Outrage as Nollywood actor defends Tinubu, says any successor could be worse

• Nollywood actor Hanks Anuku has urged Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu.

• He says Nigeria's problems predate Tinubu and suggests a successor could be worse.

• Anuku also spoke about losing the mother of his children and how faith helped him through the difficult period.

Veteran Nollywood actor Hanks Anuku has urged Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu, sparking strong reactions online, while also opening up about personal losses during the same interview.

Speaking on The Honest Bunch podcast, posted to the show's Instagram page and to be premiered by 6 pm on Monday, Anuku argued that Nigeria's problems predate Tinubu's administration and that the president deserves more time before being judged.

"Nigeria has to be patient for the renewed hope of this man, and the country was not spoiled by him. There were people there before him. Why didn't they go and attack those people? He has to fix it now," he said.

He went further, suggesting Nigerians have little choice but to let Tinubu serve out his full term, arguing that any successor could turn out worse. "So the devil you know, is better," he said.

The comments quickly drew criticism online, with many questioning his reasoning and some accusing him of being paid to speak favourably about the administration, a claim he firmly denied. "No one pays me. How many people can be better than him?" he said.

Later in the conversation, Anuku spoke about the death of the mother of his children, describing it as a deeply painful loss that left him dealing with depression. He said he still misses her at times but has leaned on his faith to get through it. He also referenced betrayal from people he once considered friends, saying some had turned against him in ways he didn't expect.

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The disclosure echoes comments Anuku made earlier this year, when a video of him undergoing a deliverance session at a church, led by Apostle Leo, went viral. At the time, he linked a difficult personal period to the same loss, describing himself as having gone through a phase where he felt lost before what he called a spiritual turning point.

That period followed a string of videos showing him in evident distress in public, which had prompted concern from fans and calls for public support.

Anuku, known for his tough-guy roles in Nollywood during the 1990s and 2000s, has remained a recognisable, if increasingly private, figure in the industry in recent years.