Nigerian social media activist Vincent Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has reignited his long-running feud with Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday after a gym photograph of the actress surfaced online, attracting widespread attention.
The controversial critic announced a reward of ₦500,000 for the individual who captured and leaked the unflattering picture, describing the incident as a case of “karma” for the actress.
The photo, which showed Nkechi Blessing dressed casually in workout gear, circulated widely on social media platforms, prompting ridicule from some quarters and sympathy from others.
Critics compared her natural appearance to her heavily filtered and edited images often shared on Instagram, fuelling debates about authenticity and online image curation.
Reacting to the development, VeryDarkMan claimed that Nkechi had once subjected him and others to public humiliation. He alleged that in 2023 the actress insulted him by calling him “an animal” and mocking his living conditions, claiming he resided in a “rat house”.
He further accused her of posting another woman’s photograph online and branding the lady a “walking infection.”
According to him, her present predicament is only a reflection of her past conduct.
In his words: “It is karma that is dealing with you. To the person who snapped the picture, send me a DM for your ₦500,000. Next time, make a public video, but it is wrong to snap someone’s picture with the intention of mocking her.”
He also criticised the actress for presenting an unrealistic image of herself online. “If you have been showing social media your real self, you will not be mad that someone took your picture. You look like Beyoncé on social media with a filter, but when the filter is gone, you look like you,” he added.
In response, Nkechi Blessing expressed anger at both the photographer and VDM. She described the act as a violation of her privacy and suggested she had committed the matter to God. She also hit back at VDM directly, calling him “shameless” and accusing him of exploiting controversies for attention.
According to her, she attends the gym primarily for health and fitness reasons and will not be embarrassed for seeking wellness.
The incident has attracted reactions from other public figures, most notably media personality Daddy Freeze, who criticised the gym for failing to safeguard the privacy of its members. He argued that gyms should enforce strict policies preventing clients from being secretly photographed or recorded during workouts.
Public opinion on the matter remains divided. While some social media users agree with VeryDarkMan that Nkechi is facing the consequences of her own past actions, others have defended her, insisting that nobody deserves to be secretly photographed and mocked in such a manner.
The identity of the individual who leaked the controversial gym photo has not been publicly revealed, and it remains unclear whether the actress intends to pursue legal action against the person or the fitness centre involved.
As the controversy continues to trend, both VDM and Nkechi Blessing remain vocal, trading words on social media while Nigerians debate issues of privacy, online bullying, and the gap between real life and curated online appearances.
