Nollywood star Ibrahim Chatta has responded to allegations that he is not given enough credit in the industry.
Ibrahim Chatta rejected the idea in an interview with Talk to B, a podcast broadcast by his colleague Biola Bayo, highlighting his appreciation for God’s grace.
In contrast to popular belief, the Yoruba film star said he is lucky to have one of the highest salaries among performers that speak Yoruba.
He blamed his quiet social media presence for misunderstandings about his status. The multifaceted actor stated:
“And I will say this to my fans: I love you so much. You guys are amazing people. A lot of times, people will say Ibrahim Chatta is underrated. No, I am one lucky bastard. I have enjoyed the grace of God too much. I don’t deserve the things God did to me.”
Ibrahim Chatta explained that his charges are well-known among his colleagues in the industry. He noted:
“I am one of the highest-paid Yoruba-speaking actors. My colleagues know that my charges are high, but because they don’t see me posting things on social media, they think otherwise.”
The actor also expressed appreciation to his fans, acknowledging their role in his success despite his lack of formal education.
He revealed that he was a ‘studio rat’ before stardom and his early career earnings from music soundtracks and promotional jingles allowed him to demand fair compensation for his acting roles, even before his peers began requesting fees for movie appearances. His words:
“I gave myself responsibility because I discovered it would make me stronger.
“At a point, I told my mum that I was comfortable and that she shouldn’t bother sending me foodstuffs.
“But I wasn’t comfortable. So, I would work for about a week or two as a bus conductor and I would get somebody.
“Then I got lucky and I started writing and composing movie soundtracks. I did movie soundtracks for over 400 films, I did promotional jingles for over 400 firms.
“Then I wasn’t known as an actor. I had studios in Ikeja and other places. At a point, I was a studio rat. I would go to the studio, write songs, sing and perform.”
