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Veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo has spoken candidly about a difficult period in the Nigerian film industry, describing how the emergence of YouTube and digital platforms helped dismantle what he called an era of intimidation and control by powerful movie marketers.
The respected actor made the revelation during a recent episode of The Honest Bunch podcast, where he reflected on the internal struggles Nollywood faced at a time when marketers wielded enormous influence over actors, filmmakers, and creative decisions.
According to Kanayo, there was a period when a group of marketers operated almost like an unchecked authority within the industry, determining who worked, who was sidelined, and who was effectively shut out of Nollywood. He recalled that actors had little to no protection during that era, as decisions were often made arbitrarily and without due process.
“There was a time when between 10 and 12 actors were suspended in one year,” Kanayo revealed. “They just came together as a union and suspended actors unilaterally.”
He explained that the suspensions were frequently justified with unclear or questionable reasons, sometimes labeled as “unholy conduct,” without proper investigation or the opportunity for the accused actors to defend themselves.
Kanayo further stated that many of these marketers doubled as executive producers, giving them even more leverage to dictate terms and suppress any form of independence among actors. According to him, their primary goal was to maintain total control over the industry and prevent actors from becoming financially or professionally autonomous.
“They placed a bar on anything that would allow actors to rise or market their own fame,” he said.
The veteran actor disclosed that one of the most restrictive measures introduced by the marketers was a financial barrier designed to discourage actors from becoming marketers themselves. He said actors who wanted to take that route were required to pay a hefty sum, a condition that effectively locked most performers out of opportunities to promote or distribute their own work.
“They imposed a ₦500,000 fine on any actor who wanted to become a marketer,” Kanayo said.
Putting the situation into perspective, he noted that the fine was almost impossible to meet, considering the financial realities of Nollywood at the time.
“At that time, the budget for an entire movie was about ₦800,000. So where would an actor see ₦500,000 just to promote a film?” he asked.
Kanayo explained that these conditions left many actors financially constrained and creatively frustrated, with limited avenues to grow their careers outside the marketers’ grip. He added that fear of suspension or blacklisting forced many performers to remain silent, even when faced with unfair treatment.
According to him, the turning point came with the rise of YouTube and other digital platforms, which shifted the balance of power in Nollywood. These platforms allowed actors, producers, and filmmakers to bypass traditional distribution channels and reach audiences directly, reducing the influence of marketers.
Kanayo said the digital revolution opened doors for creative freedom, financial independence, and global exposure, enabling Nollywood practitioners to tell their stories on their own terms.
He emphasized that YouTube, in particular, gave actors control over their content and careers, effectively breaking the monopoly that once stifled the industry.
The actor’s remarks have since sparked conversations online, with many Nollywood stakeholders acknowledging the role digital platforms have played in transforming the Nigerian film industry into a more open and inclusive space.
Kanayo O. Kanayo, who has spent decades in Nollywood, remains one of the industry’s most outspoken voices, often using his platform to reflect on its evolution and advocate for fairness, professionalism, and creative freedom.
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