Funke Akindele yelled on phone, asked me not to mention her name in interviews – Kunle Afolayan

 

Award-winning filmmaker and creative entrepreneur Kunle Afolayan has opened up about a heated phone exchange with actress and producer Funke Akindele, which followed public controversy surrounding his comments on movie promotion methods in Nollywood.

During an interview on ARISE News on Sunday, Afolayan disclosed that Akindele contacted him directly after reports circulated suggesting he had criticised colleagues who rely on dance-led promotional campaigns to market their films.

“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 said the allegation caught him off guard, especially considering their close personal and professional history.

“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 maintained that his remarks had been misunderstood, stressing that he never attacked Akindele or any filmmaker who chooses intensive promotional strategies.

“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 his comments were made at a film business forum attended by cinema operators, where discussions focused on revenue generation and long-term 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.

Responding to the fallout, Afolayan expressed regret that the issue escalated, while also addressing Akindele directly.

“If for any reason she feels offended, I’m sorry,” he said. “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.”

Despite the disagreement, Afolayan acknowledged Akindele’s achievements and influence in Nollywood, describing her rise as intentional and well-structured.

“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.”

Shifting focus, Afolayan also highlighted the strong reception of Aníkúlápó Season Two on Netflix, revealing that the project has outperformed expectations.

“So far, as of yesterday (Saturday), it’s top number one in Nigeria. It’s already number one most watched film after 24 hours,” he said, noting that Seasons Two and Three were filmed back-to-back.

He further dismissed claims that Netflix had withdrawn from Nigeria, clarifying the distinction between commissioning and content acquisition.

“Netflix didn’t go anywhere. They stopped commissioning. They didn’t stop acquiring,” Afolayan said.

“They are still buying content. There are films licensed for ten years.”

Reflecting on his role curating screenings of his late father Ade Love’s films during Oyo State’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Afolayan described the experience as emotionally significant.

“For me, it was an emotional celebration. You cannot celebrate Oyo without celebrating the people who started the industry,” he said.

As conversations continue around film marketing approaches, cinema economics, and distribution models, Afolayan reiterated that his stance was never personal.

“I have absolutely nothing against her. She’s my sister. We grew up together,” he said.