One thing Jim Iyke is never going to fail to do is surprise us. The literal definition of “you can’t predict my next move.”
Over the weekend, Kate Henshaw celebrated her 54th birthday with stunning pictures. While everyone sent normal birthday wishes, Jim Iyke decided to publicly share one of the most chaotic birthday tributes known to man, causing a major stir on the internet.
What did Jim Iyke say?
The said birthday wish, addressed to actress Kate Henshaw, begins with a blunt and jarring “F*CK YOU KATE,” and only gets more insane the further you go. He recalls how, at 23, he was deeply attracted to her, but she kept him in the “baby brother” zone while still supporting him. “Fuck you, on behalf of my 23 year old self for treating me like your baby brother when you knew all that time I wanted to hit that. You kept manipulating my black ass by always looking out for me. Giving me heads up at auditions. Sometimes, slipping a couple of bucks in my hands to make sure I got a meal or transport fare back to my cousin’s,” he said.
He then spoke about how their relationship went sour. “You knew I had a great heart, but I was just crazy and dumb. I was overwhelmed with fame and too many voices in my ears, pointing me to wrong directions. You stopped looking out for me. Took everything I did literally, then ran off and married that ‘Oyibo,’” he added.
He also spoke about her work in Nollywood and how she has maintained being a top actress for decades. “Fuck you on behalf of these young girls killing themselves and doing way too much trying to figure out how to keep up with you. You’ve caused hysteria, depression, anxiety, admiration, love, hate; a spectrum of human sentiments,” he said.
The message takes a different turn again, becoming a kind of rant about beauty standards as the actor began to criticise young actresses in Nollywood. “Poor darlings have had to bbl it, snatch it, tuck it, tie it, girdle it, needle it, botox it, pound it, laser it, sew it, bleach it, even voodoo that shit to no avail,” he said.
He ended the post by wishing her well on her birthday. “This fuck you is just because we’re Nigerians. We insult those we love… HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAREST KO… YOU’RE A PHENOMENAL CREATURE. A FORCE OF NATURE. Your wild boy loves you,” he said.
How did Kate Henshaw react to the post?
Kate Henshaw received the message well and thanked the actor for “always toning down your ‘m@dness’ for me.” “JIMBO, you already know, the journey to today, decades, we trekked, we hustled, we put in the work and STILL do.. I got you whether we see everyday or every decade, thank you for always toning down your “m@dness” for me😉😉( inside joke). I love you Jimbo,” she posted.
ALSO READ: I Watched Kate Henshaw’s Classic Comedy, Stolen Bible, So You Don’t Have To
Some people on the internet liked the post
Since he made the post on Sunday, the internet has been buzzing with multiple takes. Some thought the post was endearing.
Some people on the internet hated the post
While some internet users fawned over the post, some thought it was crass and disrespectful to the actress.
In a post, the actor, Gideon Okeke described the move by Iyke as “narcissistic.” “It’s this kinda rubbish behaviour that people condone, that gives other people the balls to be the actual pricks that they are…in real life,” his post read in part.
Some people thought he was crossing the line and oversharing
Others thought the tone was similar to his characters
Some others said the post was in line with the kind of garrulous bad boy roles he became famous for.
One user referenced an old social media post where a user said their house was used for a shoot, and the actor allegedly drank all the zobo in their freezer.
