Veteran comic actor Yomi King, popularly known as Opebe, has shared a shocking story about how he was allegedly beaten on a movie set for supporting his late colleague, Baba Suwe, during a long-standing feud in the Yoruba film industry.
Speaking in a recent interview on Behind the Fame, Opebe revealed that the incident occurred while filming the movie Eku Meji, where a scripted fight scene unexpectedly turned real.
He explained that the tension began after a misunderstanding between Baba Suwe and fellow actor Yinka Quadri. Out of loyalty, he chose to side with Baba Suwe — a move that later backfired.
“Those sufferings were beyond acting; they were real beatings. That’s what they call acting, you have to do it well and real for people to know it truly happened,” Opebe said.
The actor recalled that while shooting Eku Meji, the script required Yinka Quadri to beat him, but the blows went beyond performance.
“When we got to the set, and it was a beating role… when he replied me, it was a slap and a severe beating. I began to shout, ‘Cut! This isn’t a movie anymore.’ I was angry,” he added.
Opebe, who began acting in 1979 and gained recognition through the TV series Erinkeke, is widely admired for his comic roles and his close friendship with the late Baba Suwe, with whom he shared several on-screen moments.