BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Fans of popular Nollywood Actor, Yul Edochie, have lambasted him and his second wife, Judy Austin, for allegedly venturing into marital pranks, which they described as copyright infringement on the works of two famous prank stars.
Trouble started for Edochie last Thursday when he posted a prank video of himself and his controversial second wife. Edochie’s caption of the video read, “What have I gotten myself into? It seems this whole Judy Austin thing isn’t working out. What do I do? I tried talking to her calmly and this was her reaction.”
In the 12 minutes and 14 seconds video, posted on his verified Facebook page, the actor cum politician was seen tongue-lashing Judy for posting a video he had earlier instructed her not to make public. After chastising Judy, Edochie threatened to release damning contents about Judy, a Nollywood actress, to the public as pay-back.
However, the video elicited various reactions from fans of the former presidential aspirant, many of which lampooned the actor for allegedly mocking his first marriage with May, which had hit the rock and also misleading his fans in order to get attention.
The fans accused Edochie of copying the idea of two famous marital prank creators, Yanbaba, who is fondly called Odogwu Boo, and his on-screen partner, Queen Francis, popularly known as Aisha.
Some of those who reacted expressed disappointment at the actor and accused him of derailing in his acting career.
One of them, identified as Comrade Phils, wrote, “Dear Yul, you are an established actor. You do not have to create marital pranks and risk your private lives shared online to make money. You have all it takes to create professional contents and still earn that money while holding your head up high. We dey beg you bros, stop these childish things.”
Ben Drake, a Facebook user argued that Edochie was guilty of copyright infringement of the prank he put up, saying, “Does he (Edochie) know that he has committed copyright crime with this marital prank he posted? The idea belongs to Odogwu and Aisha and he could be sued for this if he doesn’t have the approval of the copyright owner before coming up with this video.”
A lady, Fatoumatta Rahman Coker, said, “Yul Edochie, I love you and your entire family but I have lost so much respect for you. Your behaviour clearly shows that you have family training but you do not use it. Your parents are one of the most respectable couple in Nigeria. So, no doubt, they have been telling you to stop disgracing your family and you are not listening. Put respect to your dad’s name and grow up. Please, your children are on social media and can see your every move. Respect them. Allah gave you a beautiful wife that respects you and has never once come on social media to disrespect you like Judy Austin is doing now but you abused what Allah gave you.
“Now, you are stock with a lady that has no respect for herself, her kids and yours. Even if this is acting you need to stop for the sake of your kids, they did not sign up for this. You are looking for attention the wrong way. You don’t need validation as you are one of Nollywood’s finest. You have just lost a child, may his soul rest in peace. So, stay out of social media and put yourself together. You are not the first to have a second wife and you will not be the last, so, please, stop rubbing it on people’s faces and stop pushing us to notice Judy. She has no crime for being a second wife but you guys are showing insensitivity in all areas. I still love you but the respect is gone.”
Another netizen, Charles Ogbu, wrote, “It’s exceedingly shameful to see once revered Nollywood screen god and a former presidential aspirant now reduced to a mere copy-cat prankster (not even an original idea from him). What Judy Austin cannot do doesn’t exist.”
