When Dayo Amusa celebrated her son’s first birthday in a star studded ceremony, the actress did not anticipate that the event would ignite one of Nollywood’s most explosive controversies of the year.
But when a live band’s lyrics at the party were interpreted by viewers as coded jabs at Lizzy Anjorin, the celebration spiraled into a confrontation that quickly became the latest flashpoint in a long, uneasy history between two of Yoruba Nollywood’s most powerful women.
For Lizzy Anjorin and Dayo Amusa, the clash was not sudden. It was the culmination of two decades of parallel careers, distinct personalities, and a simmering distance that had never fully bridged into friendship. But this time, the spark involved something deep…Dayo’s long-awaited child, and the fallout hit a nerve across the entertainment industry.
The Women Behind The Headlines
Lizzy Anjorin: Firebrand, Built From Scratch
Lizzy Anjorin’s journey into Nollywood reads like a self-propelled ascent. Raised in the Badagry/Lagos region, she attended Olabisi Onabanjo University before fully committing to acting and later film production. Her rise was driven by force of will to fund her own movies, shaping her image without traditional backing, and building a fiercely loyal audience.
But Lizzy’s visibility has always carried volatility. She is outspoken, relentless in defending her name, and willing to confront critics in real time. Instagram Live broadcasts, feuds involving colleagues, court cases, and viral clips have all kept her perpetually in the public eye. To supporters, she is unfiltered and authentic. To critics, she is combative and unpredictable.
That complex persona became central to her clash with Dayo.
Dayo Amusa: Controlled Power, Soft Edges, Strong Core
Dayo Amusa’s career follows a different arc. Born in Lagos on July 20, 1983, she entered Nollywood in the early 2000s and built a reputation as a dependable actress with emotional depth. She expanded into production, released music, and founded PayDab Schools, one of her most successful non-acting ventures.
Her brand leans on maturity and measured conduct. When controversies arise, she responds selectively and avoids escalation. But beneath that calm exterior lies a fiercely protective maternal instinct shaped by a difficult journey to motherhood. This is also something she later referenced directly in her warning to Lizzy.
For over 20 years, Dayo and Lizzy existed around each other professionally and were never friends, nor allies. They were not openly hostile to each other, until now.
The Incident: How A Child’s Birthday Party Ignited A Fresh War
The latest rupture between Lizzy Anjorin and Dayo Amusa began at a star-filled party organised to celebrate the first birthday of Amusa’s son. The actress, who welcomed her baby last year after what she later described as a deeply emotional journey to motherhood, hosted colleagues including Iyabo Ojo and Mercy Aigbe. Videos from the celebration circulated almost instantly and so did commentary.
In the viral clips, the live band’s improvised lyrics were interpreted by netizens as subtle digs at Lizzy Anjorin. This fuelled speculation that the song was a deliberate taunt staged by Dayo and her friends.
Lizzy responded through an Instagram Live session, calling out Dayo Amusa and Iyabo Ojo by name. She accused them of orchestrating disrespect and claimed the band’s performance was part of a coordinated attempt to mock her. She followed up with multiple posts repeating the allegation and hurling curses at both actresses.
Dayo’s reaction arrived in a sharply worded voice note now circulating across social platforms. She warned Lizzy to never mention her child again and made it clear that motherhood was a sensitive, non-negotiable boundary. She said:
“I don’t want to have issues with you. We are parallel lines that can never meet. We are not friends. Let this be the last time in your entire life that you mention my baby’s name in your video. If you try it again, my reaction will be outside social media and you will not like it.”
Amusa explained that she replied to Lizzy via Instagram DM because she did not have her phone number, just as Lizzy had previously contacted her through DMs to congratulate her after childbirth. But the cordiality had ended there.
Dayo revealed she had declined Lizzy’s request to visit her newborn, saying she wanted no association with Lizzy’s ongoing feuds or her volatile online following.
The voice note grew more forceful as Amusa referenced past instances where Lizzy had allegedly dragged her into online battles. She insisted she would never engage in a public brawl but warned that any future involvement of her son would trigger consequences outside social media. Dayo Amusa warned:
“Don’t use my child for your shenanigans. People will pity you by the time I’m done.”
Unsurprisingly, Lizzy Anjorin did not stay silent after Dayo Amusa’s warning. In a fresh online post, she issued her own uncompromising response, one that made it clear she was ready for a prolonged confrontation.
Anjorin began by outlining what she called her “rules and regulations,” stating that she never initiates conflict but will retaliate without restraint if provoked. She claimed:
“I hope you know my rules. Rule one: I will never come for you first. But if you attack or disrespect me, you will regret it. I will reply verbally for verbal. I was raised by a good mother who taught me to mind my business.”
She insisted she had never insulted Dayo despite “many shades” thrown at her over the years. According to Lizzy, Dayo crossed a boundary by laughing in a comment section where someone was insulting her. Lizzy described the moment as humiliating and unforgivable.
To illustrate her point, Lizzy referenced a past incident involving fellow actor Jigan. She claimed:
“The day Jigan called you a barren woman, how would you feel if I laughed in the comments? Until you correct the wrong you did to me, the battle line has been drawn.”
Her message grew sharper as she accused Dayo of lacking talent, lacking a husband, and not running a successful business, claims intended to assert superiority rather than seek resolution. She said
“You are not talented. You don’t have a husband. You don’t have a successful business. I don’t even know you exist. We are not on the same level.”
She warned that any response she gives would be powerful enough to force legal action, claiming Dayo would end up in court if the dispute escalated further.
By the end of the statement, Lizzy made it clear she considered the feud active and unresolved unless Amusa formally corrected the alleged wrong.
The Emotional Core: Motherhood As A Red Line
Dayo’s warning went beyond celebrity ego. It touched on the deeply personal.
In the leaked audio, she referenced the emotional process of becoming a mother. She also made it clear that any attack, insinuation or casual mention involving her son was a boundary she would not tolerate.
Warning that “People will pity you by the time I am done”, was the clearest signal yet that Dayo would not engage in a social media fight but was prepared for a private confrontation if pushed again.
For Lizzy, the battle line has been drawn because she believes Dayo intentionally instigated the band against her.
Conclusion: A Feud Still Without A Clear End
The confrontation between Lizzy Anjorin and Dayo Amusa remains one of the most compelling Nollywood stories of the moment. It blends personal loyalty, maternal instinct, public image, and the unforgiving speed of online commentary.
Whether they will eventually de-escalate or remain entrenched on opposite sides of the industry, one truth stands out: This was not just another celebrity squabble.
It was a boundary drawn in the rawest, most personal way. It’s about a mother declaring a line that no one, not even a long-known colleague, is allowed to cross. And another about one who is not ready to backdown after being poked.
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