‘How can Mercy Aigbe allow her house burn to promote movie’

Nollywood actress Kemi Afolabi has cautioned critics against trolling her colleague and friend, Mercy Aigbe, following allegations that her (Mercy’s) Lagos home was gutted by fire as a publicity stunt to promote her (Mercy’s) upcoming movie, Thinline.

The film premieres on 13 December in cinemas nationwide.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mercy’s house was destroyed in a fire, damaging properties worth millions of naira. The actress shared a video online showing the devastating aftermath of the incident.

As the news of the tragedy circulated online, Netizens accused Mercy of orchestrating the incident to generate publicity for her upcoming movie, Thinline.

At the same time, others took the opportunity to scrutinise her personal life and controversial marriage to filmmaker Kazim Adeoti, trolling her in the process.

This is not the first time Mercy’s family has faced fire-related tragedies. In October 2022, her mother’s home was allegedly set ablaze by her (Mercy’s) sister, Patience Aigbekaen, amidst ongoing familial conflicts.

The incident was reportedly linked to allegations of ‘witchcraft’ and ‘unresolved financial disputes’ amongst the family.

During the build-up to the release of her 2023 film ‘Omo Daddy,’ she survived an accident when her tyres were damaged on the Lagos-Benin road. She called it the scariest moment of her life, thanked God for her safety, and encouraged fans to watch the film in cinemas.

Disbelief

Responding to the backlash on Mercy’s behalf, amidst tears, Kemi pleaded with Nigerians to stop trolling the actress and offer support during this difficult time.

The 46-year-old actress also expressed disbelief that some people could still troll Mercy despite the devastating incident, calling it “unfair” and deeply insensitive.

“I am begging on behalf of Mercy… she did not send me, and I know she is always a strong woman. I feel so bad that she has to go through this. Please, guys, do you have any support you can give her now? Can you stop trolling her, please?”.

I know we are human, and nobody is perfect. We already discussed the house. We have people who have told her they would support her. It is a big deal if you want to think about everything that has burnt down, including her properties, the house itself, and the filming equipment.

I cannot believe people are still trolling her. This is unfair. All she needs is your support. Forget whatever you guys might have against her. How can someone allow her house to burn to promote a movie,” she said.