Nollywood veteran Taiwo Hassan has publicly rebuked Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham over their ongoing feud, urging both actresses to rise above what he described as an undignified clash. Speaking in an interview, Hassan said if the two women "have sense," they would recognize their achievements and stop the public discord. He emphasized that both have been "greatly favoured" in the industry and should not be entangled in disputes that overshadow their success. Hassan declined to take sides, adding that men who interfere in women's quarrels are "stupid" because such conflicts often spiral beyond resolution. He noted that minor issues among women tend to escalate into prolonged hostilities, making mediation nearly impossible.
The tension resurfaced at the March 29, 2026 premiere of Iyabo Ojo's film The Return of Arinzo, where a viral video showed Funke Akindele appearing to ignore Toyin Abraham's greeting. The moment triggered social media backlash, with reports that Abraham deleted a post vowing never to greet Akindele again, and that both unfollowed each other on Instagram. The incident reignited long-standing speculation about professional rivalry between the two top Nollywood stars, each known for box-office dominance—Akindele through hits like the Omo Ghetto series, and Abraham via her production ventures and dynamic performances.
Taiwo Hassan's intervention reveals how deeply personal egos have infiltrated Nollywood's upper echelon, with two of its biggest female stars allowing public image to erode over a snub. That he framed their conflict as something beyond male mediation does not absolve the actresses of responsibility—Akindele and Abraham are businesswomen with brands to manage. Their feud, played out in glances and unfollows, risks reducing their influence to tabloid spectacle. For Nigerian audiences, this drama offers less entertainment than disappointment, as icons who built empires seem unwilling to model maturity.
