Yul Edochie’s Alleged Prank: “If You Ask Me Na Who I Go Ask?” -By Sandra Ijeoma Okoye

There is no denying the fact that since Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie, announced the birth of another son by his new wife that the internet space has been set agog, even as tongues have gone wagging, with several reactions as to why the actor opted for a second wife. Yul, who is already blessed with three boys and one girl (Danielle, Kambi, Karl, and Victory Edochie), with his first wife, May Edochie literally kept everyone talking, and in a similar vein kept gossipers busy, and up and doing. He noted it was time for the world to meet his other son with his second wife, Judy Austin.

Ostensibly overwhelmed by backlashes and muds literarily being thrown at him by social media trolls, and some women that came across as feminists, the actor posted a picture of his first wife, May and referred to her as his number one wife. Thus, he posted, and shared a stunning picture of his wife May, and stated that she is the first in his life and that the fact is undisputed. He was also reported to have posted that “Real men own up and take responsibility. Fake men dey hide for back dey run am.”

Trust Nigerians! The foregoing alleged move which is ostensibly a damage-control strategy did not sit well with most of his fans as they commented that he was rather fueling the already escalated situation.

As if he was truly proofing his critics and fans right that he was fueling the situation, as guesstimated by them, there is a news story now making the rounds, which I believe, has the potency of making his case worse. What is the news? You might have asked. The headlines of the story are figuratively littered on virtual space. The story incredibly has it that Yul Edochie, in view of his interest to become the president of Nigeria, come 2023, strategically pulled a stunt with the disclosure on Instagram that he has birthed a new baby through his new and second wife, Judy Austin.

If you are in doubt, google his name and the words “Publicity Stunt” together with a plus sign separating his name from Publicity Stunt, you would unmistakably be greeted by headlines that were casted as follows: “Yul Edochie Pulls Stunt For Publicity: Denies Having A Second Wife – Celebrities – Nairaland”, “Yul Edochie Did Not Marry Any Second Wife. It’s A Publicity Stunt! Chris Exola”, “My Second Wife Drama Was A prank – Yul Edochie – Idoma Voice” and “I Pranked Nigerians Over Second Wife, New Son Post to Gain Attention” among other improbable headlines. For the fact, that Yule has not refuted any of the stories anchored with the foregoing headline, one may not be wrong to consider them to be factual. After all, Tom Stafford, a psychologist, said “Repetition makes a fact seem more true, regardless of whether it is or not”, while Joseph Goebbels of the Nazi fame said, “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”.

Yul Edochie, Nollywood actor, producer and politician, has said that the social media post announcing that he was married to a second wife and had a newborn son was a cruise aimed at gaining Nigerians’ attention on social media.

As unanimously reported by all the online news platforms that reported the story, Yul 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 their support 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.

At this juncture, permit me to say that I was at a loss over the latest news about the actor’s resort to polygamy. I was equally confused as I do not know who to ask if it is true that the announcement he made that he has married a second wife was deliberately done to prank Nigerians, particularly the youths. This is as the latest story sounds true to be good. I couldn’t ask anyone, even up till now I don’t know who to ask. However, the meaningful lyrics as composed into a song by Omawumi that goes thus; “If You Ask Me Na Who I Go Ask” Kept reverberating in my mind, hence my choice of the lyrical line as the headline of this piece.

To my view, that he has his eyes on Aso Rock does not warrant stirring the hornet’s nest with such sensitive and reprehensible topic, and on that note played with the collective emotions of Nigerians. It is even mischievous and immoral that of myriads of issues that could have being used to play pranks that it was only marrying a second wife, and birthing a son that came to his mind.

Be that as it may, I urge him to go ahead in his bid for the presidency, but he should also not forget that being popular does not make anyone to be a good leader.

Leadership, no doubt, is about accountability, and that is what leadership is all about. At one level this is appropriate. The buck stops with the leader. At another level it needs being a populist, and having the people at heart at all times. But leadership is rarely about popularity. And there are many examples to review.

In fact, since he made the prank, he is been faced with severe criticisms, particularly as it was obvious that he monetized the attention he has attracted to himself since he announced that he had married a second wife in the person of actress, Judy Austin, and welcomed a son with her.

It would be recalled that on Saturday, April 30, 2022, the actor asked his followers for donations to help him procure the 2023 presidential elections form.

Previously, he had posted advert rates on his Instagram page. Against the foregoing backdrop, not few Nigerians felt his actions were too theatric for him to be taken seriously as far as his presidential ambition is concerned as not few people are saying that being Nigerian President is beyond dramatization, and that the search for the next president is a serious business against the backdrop of the appalling situation Nigeria is at the moment.