Renowned Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has tendered a sincere public apology to fellow actor and filmmaker Afeez Abiodun, also known as Afeez Owo, over a physical confrontation that happened more than twenty years ago during a movie shoot.
Speaking during a recent episode of Behind the Fame African A-List, Solade reflected on the incident, which occurred on a film set in a rural area near Ibadan. At the time, Afeez was the production manager for the project.
Solade recalled that tensions rose after filming ended and the area was hit by a power outage. Upset by Afeez’s perceived indifference to the issue, he admitted that he lost control and slapped him.
“Let me apologise to Afeez Abiodun. I slapped him once. He was the production manager of a movie, I can’t recall the year exactly. We got to the town outskirts of Ibadan, and when we finished filming, there was a blackout. As the production manager, he was the one we’d lay our accusations and frustrations on. It got me infuriated because he wasn’t taking me seriously, and that slap came from nowhere, in the dark. I didn’t like that.”
According to Solade, Afeez left the set the next morning without saying a word, and the incident had troubled him for years.
“Afeez, I’m sorry. Mabinu simi [please don’t be offended with me]. It’s been a long time, like 20 years. I’ve complained bitterly to some people before, but let me just stick to Afeez directly. I don’t like insults, and that could be my weakness.”
The actor’s emotional apology has sparked conversations about maturity, accountability, and reconciliation within the Nigerian film industry.