Legal Drama

Jim Iyke Enrolls in Anger Management Classes – “There is a Thin line Between the Person you See on Stage and the Real Actor”

News buzzing all over the internet and on blogs is that Actor Jim Iyke, a self proclaimed Nollywood bad boy, has just enrolled in anger management classes.

Last I spoke about Jim Iyke, I discussed the criminal charges against him including alleged battery/assault on a woman he supposedly defrauded of 15 million Naira. Now, he is enrolled in anger management classes.

First, enrollment in anger management classes, from a legal standpoint in the USA, is something criminal defense attorneys might urge their clients to enroll in, especially where battery and assault charges are concerned; and  there will be  an admission of guilt. The enrollment is used as negotiating point for purposes of a suitable plea bargain with the prosecutors. This is in the pre-trial phase. If a defendant takes a guilty plea on a charge like battery or assault, typically, the terms of probation will also call for enrollment in anger management classes.

I am unsure of the actual plea bargaining process in Nigeria, but I find it a bit peculiar Iyke would enroll in anger management classes right on the heels of fraud charges and more specifically criminal force assault/battery charges on a woman. The timing is off, unless of course, he agrees the battery/assault occurred; and he is enrolling in anger management classes to mitigate the damages and plea he might take?

Legal view aside, very troubling for me is Iyke’s alleged statement made regarding his anger management classes i.e. “there is a thin line between the person you see on stage and the real actor.”

This is very, very, very, very troubling. I don’t think my numerous use of “very” quite captures how troubling his statement, if he indeed made it, is for me. The characters we see on Nollywood’s big screen played by Jim Iyke, have been predominantly one dimensional and horrible characters. They are characters we all love to hate and Iyke has done a terrific job playing these characters. Over and over again, Jim Iyke has played the role of rapist, very violent and out of control man.

Jim Iyke,  are you really asking me and the rest of Nigeria and those on the worldwide web reading this to buy into this rubbish statement you allegedly made? If so, then this is serious. If the line is truly that thin between these horrific, psychopath characters you have played, then I am quite troubled. Please say it ain’t so.

I did a story a while back on Iyke on Ladybrille Magazine and actually defended his right to be free of the impositions of the characters he played  while off the big screen. People were hurling nothing short of hate and threatening his safety. In one instance, I was outraged at the  hate and deeply offensive and vicious rumors spread around that he had HIV/AIDS. It was  just plain sickening to me and extremely wicked.

To now hear he made this alleged rubbish statement is beyond my comprehension. Please clarify Iyke, really. . .

Jim Iyke’s alleged statement

I will not disrespect you by lying about the fact that I do get into one or two brushes with people here and there. I will not give any excuse that I have never been that kind of person. I am taking an Anger Management Session now; it was advised not only by my fiancée, but also by my agent.It is a very interesting session for my well-being. One thing about our society is that we have not accepted celebrities with their whims and caprices. An actor is allowed to be eccentric. There is a thin line between the person you see on stage and the real actor. A lot of people do not understand that. I’m not perfect and I’m taking steps to deal with my imperfections” – Jim Iyke

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