Nollywood actor Rotimi Salami has publicly challenged colleague Tosin Olaniyan regarding a suspicious social media post falsely attributed to her, sparking a brief but notable exchange between the two film industry professionals on April 2nd, 2025.
The confrontation began when Salami took to Instagram to share evidence of what appears to be an impersonation attempt involving both performers. In his post, the respected Yoruba genre actor included a screenshot from Facebook showing an account under Olaniyan’s name sharing a photograph of Salami alongside an unidentified woman, with text claiming she was Salami’s wife.
“Actor Rotimi Salami shares beautiful moments with his wife,” read the questionable Facebook post, which prompted Salami’s swift and direct response.
Visibly frustrated, Salami addressed the situation with a straightforward message suggesting this wasn’t the first time he had encountered such misrepresentation online. Facebook people don come o,” he wrote, employing Nigerian Pidgin English to express his exasperation with the platform’s recurring issue of celebrity impersonation.
Directly tagging his colleague in the post, Salami added, “@olaniyan_tosin, come and defend this claim,” essentially calling for Olaniyan to clarify whether she was behind the post or similarly victimized by an impersonator.
The public challenge quickly drew attention from industry insiders and fans alike, who have become increasingly aware of the growing problem of celebrity impersonation across social media platforms. Such false accounts frequently spread misinformation about public figures’ personal lives, career developments, or even fabricate endorsements for products and services.
Olaniyan responded promptly to Salami’s call-out with evident alarm, suggesting she had no connection to the dubious post. “Aaah, nitori olohun. Ahhh, yeah, who wan send me go prison bayi,” she replied, mixing Yoruba and English to express her distress while invoking divine protection and questioning who would want to implicate her in potential legal trouble.
Her response indicates awareness of the serious consequences of impersonation and defamation in Nigeria’s increasingly regulated digital space, where recent legislation has strengthened penalties for online impersonation and the spreading of false information.
This public exchange highlights a persistent challenge facing Nigerian entertainers who must regularly contend with unauthorized accounts mimicking their identities. These impersonators often capitalize on celebrities’ influence and public trust to mislead followers or, in some cases, perpetrate scams targeting unsuspecting fans.
Rotimi Salami has established himself as a respected figure in Nollywood through consistent performances across numerous productions, primarily in the Yoruba language sector of Nigeria’s expansive film industry. His career trajectory has earned him recognition for both his acting prowess and professional conduct, making any misrepresentation of his personal life particularly concerning for both his reputation and fan relationships.
Similarly, Tosin Olaniyan has built her own following through dedicated work in the competitive film industry, making her apparent victimization through impersonation potentially damaging to her professional standing if not promptly addressed.
Industry analysts note that this incident reflects a broader problem afflicting Nigeria’s entertainment sector, where the boundary between celebrities’ public and private lives is increasingly blurred by social media. The immediacy and reach of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have created unprecedented connections between performers and audiences, but simultaneously opened new avenues for misrepresentation and exploitation.
The Nigerian Communications Commission and other regulatory bodies have attempted to address these issues through various initiatives targeting digital impersonation, though enforcement remains challenging in a rapidly evolving online landscape. Entertainment guilds have similarly encouraged members to verify their accounts across platforms and educate fans about identifying official versus counterfeit profiles.
For celebrities like Salami and Olaniyan, maintaining authentic connections with supporters while protecting themselves from misrepresentation requires constant vigilance. Many performers now regularly issue disclaimers about their official accounts and warn followers about potential scams operating under their names.
This incident also underscores the unique dynamics of collegial relationships in Nollywood, where public confrontations between professionals remain relatively uncommon despite the industry’s competitive nature. Salami’s direct approach in addressing Olaniyan speaks to both the seriousness with which he views the impersonation issue and the straightforward communication channels that often exist between industry collaborators.
Social media experts suggest that such public clarifications, while potentially awkward, serve an important function in rapidly addressing misinformation before it spreads further. By creating a public record of the falsehood and its correction, both performers have potentially mitigated more extensive damage to their reputations.
For followers of Nigerian entertainment, the exchange provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the challenges faced by public figures in maintaining accurate public personas in the digital age. It also serves as a reminder to approach celebrity information with appropriate skepticism, particularly when encountered on unverified accounts or platforms known for looser authentication standards.
As Nigeria’s film industry continues its global expansion, with streaming platforms and international distributors increasingly showcasing Nollywood content worldwide, protecting performers’ identities and accurate representations becomes increasingly crucial to both individual careers and the industry’s collective reputation.
Whether this particular incident will prompt additional security measures from either performer remains to be seen, but it clearly highlights the ongoing tension between the benefits of digital connectivity and its inherent vulnerabilities for public figures. As Nollywood continues evolving in the digital age, navigating these contradictions remains an essential skill for performers seeking sustainable careers.
For now, Salami’s public call-out and Olaniyan’s emphatic denial have created a record that may help audiences distinguish between authentic communications and impersonation attempts, while simultaneously demonstrating the direct approach many Nigerian entertainers take when addressing professional challenges in the digital domain.
