SPOTLIGHTS
- Jegede initially defended Yul Edochie’s decision to take a second wife
- The actress received backlash online for her comments, which many deemed insensitive towards May Edochie
- Jegede has since apologised for her statements and clarified that she did not intend to trivialise May’s pain
- The actress maintains that her intention was to spark a conversation about polygamy and its cultural context
By Rita Okoye, Lagos
Nollywood actress Yvonne Jegede has issued a public apology to May Edochie, the estranged wife of her colleague, Yul Edochie, over her earlier support for the actor’s second marriage to Judy Austin.
In an earlier interview on ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast, Jegede stated that Yul had done nothing wrong by marrying Austin. The actress argued that many criticising Yul’s second marriage came from polygamous families.
Jegede questioned why people were still insulting Yul over his choice of a second wife while making Regina Daniel’s marriage a prayer point and wishing to get marital advice from her.
Following the backlash, Jegede took to her Instagram page on Wednesday morning to apologise to her fans and May Edochie.
The movie star acknowledged May’s pain and hardship, stating she had no intention of causing further anguish or disrespect. Jegede added that her words had been misconstrued as insensitive and did not convey her true intentions.
In a statement titled “My Apology and Clarification on the Recent Podcast Interview”, Jegede wrote:
“Lagos, Nigeria – June 11, 2024 – I, Yvonne Jegede, would like to address the concerns and backlash that have arisen from my recent interview on the HONEST BUNCH podcast, where I discussed themes related to my latest film on Amazon Prime, “A FATHER’S LOVE.”
“Upon reflecting on the interview, I realise that my words were not articulated in a way that conveyed my true intentions and has been misconstrued as insensitive, particularly towards Mrs May Edochie, a woman who has endured significant pain and hardship occasioned by her estranged marriage. I deeply regret that my comments were perceived as adding to her distress. It was never my intention to cause any pain or disrespect. I am truly sorry.
“My intention in the interview was to highlight the important societal issues depicted in my film, which tells the story of a man raising four children who are not biologically his own. I was excited to address this societal issue through my film. However, in the process of discussing these themes, my words were misinterpreted. I spoke about my own failed marriage and the struggles of single mothers, aiming to shed light on these challenges.
“I want to clarify that my remarks about polygamy were meant to reflect its cultural context and to emphasise that how it is practised is crucial. My goal was to convey that polygamy is part of our culture, but what matters is how it is approached. Unfortunately, this message was lost in my articulation.
“I want to stress that my comments were not intended to trivialise the pain of Mrs May Edochie or any woman going through similar struggles. I do not claim to have advanced knowledge of the personal circumstances between Yul Edochie and his ex-wife. I aimed to communicate that we all make wrong decisions and sometimes, those decisions happen in marriages, and we should do something about them instead of enduring perpetual pain. In doing something about it, some people separate, some divorce while some seek the help of professionals…
“I firmly believe that everyone deserves love, attention and care, most especially women. I apologise if my statements did not effectively convey this sentiment. I am grateful for the opportunity to clarify my intentions and express my sincere apologies to anyone who was hurt by my words.
“Thank you for your understanding and support.”
Yul, in April 2022, revealed fellow actor, Judy Austin, as his second wife and announced they had a son together.