Box Office wahala! Funke Akindele calls out Afolayan over jealousy

Renowned Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has fired back at colleague Kunle Afolayan following his comments criticising current cinema marketing strategies and box office hype in the Nigerian film industry.

Afolayan, in a series of videos and public appearances, questioned the sustainability of aggressive promotional tactics often deployed to push cinema releases.

Speaking at the launch of his movie Anikulapo, the filmmaker stressed that he was not in competition with anyone, adding that large cinema grosses do not necessarily translate to personal profit.

“There is no competition between us. I don’t just want ₦1 billion or ₦2 billion in the cinema that I won’t be able to personally receive ₦10 million from,” Afolayan said.

He further elaborated on his stance during a recent appearance at the Lagos Business of Film Summit, where he explained why he avoids certain cinema-driven marketing approaches.
“I want to make a film if you can guarantee I don’t have to dance to sell. We need to come up with other strategies. How do we sell without exhausting ourselves? I don’t know how the likes of Funke Akindele and others are doing it—creating skits every day, changing costumes all the time. I can’t do it,” he added.

Reacting via her Instagram Story, Akindele dismissed the remarks and suggested they were rooted in jealousy, insisting she was not responsible for anyone’s lack of progress.

“I’m not the one hindering your progress. Ka rin ka po, yiye ni n ye ni,” she wrote.

The actress encouraged filmmakers to chart their own paths rather than criticise others, stressing that the industry has room for diverse approaches.

“If you can’t beat them or join them, create your own path. Don’t allow jealousy burn you. The sky is so big for everybody to fly,” Akindele stated.

“Go ahead and create alternative promotion or marketing strategies for your business, or hire a company to handle it. The opportunities are endless, and everyone has their own path. I’m focused on mine, and I have faith in God’s plan for me.”