Cute Abiola Denies Targeting Kunle Afolayan Amid Box Office Debate
Popular skit maker and actor Abdulgafar Ahmad, widely known as Cute Abiola, has dismissed claims that he took a swipe at veteran filmmaker Kunle Afolayan following the director’s recent comments about cinema revenues and film marketing.
The controversy began after Afolayan criticised the demands of promoting cinema releases in Nigeria. In a widely shared interview, the filmmaker said he had stepped away from making movies for cinemas because of what he described as the exhausting nature of marketing, particularly on social media.
Afolayan questioned the financial rewards of box office success, noting that large cinema grosses do not necessarily translate into significant personal earnings for filmmakers. His remarks came at a time when actresses Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham were celebrating major box office milestones of ₦2 billion and ₦1 billion respectively.
Following the interview, Funke Akindele responded in a series of Instagram posts, accusing Afolayan of being out of touch with current industry realities and suggesting his comments were driven by jealousy.
As the debate gained momentum online, Cute Abiola, who is known to be close to Akindele, posted a message on X advising people to “avoid anything that will make you become an old taker.” The post sparked backlash, with many social media users interpreting it as a subtle dig at Afolayan.
Amid the criticism, Cute Abiola issued a clarification, denying that his post was directed at the filmmaker or anyone in the entertainment industry. He described Afolayan as a senior figure he respects and said his message was meant as personal motivation rather than an attack.
The exchange has added to an ongoing conversation within Nigeria’s film industry about box office success, marketing expectations, and how filmmakers are rewarded for their work, particularly in an era dominated by social media promotion.
