Celebrities who moved from foes to friends

In recent weeks, some entertainers have been in the spotlight because of their rollercoaster relationships. From bitter enemies to newfound friends, the journey of reconciliation has captivated colleagues and fans alike. Oghenovo Egodo-Michael take a look at notable reconciliations that have taken place in the entertainment industry

Toyin Abraham and Funke Akindele

In a candid revelation, Toyin Abraham shed light on the competitive landscape of Nollywood that had fostered animosity among colleagues. In a heartfelt Instagram post addressed to her perceived rival, Funke Akindele, Toyin called for an end to the silent enmity that had clouded their relationship. In an Instagram post, Toyin had written, “Nollywood people, stop tearing the industry down with your gossip. You have caused lots of damage with ‘he-said, she-said’. In those days of the Yoruba film industry, @funkeakindele was like number one after the likes of Aunty Bukky and Aunty Faithia. I was the next in line. The competition was much and with much gossip in between, we became competitors and persona non grata. You don’t own the industry; the industry is bigger than you.”

Abraham acknowledged the damaging effects of industry gossip and emphasised the need for unity among industry players, urging fans to rise above divisive narratives. This is not the first time the actress was talking about the rivalry between her and her colleague. In a radio interview in 2021, Abraham encouraged fans to not pay attention to social media rumours when another actress, Iyabo Ojo had accused Funke Akindele of paying someone to write a bad review on one of her (Toyin Abraham) movies, the ghost and the tout. However, Abraham had said, “She (Akindele) is my senior colleague, and she is someone I respect a lot; so, I do not know what people are talking about, trust me. She is one of the few people I look up to. Sometimes, people do not understand that we are colleagues and not family. So, you cannot be talking to all your colleagues. We talk, we follow each other.

“If I see her, I will kneel down and say, ‘Aunty Funke se wa okay?’.

She had also stated that they do not have to be friends to successfully be colleagues. “A lot of people do not understand that we are working in the same space; we do not have to be close friends. When we see ourselves, we greet each other. Forget social media, trust me,” she stated.

There have also been times where fans were divided because the actresses had dropped their movies at the same time forcing fans to make a pick on who to watch and drop their reviews.

Bnxn and Ruger

The music industry witnessed a surprising reconciliation between Daniel Benson, known as Bnxn, and Michael Olayinka, also known as Ruger. Despite their turbulent history of social media spats and public disagreements, the duo set aside their differences to collaborate on a joint album titled RMD in April 2024.

Prior to the release of their album, the once bitter rivals had engaged in heated debates over their musical prowess, with fans caught in the crossfire of their competitive banter which started when Ruger hosted a question and answer session with some fans. During the Q & A session, a fan with the username, BXNX 001 had opined, “Lol bnxn is better than you and there’s nothing you can do about it you this low budget Samuel L Jackson.”

Reacting to the claims, Ruger had taken to his twitter to respond, “I love buju he’s good but he’s not better than me. Everything I’ve done since the beginning was only RUGER. All my hits are JUST RUGER. I’m always proud going on stage around the world with my own hits and everyone is singing along. You see the difference?.”

Since then, their back and forth did not stop with Ruger subsequently going on to bodyshame Bxnx and calling him fat while Bxnx had accused Ruger of using stream farms to boost his music on streaming apps.

However, in September 2022, when Bxnx won the Next rated artiste at the 15th Headies Award which was held at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, he dedicated the award to Ruger. He had said, “This is for Ayra, This is for Ruger, I love this boy.”

Wasiu Alabi and Saheed Osupa

Fuji music fans were thrilled when veteran musicians Wasiu Ayinde a.k.a. K1 de Ultimate, Saheed Osupa, and Wasiu Alabi a.k.a. Pasuma were seen together at an event in August 2023 after a long-standing feud. The trio, who hadn’t been on good terms, surprised everyone by performing together at Islamic singer Ahmad Alawiye’s 50th birthday party. During the event, they entertained guests, with K1 de Ultimate leading the performance. Osupa and Pasuma joined him on stage, marking a significant reunion in the Fuji music industry. Their reconciliation sparked excitement among fans, who hope for future collaborations to bury past disputes.

