Why I brought Emeka Ike back for Malaika after 13 years – Toyin Abraham

Toyin Abraham, a popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker, has explained why she included her senior colleague Emeka Ike in her latest film Malaika after nearly 13 years off-screen.

Toyin revealed this in an interview with Morayo Afolabi-Brown and the women of TVC’s Your View show, which aired on Thursday.

The mother of one said she decided to bring back the veteran actor because he deserved another shot following a marriage scandal that harmed his career.

Emeka Ike’s ex-wife Emma accused him of assault and denied him access to his kids.

The 56-year-old who plays Toyin’s husband in the film claimed that his marital drama led him into depression, which drove him to hide from the spotlight because he was ashamed.

Explaining her reason for bringing him back, Toyin said: “I’ve been talking to uncle Emeka since last year, I know he has been off for a long time, everything we heard; then obviously I was not as big as this so I sent him a message. My manager Otunba Seun got his number for me and I said come back and he said ‘what if’…everything that happened,’ I said don’t worry even if you did it you have suffered enough, 13 years, its okay, its fine.

“I am not saying you did, I wasn’t there but even if you did it’s okay, 13 years. I don’t mind taking risks it doesn’t matter because I see you in this role because I feel everybody deserves a second chance. It’s okay.”

Malaika also stars Odunlade Adekola, Carter Efe, Uzo Arukwe, Muyiwa Ademola, Ibrahim Chatta, Abike Shugaa, Taiwo Ajai Lycett and Ugandan entertainer Anne Kansiime.