Jim Iyke reflects on fatherhood, relationship with Kate Henshaw

Nigerian veteran actor and entrepreneur, Jim Iyke, has offered insight into his personal life and guiding principles.

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Speaking during a recent rapid-fire interview with BBC News Pidgin, posted on Facebook, the actor recounted one of his most emotional personal moments, involving his son.

“When my boy looked at me, I came in one day, my boy, I was showing my boy some things about what I was going to create and everything.

“And he looked at me for one second, I’m like, why is he staring at me like that? He said, Papa, you’re a genius. I’m not a crying man, as you all know, but I went to the bathroom like something was wrong and I had a quiet cry,” he said.

He further described the birth of his son as the happiest moment of his life, calling it transformative, while noting that the loss of his mother remains his most painful experience.

On the subject of marriage and his status, however, he remained guarded, describing his stance as “extremely middle.”

Iyke has previously confirmed he has three children, including his first son born in 2015 to his Lithuanian ex-partner, and another son, JJ, who turned seven in February 2025.

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Enter Kate Henshaw

Reflecting on his career, Iyke highlighted his admiration for Kate Henshaw, whom he described as one of the “best actresses he enjoys working with.

He made headlines in July 2025, where he shared a poetic message to mark Henshaw’s 54th birthday, in which he admitted that, in his younger years, he had strong romantic and sexual feelings for her. Iyke also suggested that she “friend-zoned” him at the time, despite her support for him early in his career.

The post sparked widespread reactions online, with many interpreting it as confirmation of a past romantic or intimate relationship between the two actors.

However, Iyke later clarified that the tone of the message was largely expressive “wordplay” rooted in the deep familiarity they share after more than two decades of friendship. He stressed that their current relationship is strictly platonic, describing Henshaw as a sister and one of the few people he trusts completely.

Henshaw also responded calmly, acknowledging the message with humour and appreciation, while maintaining the tone of mutual respect between them.

Sabotage

The veteran actor in the BBC interview also raised fresh concerns about what he describes as entrenched sabotage within the country’s film industry, Nollywood.

He identified sabotage among industry stakeholders as the single issue he would most like to eliminate.

“One thing I would love to remove in Nollywood, ah, the sabotage. They can’t help themselves. They need therapy,” he said.

Iyke’s remarks add to a growing conversation about internal tensions within Nollywood, even as the industry gains increased global recognition and commercial success.

Despite his concerns, Iyke defended Nollywood’s global standing, insisting that the industry’s talent and output cannot be dismissed. According to him, recent productions are reshaping international perceptions of African cinema and proving the competence of Nigerian actors on the world stage.

His sabotage claims echo similar sentiments previously expressed by other industry figures. Actress Damilola Oni alleged that a senior colleague once sabotaged her career by refusing to share a set with her, leading to her demotion from a lead role. Filmmaker Lilian Afegbai has also criticised what she described as growing “segregation” within Nollywood, where actors are categorised and excluded based on whether they are seen as “YouTube faces” or “cinema faces”.

Veteran director Lancelot Imasuen has similarly lamented divisions in the industry, noting a decline in collaboration among practitioners. At the same time, Genevieve Nnaji has previously raised concerns about limited support and funding for filmmakers outside established industry circles.

Producers Toyin Abraham, Niyi Akinmolayan, and Ini Edo have also alleged “cinema sabotage”, accusing some cinema operators of assigning unfavourable screening times to their films in preference for competing projects.

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde recently reflected on the 2004/2005 ban of several A-list stars (including herself, Jim Iyke, and Ramsey Nouah), stating that powerful marketers blacklisted them for demanding higher standards and professionalism. She described this as a deliberate attempt to suppress actors who “pushed for standards” that clashed with distributors’ interests.

In late 2024, Femi Branch accused cinema staff of unethical practices, alleging they deliberately sidelined certain movies while openly promoting others by wearing branded T-shirts for specific “favoured” films.

Zubby Michael criticised casting politics, claiming that some producers intentionally cast “familiar faces” over more capable actors even when it hurts the film’s quality, which he views as a form of self-sabotage for the industry’s global reputation

However, not all stakeholders agree with the sabotage narrative. Media entrepreneur Mo Abudu has pushed back against such claims, arguing that what is often perceived as sabotage may reflect market realities driven by audience demand rather than deliberate attempts to undermine colleagues.