The Nigerian film industry is once again in the spotlight as a heated feud between two Nollywood actresses, Laide Bakare and Eniola Badmus, unfolds publicly. The tension between the former friends reached a boiling point at the Owambe Thieves movie premiere in Lagos, culminating in a now-viral altercation that has set social media ablaze. In a recently released video, Laide Bakare addressed the incident for the first time, accusing Eniola Badmus of calculated provocation and character assassination. With emotions running high, Bakare held nothing back, referring to Badmus as "a devil" and accusing her of long-term bitterness and betrayal. “I want to first and foremost apologize to everyone who felt disappointed by my reaction in that video,” Bakare said. “But what happened was not accidental. Eniola knew the cameras were there. She kept coming at me deliberately, trying to trigger me.” The actress claimed that Badmus had orchestrated the confrontation for public spectacle, alleging that she was repeatedly harassed and cornered during the event. Bakare described the encounter as the tipping point of a pattern of personal attacks that had gone on for years, both in public and private spaces. “She kept truncating me, back to back, giving me serious body hits. I wasn’t even paying her any attention at first. But she wouldn’t stop. She even came into my DMs to insult me and I ignored her,” Bakare explained. “But you can't keep assassinating my character and expect me to stay silent.” Laide also took the opportunity to provide context to their strained relationship, revealing that their history dates back to the early 2000s. According to her, she and Eniola were once close, having known each other since their teenage years. “In my career of over 25 years, I’ve never experienced something like this. We’ve known each other since we were under 20. I was even there when she pretended to gain admission into the University of Ibadan. That’s how far back we go,” she said. In a particularly pointed moment, Bakare suggested that she had once played a pivotal role in Eniola’s rise to fame, implying a betrayal of trust and friendship. “You’re not okay, Eniola. You are evil. Someone like me cannot thrive in environments filled with hatred.” The video has divided public opinion, with fans and observers taking sides on social media. While some sympathize with Bakare’s emotional outburst and long simmering frustration, others have criticized both actresses for handling their differences publicly instead of resolving them privately. As of press time, Eniola Badmus has not issued a response to the allegations or the viral video. With the dust far from settled, this dramatic fallout between two Nollywood veterans has once again highlighted the blurred line between personal grievances and public spectacle in Nigeria’s celebrity culture.