squeeze yourself to do the job so I am the only one who can play that character perfectly for you.”
“And I said, baby, I can't guarantee it, but if you think you can handle it, we'll see what happens. I said that before you paid, so stop lying.”
“You have seen the money. I will not refund it. Call Emeka Lawlas. I will not pay. Do your worst. The money is gone. I can only make up for it by starring in your next movie.”
However, the pair appear to have moved on from their differences and were recently spotted partying together and attending church together.
