Nollywood powerhouse Funke Akindele has clapped back at filmmaker Kunle Afolayan following his critical remarks about the marketing strategies used for cinema movies, attributing his comments to envy.
The exchange began when Afolayan, during the launch of his movie 'Anikulapo' and later at the 'Lagos Business of Film Summit', questioned the profitability and intense promotional demands of cinema releases. He stated, “I don’t just want N1 billion or N2 billion in the cinema that I won’t be able to personally receive N10 million from,” and specifically referenced Akindele's methods, saying, “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.”
Responding via her Instagram story, Akindele did not hold back. “I’m not the one hindering your progress. Ka rin ka po, yiye ni n ye ni,” she wrote in a mix of Yoruba and Pidgin. “If you can’t beat them or join them, create your own path. No allow jealousy burn you. The sky is so big for everybody to fly. Eyin Werey jojo. You can do it!”
She advised him to focus on his own journey, adding, “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. Go ahead and create alternative promotion or marketing strategies for promoting your business, or hire a company to handle it.”
The public spat highlights differing philosophies in Nollywood regarding film distribution, profitability, and the evolving role of social media marketing.
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