- Cute Abiola, a skit maker and actor, has denied any intention to shade veteran filmmaker Kunle Afolayan.
- Afolayan recently criticized the marketing strategies for Nigerian films during a viral social media interview.
- He expressed frustration over the exhausting marketing efforts and the low personal income from high-grossing films.
Skit maker and actor Cute Abiola has denied shading veteran filmmaker Kunle Afolayan following his recent comments on cinema box office earnings.
GistLover reports that Afolayan had criticized the marketing approach for Nigerian films. In a viral social media interview, he revealed that he stopped producing movies for cinemas because the marketing is exhausting and expressed frustration over the small personal income from high-grossing films. He said he doesn’t want N1 billion or N2 billion in cinema revenue if he would only earn N10 million personally.
He stated, “I don’t know how the likes of Funke Akindele, others are doing it. But creating every day skits, and changing costumes all the time. I can’t do it. 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.”
His remarks came shortly after actresses Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham celebrated N2 billion and N1 billion cinema grosses, respectively. Funke Akindele later accused Afolayan of being jealous and suggested he has been left behind.
Amid the controversy, Cute Abiola, who is known as Funke’s close associate, advised his fans to avoid anything that can turn them into an “old taker.” He wrote on X, “Avoid anything that will make you become an old taker.”
Many Nigerians interpreted his post as a subtle dig at Afolayan and criticized him online. Responding to the backlash, Cute Abiola denied attacking Afolayan and referred to him as his leader.
“Just to clarify, this tweet was not directed at Kunle Afolayan or anyone in the industry. It was a personal motivation based on something that genuinely inspired me and I decided to share. To everyone under this comment who picked my tweet as subbing my leader Kunle Afolayan! E NO GO BETTER FOR UNA!!! Like ENKR, odaju ni gbogbo yin oooo Walai ! Eyin nu olohun nu,” he wrote.
