"They Once Settled Their Rift": Iyabo Ojo Blames Fans for Reigniting Funke and Toyin’s Feud

"They Once Settled Their Rift": Iyabo Ojo Blames Fans for Reigniting Funke and Toyin’s Feud

Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has weighed in on the renewed tension between Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham after fan accusations at her recent film premiere sparked fresh drama.

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Ojo clarified that although the two stars have had their differences in the past, they had actually settled their rift before this latest flare-up.

She wrote, “For those of you maligning my character, insulting me, and calling me unprintable names, this is for you!! Now, I need to set the record straight. This is the first and last time I will be talking about anything like this……

“Funke and I have been friends for the longest, but there were times we fell out, fault on both sides,” she said. “I once came online to drag Funke because of Toyin’s movie. That was a wrong move on my part; I should have handled it better. Funke and I later made up, and we addressed all our issues and put them behind us.”

Iyabo revealed that she personally intervened to mediate peace between Funke and Toyin. “I tried my very best to settle both of them, cried, knelt down, begged both parties to embrace peace, which they both later did,” she said. “That’s the reason you saw them a few months ago interacting with one another.”

The peace was short-lived, however, as tensions flared again in December when Toyin Abraham voiced her frustrations over her film's cinema performance, alleging it was being sabotaged. Iyabo explained that fans mistakenly blamed Funke Akindele for the issues, which reignited their public dispute.

Iyabo explained that there was a clear agreement between the two: if any issues arose, they were to handle them privately rather than shading each other online. However, that pact fell apart in December when Toyin complained about her movie being sabotaged in cinemas. Fans quickly pointed the finger at Funke, which reignited their rivalry.

Additionally, Iyabo addressed Toyin’s last-minute decision to pull out of The Return of Arinzo, noting that the actress cited exhaustion and travel plans as the reasons for her withdrawal.

“I was upset because it cost me a lot to rewrite the story, but the show must go on. We had a deadline to film if I wanted my movie to premiere on April 3rd. She apologized, we made up, and the rest is history,” Iyabo said.

 Looking back at the situation, Iyabo Ojo called on fans to respect her choice to stop mediating between the two actresses and step away from the conflict.

“Honestly, all this saddened me because the sky is big enough for all. I have tried my best, but at this point, I can’t beg anyone anymore. I honestly don’t want to get involved anymore. Please, you all should respect that. When both parties are ready, they will make peace. I love them both regardless,” she said.

 Iyabo Ojo’s film is set for a nationwide cinema release starting April 3, 2026.

The latest tension stems from a viral video recorded at the Sunday premiere of Iyabo Ojo’s film at the Balmoral Event Centre in Lagos.

In the clip, Toyin Abraham is seen greeting Iyabo Ojo and other colleagues, such as Mercy Aigbe. However, Funke Akindele appeared to ignore her, looking away as she walked right past.