Seyi Edun is a very popular actress in the Yoruba movie industry. She is also a producer too. She has produced a few movies, one of which is Eja Nla which shot her to limelight. Lately, Seyi whose popular alias is SHAI, has been at the centre of a big controversy on social media. She was accused of dating fellow actor, Niyi Johnson, the estranged husband of popular actress Toyin Aimakhu.
A few weeks back, she was even accused of being pregnant for him. The general story in town is that it is Toyin who is behind all these controversies. As the story goes, Toyin does not like Shai and she was who got her friends in the social media to attack Shai. For the very first time, Shai has come out to explain what led to the controversy. Last week she spoke to City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE about her career and the allegation that she snatched Niyi from Toyin. It is very interesting.
Why did you break the marriage of Toyin Aimakhu and Niyi Johnson?
I didn’t break their marriage. It has nothing to do with me, absolutely nothing. We are all movie people. Niyi is my friend. He has always been my friend.
So how did the story break that you are dating Niyi?
I really don’t know. I am not dating Niyi and I am not pregnant for Niyi like one blog posted. I laughed about it when the story broke. I was on a movie set that day when I heard the news that someone wrote that I am pregnant for Niyi Johnson and that I was sent out of my home. It is the figment of somebodys imagination. They got the story muddled up. I don’t stay in Lekki like the story indicated. And I am not pregnant for Niyi. Niyi and I are friends. There is no special relationship. We are just good friends. I was not sent out of any home. I still stay in my house.
So how did all these stories start? There can’t be smoke without fire?
I think what led to the story was my trip to Dubai. The whole thing started when me travelled to Dubai for a movie shoot in May this year. We were about 6 who went, that travelled. Bidemi Kosoko was with us, Tawa Ajisefini, Kayode Wright and his wife, then Niyi and I. And we were together in the same apartment. All of us were together in the same apartment I think that was where they got the news from. Maybe from pictures from INSTAGRAM and all. There was a particular picture I posted on Instagram where Niyi was proposing to me. We wanted people’s comments and opinions on a woman proposing to a man. Is it a right thing. Is it done? Should it be encouraged. Is it part of our culture? We were seeking people opinion about it and that was what brought about the picture. So, I was so surprised when one blog copied it and posted it and removed my caption and added their own and they started writing what they wanted to write. It is unfortunate. These are the people who follow you on Instagram and they would not even send you a message to ask you few questions about what they want to write. They just go to their blogs and start writing shit about you. That was where the whole thing started. After that I debunked the story. It was online. I was the one that posted the picture of Niyi and I on Instagram and there was a caption on it that we were on a movie set. And they removed the caption and the picture went virile. It is still on my Instagram page.
Some people say maybe Toyin Aimakhu is the one behind it. Do you agree?
I don’t know. I can’t say she is the one behind it. I think one blog published something about Niyi, that he has a child outside or whether he had a child before meeting Toyin, something like that. That does not concern me. I am not part of that. I don’t know what happened between them.
Did you discuss this issue with Niyi?
Yes. When one of the blogs broke the news it was Niyi that told me that they wrote something about us. He sent me the link. I was just laughing at these bloggers and their way of looking for traffic to their site. I didn’t really feel bad about it because all that they are saying is not true, so I am not bothered.
