Veteran actor Yemi Solade has apologised to his colleague, Afeez “Afeez Owo” Abiodun, for slapping him on a film set.
The altercation, which many were unaware of, occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State, and recently resurfaced after Yemi spoke about it in an August interview on the “Behind the Fame — African A-List” podcast.
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Although Yemi could not recall the exact date, month, or year of the incident, he carefully estimated that it happened more than twenty years ago.
At the time of the incident, Afeez
was serving as the production manager of the film (unknown title) in which Solade starred.
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In his apology, the 65-year-old acknowledged his actions, expressed regret, and revealed that he had already addressed the matter privately with some colleagues.
Yemi, who began his acting career at the age of seventeen, said: “Let me say I want to just apologise to Afeez Abiodun because I slapped him once. He was a production manager of a movie, but I can’t recall the exact year. We were filming somewhere in Oyo State, the outskirts of Ibadan. After shooting, we returned to the town and everywhere was pitch black. When you hear blackout in a village, that’s the real blackout. In a normal town, if there’s a blackout, you’ll still be seeing car lights or something.
“There, you couldn’t even see unless you’re wearing white. Naturally, in a situation like that, all the frustration and complaints fell on the production manager, and Afeez Owo wasn’t taking me seriously at that point, so I got infuriated. That slap came from nowhere in the dark and I didn’t like that. The next day, he left the location early, and we woke up and didn’t see him. Afeez, don’t be angry with me, it’s been a long time but I’m truly sorry.”
He further admitted that he detests insults, acknowledging that this might be his greatest weakness.
Yemi explained that because of this flaw, he deliberately avoids situations that could expose him to insult.
‘Brotherly correction’
However, during his appearance on the same podcast in a different episode aired in August, Afeez responded to the apology, stressing that he did not regard Yemi’s action as an offence.
When asked whether he had forgiven him, the renowned film director and producer explained that since the incident, he and Yemi, whom he described as a brother, had met and exchanged greetings.
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“Though he might have appealed to me then, maybe he felt he didn’t share it publicly, but since he did, that’s the end. I just see this as chastisement from my big brother”, said Afeez Owo, who stated that if anyone offended him, he addressed it instantly without harbouring grudges or malice.
He explained that he had long moved on from the matter and bore no grudge against Yemi, whom he described as an elder brother.
The actor added, “When I saw his (Yemi Solade) apology video, what came to my mind was that once someone admits their wrongs, there’s no need to hold grudges. Even if he hadn’t apologised directly to me, what I saw felt like a senior brother correcting his younger one. If my own brother chastised me, what would I do? Nothing but say thank you.
“What happened was that I was working as a production manager on a film in which he was an actor. On our way to the shooting location in a Fulani settlement in Ibadan, Oyo State, I told everyone to buy food along the way because the journey was long and the place remote—unless, of course, they wanted to eat raw meat when we got there. It seems he didn’t listen. Eventually, he became hungry, and that was what led to the slap. To me, it was simply my brother correcting me.”
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