Nollywood actress, Anita Joseph has found herself at the centre of an online controversy after content creator, Ogechi Ukonu, popularly known as Caramel Plug, accused her of lifting her photo, removing her face and superimposing her own head onto the image before sharing it publicly. The drama began after Caramel Plug shared a birthday photoshoot online, prompting reactions from fans and colleagues admiring the styling and concept.

Caramel Plug later called out Anita Joseph directly, alleging that the actress had copied her exact photoshoot concept, hairstyle and outfit, going as far as removing her head from the original picture and replacing it with her own. She expressed her frustration publicly, noting that she and Anita were not acquainted and questioning why the actress would edit her face into someone else’s photo and post it as her own.

Responding to the backlash, Anita Joseph issued an apology on her Instagram Story, attributing the mix-up to a member of her creative team she referred to as her “AI boy.” She explained that the image had been presented to her as an AI-generated concept and insisted she was unaware it was actually Caramel Plug’s original photo. In her message, she praised Caramel Plug’s look while distancing herself from any deliberate wrongdoing, and later shifted blame onto the AI tech studio she had worked with for the shoot.

Caramel Plug was unconvinced by the explanation. Sharing a video to back up her claim that the photo was genuine and not AI-generated, she rejected Anita Joseph’s apology, telling her to ensure her “imaginary AI boy” does better next time and reiterating that the two had no personal relationship.

The exchange has since sparked widespread reactions online, with Nigerians divided over the incident. Some users defended Anita Joseph, arguing there was nothing inherently wrong with using AI-assisted concepts, while others sided with Caramel Plug, accusing the actress of taking credit for someone else’s original creative work. The back-and-forth has kept the story trending across Nigerian social media as both parties continue to respond to public commentary.

Photo Credit: Instagram