‘Don’t Let Jealousy Burn You’ – Funke Akindele replies Kunle Afolayan over remarks on cinema movies
Popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has reacted to recent remarks made by fellow filmmaker Kunle Afolayan on cinema marketing strategies and blockbuster box office figures.
Afolayan had, in a series of public appearances, questioned the sustainability of current promotional methods used to push cinema releases in Nigeria. Speaking during the launch of his film Anikulapo, he played down the importance of headline box office numbers, stating that personal profit mattered more to him than cinema grosses running into billions of naira.
“There is no competition between us,” he said. “I don’t just want ₦1 billion or ₦2 billion in the cinema when I won’t personally receive ₦10 million from it.”
The filmmaker also shared similar views at the Lagos Business of Film Summit, where he explained his reluctance to adopt aggressive promotional tactics commonly used by some of his colleagues. According to him, he prefers marketing strategies that do not require constant online skits, costume changes or dance-driven promotions.
“I want to make a film where I don’t have to dance to sell it,” Afolayan said. “We need to find other ways of selling films without exhausting ourselves. I don’t know how people like Funke Akindele do it. Creating skits every day, changing costumes all the time – I can’t do that.”
Akindele, however, appeared unimpressed by the comments. Reacting via her Instagram story, the actress suggested that Afolayan’s remarks were driven by envy and encouraged him to focus on his own creative journey.
“I’m not the one hindering your progress,” she wrote, adding a mix of English and Yoruba expressions. “If you can’t beat them or join them, create your own path. Don’t let jealousy burn you. The sky is big enough for everyone to fly.”
She further advised filmmakers to explore alternative promotional methods or outsource marketing efforts if certain strategies do not align with their personal style.
“Go ahead and create other promotion or marketing strategies for your business, or hire a company to handle it,” she added. “Everyone has their own path, and I’m focused on mine.”
Afolayan’s comments come at a time when Nollywood has recorded unprecedented box office milestones, with films by Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham reportedly crossing the ₦1 billion and ₦2 billion marks in cinema earnings.
The exchange has since sparked conversations within the industry and among fans about marketing, profitability and the evolving business models shaping modern Nollywood cinema.
