In Nigeria’s vibrant entertainment scene, certain celebrities stand out not just for their talent, but also for the disuniting reactions they provoke among the public.
Burna Boy, DJ Cuppy, and five other prominent figures find themselves amid this mix of admiration and scepticism.
While many fans celebrate their achievements, others harbour doubts or criticisms. This diversity of opinion adds layers to their fame and shapes the way Nigerians perceive them.
Glamsquad delves into the complexities of these celebrities and the diverse array of sentiments they have.
Burna Boy
Afrobeats singer, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu better known as Burna Boy is an artist the public has always had mixed feelings about.
It has to be acknowledged that he is a great singer, his personality puts Nigerians off. The fact that he tags himself ‘African Giant’ has always gotten him at a crossroads not only with fans but also with his colleagues in the music industry.
Whenever Burna Boy makes headlines for reasons other than his musical achievements, it’s often for something negative.
While Nigerians generally have affection for Burna, there are moments when their feelings towards him change, like when he kicked a fan at his concert.
Do you remember when he openly insulted fans who patiently waited for hours at his concert? That didn’t sit well with people at all. Moreover, Burna has criticized the genre of music he’s known for, claiming it lacks substance, and even disassociated himself from being labelled as an Afrobeats artist. Although Nigerians may admire Burna, they’re not willing to overlook his misbehaviour when it happens.
DJ Cuppy
Disk Jockey and singer, Florence Otedola better known as DJ Cuppy is another celebrity Nigerians have mixed feelings about for some reasons.
While the billionaire heiress goes about her celebrity lifestyle, people have mixed feelings about her due to her playful and carefree personality. In contrast, others attribute it to her love for the colour pink. Additionally, some individuals think it’s because of her efforts in the music industry.
While it is worth noting that she barely gets involved in scandals, she faces backlash for almost everything on social media. We often wonder if it’s because her father is among the wealthiest in Nigeria.
Pyhna
Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Ijeoma Josephina Otabor better known as Phyna is one celebrity whose words alone evoke mixed feelings among Nigerians.
No matter how little her words and actions are, Phyna always ends up making headlines on social media. and faces backlash.
Glamsquad recalls when Phyna opened up about her life journey and expressed her genuine opinion about abortions. We also recall when Davido publicly claimed he didn’t know her. Nigerians certainly didn’t let that slide and took the opportunity to criticize her extensively.
Toke Makinwa
Media Personality, Toke Makinwa can’t just do right in the sight of some Nigerians.
Toke’s case has proven that having a talk show where you discuss various issues can trigger people in the wrong way. Some simply don’t like the fact that she is everywhere. Aside from being a media girl, she is an actress, fashion icon and budding entrepreneur.
One incident that stands out is when she attended the United Nations COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai in December 2023, an event attended by climate change advocates. Nigerians questioned her presence there and criticized her fashion choices.
As expected, many focused on her Brazilin Butt Lift (BBL) surgery and slammed her for still being single after years of divorcing her husband, Maje Ayida.
Yul Edochie
Nollywood actor turned clergyman, Yul Edochie is one of the few male celebrities Nigerians will forever have mixed feelings about.
His trouble began when rumours of infidelity with his junior colleague, Judy Austin surfaced on social media.
However, the matter worsened when he chose to marry Judy Austin second wife after she became pregnant. His decision deeply upset his first wife, May who is also the mother of their four children. Sadly, amidst this turmoil, they also suffered the tragic loss of their first son, Kambilichukwu.
After the passing of his first son, despite being in mourning, Yul faced severe criticism for living life as though nothing happened. The situation escalated when May, served him with divorce papers.
Adding to the turmoil, Yul, a failed presidential aspirant unexpectedly began campaigning for Bola Tinubu as his preferred presidential candidate which many Nigerians opposed.
Although social media users generally enjoy couple content, this actor’s posts featuring his second wife, Judy Austin, often generated mixed feelings. The constant criticism took a toll on Yul leading him to express feeling bullied on social media.
Yul compared himself to the late singer Mohbad, an act which didn’t sit well with Nigerians.
Eniola Badmus
Nollywood actress, Eniola Badmus will continue to generate emotion of mixed feelings from Nigerians.
Nigerians criticised Eniola for her plus-size body. However, when she took appropriate measures to lose weight and showed off her new curves, they still found fault, criticizing how she lost the weight.
The most intense backlash came when she openly campaigned for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election campaign. Her support for him sparked even more hatred towards her, and the criticism has continued ever since.
Toyin Abraham
Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Toyin Abraham-Ajewole is another female celebrity Nigerians have mixed feelings about.
Nigerians have criticised her films while noting that her acting skills and storylines are nothing to write home about. She has also continued to trend on social media for campaigning for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 general election. Recall that during that period she bagged the name ‘Asiwaju Baby’.
Aside from the constant mixed feelings, Nigerians boycotted her latest movie ‘Malaika’ and constantly rubbed Funke Akindele’s ‘The Tribe Called Judah’ on her.
Read Also: Uche Maduagwu criticizes Tiwa Savage for not Joining the call for Justice for Mohbad (video)