Some years ago, Pasuma and Osupa had fallen out, and went on to release songs and even albums attacking each other. Their rift also spilled to Wasiu Ayinde aka K1, particularly because of his closeness to Pasuma.

The rift between Saheed Osupa and Pasuma was fueled by a combination of factors, including competition for supremacy in the Fuji music industry, clashes of egos, and misunderstandings that escalated over time. Both artistes were vying for the title of the top Fuji musician, leading to a sense of rivalry and causing them to try to outdo each other.

Additionally, there were reports of disagreements over music collaborations, performance opportunities, and personal differences that further strained their relationship. As their careers continued to soar and their fan bases grew, the tensions between Saheed Osupa and Pasuma got even worse.

Ay and Basketmouth

After so many years of rift between popular comedians, Bright Okpocha aka Basketmouth and Ayo Makun aka AY, they eventually found a way to put their differences aside and reconcile. The turning point in their relationship came when they realised that their rivalry had overshadowed the friendship they had once shared. Both comedians understood that their bond went beyond professional competition and that they had a mutual respect for each other’s talent and hard work.

The rift between Basketmouth and AY stemmed from a series of misunderstandings and professional disagreements. In an interview with Chude Jideonwo in 2023, AY disclosed the origin of his 17-year feud with comedian Basketmouth, tracing it back to an unpaid sum of N30,000 for a performance. Initially, AY was frequently called on by Basketmouth to perform at events, but the feud began when AY substituted for Basketmouth at an event, expecting to receive the usual payment of N30,000. However, he didn’t receive the payment, leading to financial difficulties for AY. In the interview, AY had revealed, “I got this job, and the people weren’t too happy to see me because they were expecting a Basketmouth to come. Long story short, the guy was later happy after the performance. There was an exchange of contact. Then I left.

“Two weeks running, I hadn’t seen N30,000. Because I didn’t see the N30,000, I was starving in Iponri. I decided to ask for N30,000 and he said this person hasn’t remitted. He said they were not happy.”

AY said that a fight started when he showed a picture of his conversations with both parties. He added that this caused the feud between them.

He said, “It was very funny to hear from them that this full payment has been made long before the event.”

Basketmouth initially chose not to respond to AY’s allegations, expressing his reluctance to engage further with him. However, he later reversed his stance, issuing an apology to AY and others in the industry for any harm he may have caused. In a video posted on his Instagram, Basketmouth had said, “To my guy AY, I don’t know if my apology is still valid right now, but if it is, please forgive me for whatever I have done or said in the past that affected you in any way and I want you to know that I have forgiven you for whatever you said or did, knowingly or unknowingly. I just want peace and harmony.”

Ruby Orjiakor and Destiny Etiko

In July 2023, Nollywood actress Destiny Etiko called out her colleague Ruby Orjiakor regarding an unpaid debt. Destiny claimed Ruby failed to show up for a movie after being paid N700,000. In her video response, Ruby called Destiny a liar and explained that she had informed Destiny of her busy schedule before payment was made. Ruby stated she wouldn’t refund the money and challenged Etiko to take further action, suggesting she could only make up for it by starring in Etiko’s future movies. She had said, “You called me for a job, and I told you that I’m very busy; I have so many jobs at hand, and you begged me to see how I can squeeze myself to do the job that I’m the only one that can interpret that character perfectly well for you.

“And I said, babe, I’m not assuring you, but if you think you can cope, let’s see how it goes. I told you before you paid in. So stop lying.

“You see that money; I will not refund it. Call Emeka Rollas. I will not pay. Do your worst. I have spent the money, and I can only make up for it by starring in your subsequent movie.”

However, it seems the two have put their disagreement behind them and moved on. In recent times, they have been seen partying and even attended church together.