By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Veteran Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has fired back at comedian Isbae U and his late father following a tense exchange on the comedian’s YouTube show, Curiosity Made Me Ask.
The 31-year-old Isbae U, known for asking provocative questions designed to put his guests on the spot, featured the 66-year-old actor in a recent episode of the show.
What began as a lighthearted conversation gradually turned heated after the comedian made remarks that appeared to provoke Solade, particularly when he described him as a “coward.”
Isbae U first revisited Solade’s earlier claim that female actors could not afford to buy a G-Wagon from acting alone.
“You said no female actor can afford to buy a G-Wagon. Do you think everybody is like you, who charges N50,000 for 50 scenes?” he asked.
Solade stood by his position, insisting that actors would need other sources of income to afford such luxury. “Unless they have other side hustles, but not from acting, I stand on that,” he responded.
The conversation shifted to Solade’s seniority in the industry, with Isbae U reminding him of his earlier claim that he started acting before veteran actor Pete Edochie.
Solade explained that while he considers Edochie a senior colleague, he began acting before him. “Of course I started before him. He is a senior colleague. Of course, if he enters here, I will salute him as a well-trained child, but I started acting before him,” he said.
Isbae U then joked about Solade’s age, telling him, “Damn, you are so old,” to which the actor shot back, “But I still look younger than you do. At 66, you will be using a walking stick.”
The exchange grew more personal when Isbae U brought up Solade’s decision to stop attending church and joked that his baldness could be divine punishment.
The comedian pressed further, asking him not to be a coward and seeking confirmation that Solade had called him dumb.
“I just want to be sure, don’t be a coward, are you saying that I am dumb?” he asked. At this point, the exchange intensified, with Solade warning him to stay within the boundaries of his profession.
“You produce Curiosity Made Me Ask, we all know and celebrate you for that. Don’t go beyond that,” he said.
Solade then questioned Isbae U’s acting credentials and extended the criticism to his late father, popularly known as Sir K.
“Have you ever featured in any serious movie in your life that people have had to buy tickets to go to the cinemas? Even your father did not appear in one solid movie,” he said.
Isbae U attempted to defend his father, insisting he was a very good actor, but Solade disagreed, dismissing the elder’s career.
“Who told you that he was a good actor? He only acted as a tout, period,” he said. Pressed on whether his father was not a good actor, Solade maintained his position: “No, he was not a good actor, but he acted.”
Isbae U said he could not fight his father’s battle for him. Solade concluded by drawing a comparison between the comedian and his father, while acknowledging one quality he believed Isbae U possessed.
“He was not an actor, and you have taken after him. The good thing about it is that you are articulate,” he said.
The exchange has since generated reactions online, with viewers divided over whether Solade went too far or simply matched Isbae U’s confrontational interview style.
