Basketmouth Spills Secret Behind Long-Standing Feud With AY

Following the presentation of AY’s version of events, fellow comedian Basketmouth has addressed their ongoing dispute.

Basketmouth claimed that the rift began many years ago after his colleague revealed certain information to another person (Basketmouth’s lawyer, Magnus) on “Bounce Radio” with well-known BBNaija host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu.

The 44-year-old comedian, known by his stage name Bright Okpocha, called the alleged conduct by AY a betrayal and said he doesn’t play games with friendship and loyalty. He stated that his relationship with Ayo Makun was cordial up until that time when Ayo Makun began to “mess about with loyalty” by telling his lawyer, Magnus, details he had personally communicated with him.

“You know funny thing is, I was like the next time that anybody will throw this question at me, I’m going to throw it away and say I don’t want to talk about it. It’s nothing. But the thing is, let me tell you since we are here.

“Friendship for me is everything, you know! My manager as of today I’ve known him all my life, you know. Everybody around me, I’ve known forever, down to my lawyer. My lawyer, I’ve known for about 33 years. I don’t mess around with friendship and loyalty.

“He came into my space and messed around with loyalty,” Basketmouth said.

“How so?” Ebuka asked, interrupting Basketmouth to gain more clarification into his claims.

“He said something that he wasn’t supposed to say that was going to now cause a rift between me and that person,” Basket retorted.

“Is it Bovi?” Ebuka asked, cutting in yet again.

“No, funny enough it’s something entirely. I don’t want to get into the entire details but it was Magnus, my lawyer. So, he said some things that I said to him personally and said it to Magnus. And he wasn’t supposed to say it to Magnus. And, Magnus called me and was like….. Up until that point, AY and I were hundred percent cool. This happened a long time ago,” Basketmouth added.

The newest episode of Chude Jideonwo’s podcast, “#WithChude,” had an interview with AY, who stated that the feud between them dates back to 2006 when he had to stand in for his colleague at an event for which he was supposed to be paid N30,000.

Yet according to AY, Basketmouth told him that the event host wasn’t happy with his job in order to keep his cut of the money.

The 52-year-old creator of “30 Days in Atlanta” admitted that he was shocked by Basketmouth’s “deceit,” but that his need for money at the time to survive drove him to act as he did.

According to him: In 2006, Basketmouth usually will get gigs like weddings – multiple gigs on a Saturday, maybe two or three weddings. So what he used to do then was to attend one, then at a point, leave the venue and catch up in the other venue and then you will need someone else to stand in for you. That was the opportunity I got from him of which I am very appreciative of till date.

“Now, something funny happened. For one of the gigs, I got his endorsement to go stand in. Usually what we get at that time is N30,000 and 30,000 at that time was everything to me. N30,000 would buy me my pack of indomie, recharge cards, fuel for my ‘I better pass my neighbour’ generator then the opportunity to pay just one or two people to join me to do one or two skits that I can just quickly put out.

“I got this job and the people weren’t too happy to see me around the venue because they were expecting a Basketmouth to come.

“Long story short, the guy was later happy after the performance. There was an exchange of contacts. Then I left.

“Two weeks running, I haven’t seen 30k. Because I didn’t see the 30k and I was starving in Iponri, I decided to ask for 30K and he said this person hasn’t remitted, this person hasn’t paid, and you are not happy because of this, and all of that.

“And then me I was like, ahahn… but this person na, shebi you tell me say you were impressed and happy? Give my oga hin money na, make my oga take settle me and all of that. Me, I don’t care if you give Basket 100k for the job but my 30k is my 30k.

“It was very funny to now hear from them, knowing that this full payment has been made long before the event.

“I said ‘Okay, is that the situation?’. So I forwarded this one’s message to this one and vice versa. So they now started fighting each other and all of that.

“I didn’t do that because I wanted to get at Basketmouth per se. I did that because I was hungry, I was hustling, and needed food on the table at the time.”

AY noted even though things changed between him and his colleague at that point nonetheless, he tried to maintain a cordial relationship with Basketmouth but he continued to frustrate his attempts.

“This whole thing coupled with other things. Do you know that I attended Basketmouth’s wedding when all these things were going on at the time? I was at the wedding, I looked at the list of guests, my wife’s name was on the list, my name no dey list. I wasn’t qualified to enter the wedding.”

“I was looking at my wife, my wife dey look her husband and she was like okay, let’s be going home since you no qualify to enter.”

Speaking on his efforts to end the feud with Basketmouth, AY noted: ‘Every opportunity maybe the wife gives birth, I’d go with my wife or maybe something is going on, I kept doing everything.

“I did everything. Basket would be at an event, maybe AY is on the bill and he’s the MC, he’ll not introduce me.”

Sometime last year, AY dismissed Basketmouth as one with an ‘uncontrollable superiority complex’ during an Instagram question and answer session.

He noted that for his sanity, he had to stay away from Basketmouth’s ‘incessant childishness.’

We hope this feud comes to an end. Both comedians should forgive wholeheartedly.