Filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has said he holds no grudge against actress and producer Funke Akindele, following a backlash over comments he made on film promotion strategies in Nollywood.
Afolayan spoke during an interview on ARISE News on Sunday, where he addressed reports suggesting he criticised colleagues who promote their films through dance driven social media campaigns.
He revealed that Funke personally called him after his remarks at a film business forum were widely reported.
“She called, and she said, ‘I know you don’t like me, but don’t mention my name in your interviews,’ she was yelling, and she dropped the phone after that,” Afolayan said.
He described the call as surprising, stressing that they share a long standing personal and professional relationship.
“It was weird, and I’m like, where is this coming from. She’s like a sister to me. In Unilag, I would go to her hostel, her sister is also my friend, so I am not sure where this is coming from,” he said.
Afolayan insisted his comments were misunderstood and taken out of context, saying he never criticised Funke or any filmmaker who uses aggressive promotional tactics.
“I never said anything was wrong with it. For me, it’s draining. I have absolutely nothing against it. I’m just saying what I will not do,” he stated.
He explained that the remarks were made during a film business forum attended by cinema operators, where the focus was on profitability and sustainability for filmmakers.
“The honest truth is, it was a forum, it was a film business forum, and we had the cinema operators there, and the cinema operators were asking me, when are you coming back to cinema, and I said, I can’t come to cinema if you cannot guarantee that I will make substantial money,” he said.
At the forum, Afolayan also spoke about the pressure placed on filmmakers to engage in constant promotional activities to secure cinema success, noting that box office figures do not always reflect actual earnings for producers. He questioned the sustainability of a system that prioritises publicity over returns.
Addressing Funke directly during the interview, Afolayan apologised for any offence caused.
“If for any reason she feels offended, I’m sorry,” he said.
However, he criticised what he described as coordinated online attacks that followed the controversy.
“But one thing she has done, which I think is totally wrong, and I would never do this kind of a thing, is to use social media rats to come after whoever it is,” he added.
Despite the dispute, Afolayan acknowledged Funke’s success and influence in the industry, describing her career growth as strategic and worthy of study by younger filmmakers.
“I clearly said to them (young filmmakers), that if you want to adopt a model that I think will work for you now, then follow Funke Akindele’s model,” he said.
“Funke started at a younger age, and then she did Jenifa with minimal budget, rolling resources, and from then, look at Funke’s brand now, she has grown.”
Beyond the controversy, Afolayan also spoke about the performance of Aníkúlápó Season Two on Netflix, saying the series has exceeded expectations and reaffirming his confidence in streaming platforms as viable outlets for Nigerian stories.
