By Eze Chukwu
Popular Nollywood actor and fledgling politician, Mr. Yul Edochie, has said that the social media post announcing that he was married to a second wife and had a newborn son was a ruse aimed at gaining Nigerians’ attention on social media.
The actor had through his verified Instagram handle announced on Wednesday that his second wife, Judy Austin, who is also said to be a Nigerian actress, gave birth to a baby boy, sharing pictures of himself and the little boy.
The post was a subject of heated controversy with many people condemning him for becoming a polygamist.
The actor had written: “It’s time for the world to meet my son. His name is Star Dike Munachimso Yul-Edochie.
“Born by my second wife; Judy Austin. And I love him so much, just as much as I love my other children (sic).”
Commenting on the post, Yul’s first wife, May, said, “May God judge you both.”
Amidst the controversy, the 40-year-old popular actor again took to his Instagram account showering praises on his ‘first wife’, May Edochie, describing her as “Number One” and “Undisputed.”
Later on Thursday, Mr. Edochie again took to his Instagram to post a smiling picture of himself, captioned: “Real men own up and take responsibility. Fake men dey hide for back dey run am.”
But following heated controversy generated by the post, Yul, yet, in another post on his verified handle on Friday, said he was only “acting a movie”, to see how people will react to it.
He said he played the prank because Nigerians did not pay much attention to his political ambition as he expected when he ran for the office of the Governor of Anambra State in 2017.
The movie star, who polled 145 votes during the Anambra Governorship Election, on his birthday on January 7, this year, also declared his intention to run for presidency in 2023.
He wrote: “So I fit break Internet like this? So I can get over 60k comments on one post?
“But I dey act film, dey give una Hollywood performances since una no send me. Best voice, una no send me.
“I ran for Governor, una no send me. I wan run for President, una no still send me.
“But na dis one scatter Internet. Na dis one come make una send me finally. Na waa for una oo.”
Reacting to the post, some of his followers said they couldn’t believe he posted it while others said even with the development, “we didn’t send you.”
Some observers had said that given his family background and the strict disposition of his father, Ebubedike Pete Edochie, it was never expected that Yul will capitulate so quickly and embark on a journey that can dent the reputation of his family.
Other analysts still wondered why his father never reacted since the controversy, stressing that his father might have decoded the entire episode as another “Nollywood movie scene”.
Analysts who claim to know Pete very closely said he brought up his children and several others he trained in strict Catholic tradition, pointing out that “it is only satan with seven horns that can detract those who grew up under his tutelage to detract from expected norms” (Additional reports from Daily Trust).
