Around and about Moviedom this first quarter

The year had barely started and some practitioners in Moviedom are already in the news for the right and wrong reasons. Here are some of the newsmakers….

Rita Dominic
STAR actress Rita Uchenna Nkem Dominic Nwaturoucha broke the Internet during the week and sent social media into frenzy when she shared the pre-wedding pictures of her anticipated wedding to media entrepreneur Fidelis Anosike.

Rita, co-founder of The Audrey Silva Company (TASK) and debonair Anosike have been an item for some time now. But in a matter of days, the Imo state born actress will be joined in matrimony with Anosike, founder of Folio Media Group, a multi-media company, which owns Daily Times Nigeria. Close sources say all roads will lead to Imo on April 18 and 19 for what has been dubbed the wedding of the year.

An actress that is extremely private about her personal life, the well-decorated University of Port Harcourt trained actress nailed several months of speculation about her relationship with Anosike when she took to her social media handles in December 2021 to reveal the identity of her partner. Not only did her action put paid to speculations, it only meant that it will just be a matter for the 46 years old actress and star of La Femme Anjola, 76, The Meeting, and Surulere to be de-listed from the long list of Nollywood’s bachelorette.

Mercy Aigbe
IT was not long ago that the dust over the controversial marriage between Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe and media entrepreneur Kazim Adeoti. Social media was thrown to frenzy when Aigbe released photos, which revealed that she has found a replacement for her ex-husband Lanre Gentry.

Social media quacked when Kazim Adeoti’s first wife Oluwafunsho accused Aigbe of having extramarital affair with her husband, Kazim Adeoti while she was married to ex, Lanre Gentry. Oluwafunsho has alleged that Aigbe “slept with Kazim when her son was 5 months old and she was still married.”

Unsavoury comments greeted the accusation by Adeoti’s first wife who also alleged that Aigbe used the opportunity of being her friend to dot on her husband and eventually married him. But reacting to the accusations, Aigbe clarified that she was never friend with the first wife and so she never snatched Adeoti from anyone. She, however, stated that she is happy as a second wife.

Observers believe that what may have put the whole accusation and counter accusation to rest is the declaration by Kazim Adeoti that as a Muslim, he had the right to more than one wife. No salvo yet from either camp since that declaration.

John Okafor aka Ibu
SOME scam artists sent panic across Nollywood when they sent out messages soliciting funds for medical support for notable Nollywood actor John Okafor aka Mr Ibu. They had claimed that the actor was seriously ill and needs funds urgently for a major surgery.

But Okafor didn’t authorise the message. Even though he was ill at the time and was hospitalised for days, Okafor was not soliciting funds for his treatment. The comic actor, who bashed those soliciting for funds on his behalf without his consent, was hospitalised after being poisoned for the third time in about three years.

It will be recalled that in 2020, the actor alleged that he was poisoned at an event he attended in Abuja. Okafor who hails from Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State also alleged in 2019 that some members of his staff were paid by his kinsmen to kill him because of his successful career.

Okafor has since been discharged and was seen on a movie set during the week. He released a video upon being discharged where he jokingly stated that he has been discharged to use his waist on his wife. The 62 years old actor also thanked the leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria for paying him a visit at the hospital.

Regarded as one of Nollywood’s top rated comic acts, Okafor is star of movies such as Mr.Ibu, Ibu in London, 9 Wives and A Fool At Forty.

Nkechi Blessing
POPULAR Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing and her husband, Opeyemi Falegan are no longer man and wife. The embattled couple announced that they are no longer together in separate videos released on their social media handles.

Their outburst and the news of their break-up have continued to trend. It is believed to be the most trending topic in Nollywood as at this weekend. In a series of posts they shared via Instagram, both Nkechi and Falegan recounted the various reasons their marriage crashed.

Falegan reportedly accused Nkechi of being a lesbian, while Nkechi was quoted as saying that the marriage crashed over infidelity allegations. Nkechi also accused Falegan of being a jobless man who would stay at home for months without doing anything. She denied Falegan’s claim that he dumped her stating that she did the walking away from the marriage after she sent him out of her hotel room in February.

On the allegation that she is a lesbian, the actress in a widely circulated video affirmed that she has had female sexual partners and looks forward to having more.

“I’m coming out with my full chest that I’m a lesbian, so what now happened? This life will end? If you say I’m a lesbian, yes with my full chest, I am… if that’s what you want to hear.”

The estranged couples have continued to drag themselves on social media. Just yesterday, Falegan released a video where he alleged that Nkechi dated for financial benefits and sex. Although he apologised for his earlier outburst following their messy break-up, Falegan declared in the video that Nkechi came into his life “for two things; money and sex.” He also said, “she knew I was a philanthropist; she knew I helped a lot of people. This woman nearly drained me.”

Tonto Dike
IT is becoming one day, one controversy for sultry Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh. Last week, it was Tonto and her estranged lover Prince Kpokpogiri throwing vocal punches at each other on Instagram. This week, it is Tonto versus her colleague Ada Karl, who accused the actress and mother of one of unpaid debt from 15 years ago.

Ada Karl has slammed Dikeh for gifting diamonds to her former boyfriend, despite owing her for several years. She also claimed that she had sponsored Dikeh’s entry into the film industry, but had received no return on her investment. In her reaction, which she shared on Instagram, Tonto expressed disappointment that Ada had to take the issue to social media instead of approaching her privately for payback.

Ada has not replied Tonto, but she is most likely going to do so. Star of Men in Love, Dirty Secrets and Pleasure and Crime, Tonto was once married to Olakunle Churchill, but the union packed up controversially in 2017.