![\"Branch\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Femi-Branch.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\nThe entertainment industry thrives on creativity, pressure, and intense personalities. It is a world where deadlines collide with egos, long hours test patience, and the pursuit of perfection can sometimes bring out the worst in people.\n<\/p>\n
While disagreements are expected on film and music sets, recent events across Nollywood have revealed a worrying trend of physical altercations involving actors, crew members, and production staff. From clashes over calls earlier this year to incidents sparking serious conversations about safety, professionalism, and mental health, the industry is confronting a new challenge. Oghenovo Egodo-Michael examines some recent disputes on set\n<\/p>\n
Peggy Ovire and Taye Arimoro\n<\/p>\n
One of the most talked-about incidents involved actress Peggy Ovire and actor Taye Arimoro. The confrontation became public after Arimoro posted videos showing visible injuries, captioned: \u201cAltercation with Peggy Ovire and her team..!\u201d<\/p>\n
According to him, the dispute began when he attempted to leave the set because it was getting late. He claimed that Ovire and some members of her team allegedly attacked him for insisting on leaving after his contracted working hours ended.\n<\/p>\n
A second video, shared as CCTV footage, appeared to show Ovire\u2019s team blocking Arimoro\u2019s car from leaving the location. The actor also livestreamed part of the confrontation on Instagram, explaining that he had simply wanted to wrap up his day but was met with hostility.\n<\/p>\n
Ovire, however, told Saturday Beats that the circulating clips did not reveal the full context of the incident. She insisted that the trouble started only after Arimoro allegedly assaulted two of her crew members and attempted to flee the set.<\/p>\n
According to her, the actor had no specific call time on the final day of shooting but unexpectedly walked off set without completing his remaining scenes.\n<\/p>\n
She explained, \u201cHe left the set, and the Production Manager came to meet him outside and asked him to give us 30 minutes since he had only two scenes left to shoot. Instead, he beat the guy up and still went to social media to paint a one-sided story.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Ovire maintained that she was preparing for her final scenes when the commotion erupted outside.\n<\/p>\n
She added that the situation escalated after her driver used her vehicle to block Arimoro\u2019s car from leaving, following the alleged assault on the production manager.\n<\/p>\n
The incident generated widespread online commentary, with many fans calling for an independent review. Industry observers have also urged producers to adopt firmer policies to protect crew members while ensuring that actors honour their contractual obligations and agreements.\n<\/p>\n
Anierobi \u201cNwa South\u201d Courage and Mary Eze\n<\/p>\n
Another incident that drew outrage involved Nollywood production manager and casting director Anierobi Courage, popularly known as Nwa South, who was arrested after allegedly assaulting the head of makeup artists, Mary Eze, on a Lagos film set.<\/p>\n
The altercation reportedly took place in October 2025 during the filming of Lagos to Opulence.\n<\/p>\n
A viral video showed the two engaged in a physical fight while exchanging insults. In the footage, Courage is seen grabbing Eze by the neck in an apparent attempt to strangle her.\n<\/p>\n
The intensity of the confrontation raised questions about the safety of makeup artists, costume teams, and other behind-the-scenes workers who often operate under high-pressure conditions with minimal protection.\n<\/p>\n
The Nigerian Film Crew Community released a strongly worded statement condemning Courage\u2019s actions, describing them as \u201canimalistic behaviour.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
The organisation said the assault occurred because Eze had spoken out against unequal treatment among the crew. According to the NFCC, \u201cThe production manager violently hit and strangled Mary Chizzy Eze for speaking up against unequal treatment among the crew. While she has received medical care, he has been arrested.\u201d <\/p>\n
In its announcement of Courage\u2019s arrest, the NFCC called on producers and stakeholders to \u201cblacklist Courage across all productions.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
The organisation concluded its statement with a firm stance against violence on set, declaring, \u201cThis level of disregard for human dignity is unacceptable. We stand firmly against all forms of abuse, assault, and crew maltreatment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The incident reignited advocacy for crew welfare, particularly for makeup artists and continuity staff, who are often the first on set and the last to leave.\n<\/p>\n
Femi Branch and assistant director\n<\/p>\n
Nollywood veteran Femi Branch also made headlines after he was accused of assaulting a first assistant director during a production in June 2025, although he later apologised.\n<\/p>\n
Reports indicated that the altercation stemmed from a disagreement over creative instructions. Eyewitnesses claimed that Branch became aggressive when the assistant director attempted to give directions regarding a scene.\n<\/p>\n
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A viral video showed an agitated Branch attempting to leave the set while being restrained by crew members. The actor repeatedly questioned the director, asking whether he had been invited on set \u201cto be embarrassed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Film Crew Community released an official statement addressing the incident. It read, \u201cOn 18 June 2025, during a production shoot, an actor, Femi Branch, physically assaulted the first Assistant Director on set. He slapped the first AD in the presence of witnesses, violating not only professional boundaries but basic human decency. Under pressure, an assurance of apology was given. Filming resumed under the 1st AD\u2019s instruction, and the actor later apologised to the 1st AD and the entire crew. We commend the entire production crew for standing firmly against violence and upholding respect and integrity on set.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Zubby Michael and Godwin Nnadikwe\n<\/p>\n
Popular actor Zubby Michael was also at the centre of controversy after his colleague, Godwin Nnadikwe, alleged that he was hospitalised following an unplanned and forceful kick during filming. Nnadikwe claimed the kick was not part of the script and was not directed by the filmmaker.\n<\/p>\n
The actor said he suffered internal pains and later revealed that he had to personally seek medical care because no insurance or first-aid support was available on set.\n<\/p>\n
In an Instagram post, he wrote, \u201cJust wanted to share an incident that happened on set a few days ago. This isn\u2019t to call anyone out, but it\u2019s a serious reminder to prioritise each other\u2019s safety on set. During a scene, I received a kick to the chest from my colleague, which wasn\u2019t part of the script or directed by the director. It\u2019s caused me serious pain. Had to get medication for my chest to feel better today. I did all these by myself. No assistance. When we\u2019re working without insurance policies or readily available first aid, unexpected physical actions like this, even if accidental, can have real consequences. Let us commit to sticking to the script and ensuring everyone feels safe and respected.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Shirley Igwe and crew member\n<\/p>\n
Earlier in the year, the Actors\u2019 Guild of Nigeria suspended actress Shirley Igwe over allegations that she assaulted a crew member on a film set in Lagos. The AGN made the suspension public in a letter signed by its president, Emeka Rollas, on behalf of filmmaking regulatory bodies and other authorities, including the Office of the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Governor.<\/p>\n
The letter stated, \u201cFollowing our preliminary investigations into the allegation of violence levelled against actress Shirley Igwe on a film set in Lagos, the National Executive Council has resolved to place her on indefinite suspension. This suspension is due to her professional misconduct, violence, and indiscipline\u2014actions capable of discrediting the acting profession. These offences contravene the actors\u2019 code of conduct and are punishable by constitutional provisions.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Members of the guild were also advised to refrain from working with her. The statement added, \u201cMembers are hereby directed to desist from participating in any film production involving her.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Igwe\u2019s suspension generated mixed reactions. Some industry players praised the AGN for taking a firm position, while others argued that both sides of the story were yet to be fully examined.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The entertainment industry thrives on creativity, pressure, and intense personalities. It is a world where deadlines collide with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":276942,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[6491,96,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-276941","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrities","8":"tag-celebrities","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=276941"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276941\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276942"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=276941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=276941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=276941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}