Actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has responded to filmmakers Lancelot Imasuen and James Abinibi comments calling out Nollywood veterans and criticising the viability of taking films to cinemas.
On Friday, Omotola shared screenshots on Instagram, showing both Abinibi’s comment advising filmmakers not to take their movies to the cinema and an interview in which Lancelot accused top actors of distancing themselves from the industry.
Omotola began her post with, “Hmm ….. Hello O. Is it time for us to visit this? Filmmakers? Actors? ‘Veterans’? Cinema chains? Distributors? Government? Or should we come back another time…”
Reacting to Lancelot’s remarks, the Blood Sisters star congratulated him on his three-decade run in the industry, saying, “Let me start by congratulating the legend! The great king of Issakaba, the Guv @lancelotimasuen on his 30th Anniversary!!!”
She added, “Ironically, I am also celebrating my 30th Anniversary Run in the Entertainment industry which started last year and will run till 2026.”
While acknowledging that she had remained publicly silent on many issues in the industry, Omotola said she had been active behind the scenes.
“Even though I have been mostly publicly silent on many issues plaguing my amazing industry in time past, I have been vocal somewhat underground and I’ll probably now start unearthing these for an attempt for a healthier industry. So thank you ‘The Guv’ for your submission.”
She then drew attention to the harsh economic realities facing producers who take their films to cinemas.
Omotola, who recently directed her first movie, broke down the deductions from box office earnings, pointing out that cinema exhibitors take half of the returns while governments in Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia deduct multiple taxes, along with distributors and marketers.
Her post read in part, “My findings (earnings) Nollywood cinema run… Cinema (exhibitors) take – 50%. Value Added Tax (Govt) – 7.5%. Entertainment Tax (Govt) – 5%. Withholding Tax (Nig Govt) – 10%. WHT Tax (Ghanian Govt) – 15%. WHT Tax (Liberian Govt) – 15%. Distributor fee (distribution) – 15%. VAT (on distributor’s fee) – 7.5%. PnA (publicity and adv) – 20% of movie budget.”
She added, “Now tell me… after a movie producer invests so much money, usually (N150m as possible minimum) and has all those deductions… what they possibly could have left? Or if they can EVER recoup their investment?”
Omotola concluded by asking, “I ask again… Are we ready to have this discussion? Or do we go back to the #shhhh culture… Lol.”
Abiodun “Abinibi” Olanrewaju had earlier advised filmmakers not to waste their movies by releasing them in cinemas, citing the ongoing challenges of recovering investments.
Meanwhile, Lancelot Imasuen in his interview called out Omotola, Genevieve Nnaji, Emeka Ike and others, saying they had distanced themselves from Nollywood and urging them to return and help rebuild the industry.
