By Dimeji Ogedengbe
Most celebrity figures will likely face the difficult choice of being honest with their fans or altering the truth to suit them. All too often, these figures choose to tell those little white lies, but ultimately regret such decisions when they balloon into big publicity nightmares.
Just when many male fans of the talented-but-scandalized Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson, craved to get a chance to win an intimate encounter with her and take full autonomy of her incredible curves, a certain Edo-born prince named Odanosen Okojie supposedly got the ticket to Miss Johnson’s heart. The Nollywood star had no problem telling friends and fans that she would soon be leaving the bachelorettes’ club.
A traditional pre-wedding introduction was reportedly held at her family home in Ebira land (Okene, Kogi State) on Friday November 27, 2009, while the proper wedding was pencilled for April 2010.
NET reported on Thursday, December 10 2009 that Mercy’s Fiancé was given a list of things required for the engagement and marriage as confirmed by a reliable source.
Days, months rolled by, there was no sign of wedding invitations from neither Mr. Odanosen nor Mercy Johnson’s quarters; but speculations didn’t stop in the media, with different newspapers giving different dates for Mercy’s wedding. Either ways the anticipation was still high.
In July 2010, the Kogi-born actress still confirmed to NET excitedly in an interview that her wedding would hold before that year packed up; ‘I’m getting married but the date is not out’.
‘I don’t know why everybody keeps bringing up different dates. They should not worry. The wedding is coming up pretty soon, we are still organizing it. I am getting married. I’m engaged (with emphasis), they should relax’, she added.
‘He’s a good person. He seems to understand me. He’s a private person and for the fact that he understands me in my ‘silly’ nature, he’s awesome’, Johnson told us about her supposed fiancé during the interview. Interesting.
Where is this awesome gentleman and what’s causing the delays? Did she deceive her fans? Did the relationship collapse prematurely? Are they still together and working to execute the wedding or was it just a PR stunt?
However, Johnson, who is one of our favourite actresses of 2010, is not the only one that has ‘promised and failed’.
Many ‘celebrity lies’ were told in 2010. ‘Yahooze’ star Olumide Adegbulu better known as Olu Maintain also told a big lie about his union with a UK-based chartered accountant named Wendy Ajakaiye, whom he said he would walk down the aisle with, in the last quarter of 2010.
‘It is true; I am getting married very soon. Her name is Wendy and I met her in Los Angeles last year (2009) when I was out there recording. She was on holiday from the UK and coincidentally lodged in the same hotel on the same floor where I was staying. Her room was almost directly opposite mine. Instant telepathy ensued once I set my eyes on her. I knew she is the girl for me. She’s very beautiful, extremely intelligent, very career driven, tolerant, kind and very understanding’, Mr. Olu told City People Magazine in a June 2010 interview.
Those who are discerning about the happenings in the Nigerian showbiz environment would still recall that screaming headline on NET newspapers’ 2010 mid-June edition that read ‘WILL OLU MARRY THIS GIRL?’ It is March 2011; where is Olu Maintain and his supposed bride, Wendy Ajakaiye? Another lie or break up?
If all the former ‘Maintain group’ member needed at the time was publicity as his music career seemed not buying him spaces on the pages of newspapers anymore, then it must have worked well – no newspaper editor is interested in a non-newsworthy individual in his paper.
Meanwhile, most recently, Olu is being linked with another society lady Eunice Efole, but information is scanty as to the true state of her relationship as both of them have denied their romance speculations.
With celebs lying from both sides of the mouth, and their minders doing all possible best to conceal the truth, it’s not surprising that reporters are more desperate to get the scoop; digging deeper than ever before. Moreover, many now take statements from so-called stars with a pinch of salt.
When next Olu or Johnson announce they are hooked and settling down, would their fans take them seriously? Would the media think they are telling the truth? That would be Doubtful!
Telling the truth will always be best for any celebrity’s career on the long run, because when the truth becomes known, it is not a pretty picture.
Until the Nigerian entertainment scene becomes a proper industry like Hollywood, with an ocean of ready-made and emerging stars and billions of fan-base, an industry where taking fans for granted is almost a sin – knowing the negative turn it can take on their careers, the lies and the dump PR stunts will not stop.
16 comments
Nice write up. Everybody should be mindful of his or her utterances.
I just luv u baby,dnt mind pple’s mouth,dey are just jealous,i luv ur style, forget D ENEMIES OF PROGRESS! One luv darling
well so many things do happen but what i have to say is that people should be careful about what they vsay most especially when they are not sure of it.i still wonder y many actress have problem may be they need to study very well whoever they want to marry. i really wish there is a way i can get in touch with some of them, it is absurd mercy fighting patience what do they want people like us who have interest in actress to do.
i dont know if i can have mercy’s number cheers anyway i want to tell them to try and make up because there is no gain in fighting.
Go mercy! Go mercy go! Gal u are an awesome actress.Kip it up,cos you are gud at it.Nobody is perfect.
in dis world any goes.do wat is ryt 4 u,dnt loose ur head abt wat people says.in dis life wateva u do people wil talk,only give respect 2 anybody u meet ok i luv u
Mercy keep it up u are a gud actress, lovly and careing plz dnt mind wat dy say,a woman need to think b4 she act ok u are industrious keep it up we ur fan are with u.
mercy i lov u n d manner a mother lov and care 4 her child.
Pple tend 2 talk about u,dat’s d only way u knw u mata in d society. Just dnt get al workd up ova deir talks.
ONE LUV
Mercy, listen people can call you names and if you are not what they say you please flush them.only GOD defines who you are. fearfully and wonderfully made forgive and continue loving and move on.
My dear mercy carry go na baba God do an 4u. I luv babe
mercy love it is normal for people to talk it only become abnormal when people that are makin awful coment are more than the ones complimenting u.if u ask me i will say u are kul and i like ur sense of maturity in handling bt one advice my dear dnt go into any marriage dat will bring down a reputation u hv built all your life no man is woth it love u girl u are great kip it up…
Well I think this write up is not fair to either Olumide or Mercy marriage is not a union anybody just walk up to like going to buy banana in the market and except the right thing is done and favoured by God there is virtually nothing anyone would be able to do about marriage. Even in the so called hollywood there has been such and that stories of engagements marriages and at the same time even more rampant than anywhere in the world breakups so I think rather than blaming them for what they have not done we should encourage and pray for them to take that bold step. And moreover they are human beings with complicated life because of fame he would have been some other fellow who cares
Babe,never care about wat people say,just care about wat you do.God is your strength.
meme, neva mind wat pple sey…. The sky is ur limit. Luv u
I luv u mercy johnson u’ll get married one day