Real Warri Pikin Apologises to Husband Over Timaya Stage Moment
What should have remained a night of celebration for popular Nigerian comedian Anita Asuoha, better known as Real Warri Pikin, has taken an unexpected turn after a viral stage encounter with music star Timaya sparked reactions on social media.
Real Warri Pikin has apologised to h
er husband, Ikechukwu, after Timaya lifted her during his performance at the 2026 African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) in Dallas, Texas.
The comedian had joined Timaya on stage during his performance after the singer called for a woman from the audience.
But what appeared to be an innocent and spontaneous entertainment moment quickly attracted attention after Timaya lifted the married comedian off the ground.
Video footage of the encounter circulated widely online, triggering mixed reactions from social media users, some of whom questioned whether the interaction was appropriate.
Real Warri Pikin has now explained that she never anticipated what would happen when she went on stage.
According to her, she was backstage enjoying Timaya’s performance when the singer requested a woman to join him.
Known for her energetic personality, the comedian said she rushed onto the stage in the excitement of the moment without knowing that Timaya intended to lift the woman participating in the performance.
She explained that she initially hesitated when Timaya asked her to jump towards him and even attempted to resist before eventually going along with the performance.
Real Warri Pikin subsequently accepted responsibility for putting herself in the situation and appealed to Nigerians not to judge her too harshly.
She also revealed that her husband was unhappy about the incident.
During the performance itself, Timaya appeared conscious of her marital status, as he publicly appealed to her husband not to be offended by the stage interaction.
The controversy, however, has somewhat overshadowed what was otherwise a significant career moment for Real Warri Pikin.
At the AFRIMMA ceremony, the comedian emerged as Best Stand-Up Comedian, defeating a competitive field of leading African comedy stars.
Her fellow nominees included Basketmouth, Bovi and Godfrey from Nigeria, alongside Kenya’s Eric Omondi and Ty Ngachira, South Africa’s Trevor Noah and Uganda’s Patrick “Salvado” Idringi.
The award further strengthens Real Warri Pikin’s standing in the African comedy industry, where she has built a large following through stand-up performances, acting, social media content and her distinctive style of humour.
However, instead of her award dominating conversations after the ceremony, the unexpected encounter with Timaya became one of the major talking points online.
Her decision to publicly apologise to her husband has also generated another conversation about boundaries between entertainment, marriage and spontaneous interactions involving celebrities on stage.
For Real Warri Pikin, the night will therefore be remembered for two very different reasons — winning one of the continent’s major comedy honours and finding herself at the centre of an unexpected viral controversy.
