The red carpet at the Owambe Thieves premiere was supposed to be all about glamour, celebration, and Nollywood excitement — and for the most part it delivered exactly that. But the moment that has truly taken over social media had nothing to do with the film. A tense and very public near-confrontation between actresses Eniola Badmus and Laide Bakare stole the headlines from the night — and the viral video has left fans with plenty to talk about.
The Night That Had It All
Held on Sunday April 13 2025 at Filmhouse Circle Mall in Jakande Lagos, the premiere of Eniola Ajao's highly anticipated film Owambe Thieves was one of the most talked-about Nollywood events of the season. The night drew an impressive gathering of Nollywood's finest actors, influencers, musicians, and entertainment industry heavyweights — all coming together to celebrate what is already shaping up to be one of the biggest Yoruba Nollywood releases of the year.
The atmosphere was electric, the outfits were stunning, and the energy on the red carpet was everything a premiere should be. But as the night wore on it became clear that the most memorable moment would not come from the film itself.
The Moment That Went Viral — Eniola Badmus and Laide Bakare
In a video that has since spread rapidly across Instagram and X, Eniola Badmus is seen reacting sharply and visibly to the presence of actress Laide Bakare on the dance floor. The body language was unmistakable — Badmus stepped away from the area where Bakare was and made her feelings about the situation absolutely clear.
Her words, spoken in Yoruba, were direct and unambiguous:
"Don't film us together — we are not friends."
The clip captured the attention of everyone who saw it. In a room full of celebrities and cameras, openly declaring that you do not want to be filmed alongside a fellow actress is about as public a statement as it gets — and Nigerians on social media immediately took notice.
The History Behind the Tension
For those wondering where this animosity between the two actresses comes from the answer lies in a prior fallout that has clearly never been fully resolved. The tension between Eniola Badmus and Laide Bakare stems from an earlier incident in which Badmus accused Bakare of making deeply insensitive and hurtful comments about her personal life — specifically remarks touching on her not having children or a family of her own.
For Eniola Badmus those comments clearly cut deep. Comments about a woman's reproductive choices or family status are among the most personal and painful things that can be said publicly — and the fact that they came from a fellow actress in the same industry made the wound even harder to heal.
While Laide Bakare subsequently attempted to clarify that her remarks had been misunderstood the explanation apparently did little to repair the relationship. The premiere of Owambe Thieves made it clear — in the most public way possible — that as far as Eniola Badmus is concerned the matter is far from settled.
How Fans Reacted — Laughter, Support, and Everything in Between
Social media users did not waste any time weighing in on the viral moment. The reactions were a delightful mix of laughter, analysis, and outright admiration for Eniola Badmus's unapologetic boundary setting.
@shabril2503 helpfully translated for non-Yoruba speakers: "For non-Yoruba speakers she said we are not friends and I do not want drama."
@ashipablog offered their own reading of the situation: "Eniola is maintaining her lane — it is rather Eniola cruising, nothing serious."
@afh_drinks kept it simple and funny: "Mi o fe drama o — Eni eleni."
The overall tone of the reactions leaned heavily toward supporting Eniola Badmus — with many fans praising her for standing her ground and making her position clear rather than pretending everything was fine for the sake of appearances. In the court of social media opinion she appeared to win the night.
What This Moment Says About Nollywood's Complex Relationships
Celebrity feuds in Nollywood are nothing new. The industry is filled with talented, opinionated, and deeply passionate individuals who spend enormous amounts of time in each other's professional orbit — and where there are strong personalities there will inevitably be conflicts.
But what makes moments like this one particularly interesting is what they reveal about the way unresolved personal disputes play out in very public spaces. A premiere — with cameras everywhere and hundreds of industry eyes watching — is perhaps the most high stakes environment imaginable for two people who are not on good terms to find themselves sharing the same room.
The fact that Eniola Badmus chose not to pretend, not to smile through gritted teeth for the cameras, and instead to simply and clearly state her position speaks to a broader shift in how many Nigerian celebrities are choosing to handle conflict. The era of forcing fake smiles and pretending all is well for the sake of industry politics appears to be fading — and in its place is a more direct and honest approach to navigating relationships that have broken down.
Will These Two Ever Reconcile?
That is the question fans are now asking. Given the public and very visible nature of what happened at the Owambe Thieves premiere reconciliation — if it comes — will also need to be public and convincing to satisfy the audience that has been watching this situation unfold.
Whether Laide Bakare will respond to the viral video, whether Eniola Badmus will eventually soften her position, or whether the two will simply continue to exist in the same industry while keeping their distance from each other remains to be seen. For now Nigeria is watching — and waiting.
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