“It Was Weird, She’s Like A Sister To Me”— Afolayan Speaks On Fallout With Funke After Cinema Comments

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Nollywood filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has finally spoken out following the intense criticism that trailed comments he made at the premiere of his latest film remarks that many believed were aimed at fellow industry heavyweight Funke Akindele.

The controversy began when Afolayan openly questioned the profitability of cinema releases, stating that box office figures meant little to him if they didn’t translate into tangible returns. He also suggested that he was uninterested in promotional strategies that involved constant dancing on social media, a comment many interpreted as a jab at colleagues known for such marketing tactics.

Reacting strongly, Funke Akindele pushed back publicly, insisting that she was not responsible for anyone’s lack of progress and warning against allowing jealousy to cloud judgment. She further fueled the moment by sharing a video of herself dancing while promoting her record-breaking film.

Speaking later on Arise News, Afolayan revealed that the situation escalated privately when Akindele called him unexpectedly.

“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,” he said.

The filmmaker admitted the exchange caught him off guard, especially given their long 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 insisted that his original comments were taken out of context, stressing that he never condemned Akindele or any filmmaker for how they choose to promote their work.

“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 explained.

According to him, the remarks were made during a professional discussion focused on the economics of filmmaking and the sustainability of cinema releases.

“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.

While expressing disappointment over the backlash that followed, Afolayan offered an apology to Akindele, acknowledging that his words may have caused offense.

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

However, he also criticized what he described as the weaponization of social media during the dispute.

“But one thing she has done, which I think is totally wrong, and I would never do this kind of thing, is to use social media rats to come after whoever it is.”

Despite the tension, Afolayan was clear in recognizing Akindele’s achievements, describing her rise as intentional and well-planned.

“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.”

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“Funke called me yesterday and she said ‘Mr. Afolayan, I know you don’t like me but don’t mention my name in your interviews’. She was yelling and she dropped.”

Kunle Afolayan clarifies previous remarks about Funke Akindele attributed to himpic.twitter.com/BaTxaFj9ZP

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