A fresh quarrel has erupted in Nollywood this Tuesday afternoon, and it all began with a podcast clip that refuses to stop circulating online.
Veteran actress Laide Bakare has publicly accused her colleague Eniola Badmus of trying to damage her image. The row followed the spread of a video in which Badmus was seen reacting with a visible change of expression when Bakare’s name came up during an interview on the Curiosity Made Me Ask podcast, hosted by Isbae U.
Bakare took to her Instagram page to air her grievance, and she did not hold back. She opened her post by calling Badmus a nuisance, using the Yoruba phrase “Nuisance ni lady yi sha!” She then said she had warned Badmus several times to stop speaking badly of her in public, and told her to expect to hear from her.
The actress also claimed she was a major figure in Badmus’ rise in the industry. According to her post, the facial reaction at the mention of her name showed a lack of gratitude toward someone she described as Badmus’ biggest benefactor. She tagged her own business page in the post and declared that she would not let the matter slide.
Despite the heat in her words, Bakare also tried to project calm. She said she would not allow another person’s insecurity to become her distraction, adding that she knows her journey, her worth, and the effort it took to get where she is today.
At the time of this report, Badmus had not publicly responded to the accusations in any of the coverage reviewed.
The podcast itself is already one of the most talked about shows in the country this week. Isbae U’s platform also made headlines earlier today after billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote accepted an invitation to appear on the show, which has pushed the programme further into the spotlight. Badmus, meanwhile, has recently drawn attention for speaking openly about an 87kg weight loss journey and about critics who still body-shame her.
For many fans, the question now is simple. Was the clip a harmless reaction that has been blown out of proportion, or does it point to a deeper break in a relationship that once looked solid? Social media users are split, with some defending Badmus’ right to react naturally to a name, while others say Bakare is entitled to feel disrespected after what she says she has done for her junior colleague.
Industry watchers say public disputes between popular actresses have a way of lifting the profile of everyone involved, especially when a hot podcast is at the centre of it. Whether this one ends in a reconciliation or grows into a full public battle will depend on what Badmus says next.
