The Roby Ekpo podcast controversy has ignited a fiery social media war between media personality Do2dtun and acclaimed filmmaker Jade Osiberu. At the center of the dispute is a fundamental question: should a man in emotional distress speak his truth publicly, or is the internet the worst possible place to heal?
Ekpo, a 48-year-old OAP, appeared on a recent episode of The Honest Bunch podcast, where he tearfully detailed the collapse of his 11-year marriage. He alleged financial exploitation, infidelity, and deception, including claims that his estranged wife secretly remarried in the United States after he sponsored her relocation. The interview quickly went viral, drawing reactions from celebrities across Nigeria.
Jade Osiberu was among the first to criticize the situation, but her target was not Ekpo himself. She called out his friends for allowing him to go on a podcast in such a vulnerable state. She argued that exploitative podcasters are only interested in making money off pain, not protecting mental health. She insisted that no friend of hers would ever be permitted to air private marriage struggles for public consumption while reeling from heartbreak.
Do2dtun rejected Osiberu’s stance entirely. He responded that friendship takes many forms, and if speaking out on a podcast was Ekpo’s way of finding closure, he would support it completely. He stated plainly that he would rather see his friend alive and speaking than dead and silent. He also accused Osiberu of beating a man while he was already down and suggested she should use her platform to advocate for mental health instead of mockery.
Osiberu hit back by telling Dotun that the internet is not therapy and strangers are not confidants. She accused him of sending his friend to “ratings vultures” instead of being a shoulder to cry on personally. In a sharp twist, she then told Dotun that he needed healing himself and was projecting his own biases onto her comments.
That remark pushed Dotun over the edge. He accused Osiberu of losing the plot, called her comments patronizing and disgraceful, and questioned what qualifications she had to diagnose anyone’s mental health. He also took a swipe at her films, stating they teach nothing of value.
The clash has since evolved into a broader public discussion about whether men are allowed to show emotional weakness. The debate intensified when actor Yul Edochie stepped in, arguing that crying is “totally unacceptable” and that Ekpo should simply replace his ex-wife with multiple new partners. Do2dtun rejected that perspective entirely, doubling down on his belief that speaking out, no matter how messy, is better than suffering in silence.
Meanwhile, the legal stakes have risen. Ekpo’s estranged wife has reportedly demanded ₦100 million in damages, accusing him of defamation and harassment. Her legal team argues that the marriage was mutually terminated months before her new wedding.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the Roby Ekpo podcast controversy has become a flashpoint for divided opinions on friendship, masculinity, and whether public vulnerability is courage or catastrophe.
