Desola Afod, the wife of popular Yoruba film actor Kunle Afod, has publicly retracted her controversial comments regarding practitioners in the Yoruba movie industry. Her decision comes after intense criticism from prominent Nollywood personalities who took offense at her sweeping generalizations.
The Initial Warning and Industry Backlash
The controversy began when Desola shared a video issuing a stern warning to actors and actresses in the Yoruba film scene. She expressed frustration over individuals addressing her by her first name without proper respect, emphasizing that she is 44 years old and would no longer tolerate what she viewed as disrespect.
Her remarks sparked immediate reactions from prominent figures within the profession. Actress Bimbo Success advised her to exercise restraint, noting that industry stakeholders had remained silent primarily out of respect for her husband. Similarly, actress Wumi Toriola labeled the comments disrespectful to the entire profession, urging Desola to call out specific offenders rather than making broad criticisms. Toriola even suggested that Desola return to her maiden name if the Afod surname posed such challenges.
Afeez Owo Intervenes to Calm Tensions
Following the widespread outcry, Desola Afod took to her Instagram page to offer a formal clarification and apology. She explicitly withdrew her general statements about theater practitioners, clarifying that she never intended to cast the entire industry in a negative light.
In her message, Desola credited veteran actor Afeez Owo as the voice of reason who guided her toward making amends. She shared screenshots of a phone call and follow up messages with Owo, who offered his blessings after she confirmed the public retraction was posted.
While her updated statement adopts a far more conciliatory tone, Desola maintained that specific individuals within the industry still bear responsibility for their personal interactions with her.