Kunle Afolayan Clarifies Stance on Funke Akindele, Urges Filmmakers to Study Her Model

Renowned filmmaker and entrepreneur, Kunle Afolayan, has addressed his recent commentary on film promotion, asserting that he harbors no animosity towards fellow actress and producer, Funke Akindele. He also advocated for emerging filmmakers to examine her career trajectory.

During an interview with ARISE News on Sunday, Afolayan recounted a conversation with Akindele, stating, "I have absolutely nothing against her, she’s my sister, we grew up together…so when she called and she said, I know you don’t like me, it was weird, and I’m like, where is this coming from…if for any reason she feels offended, I’m sorry."

Afolayan elaborated on his previous remarks regarding film marketing, expressing his admiration for Akindele's approach. "I clearly said to them, that if you want to adopt a model, that I think, you know, will work for you now, then follow Funke Akindele’s model, I’m going to get the video, and I’ll put it, and I said, follow her model, because Funke started, you know, at a younger age…look at Funke’s brand now, she has grown, you know, it’s a consistent growth."

He further clarified his wider perspective on cinema releases and the promotion of movies, noting that his personal strategy is influenced by his diverse involvements in the creative industry. "Do you know how many things I do? I run a resort, all right, I have a cultural center in Lagos, all right, I have an academy that trains people, like, you know, and we have partners, that are not even Nigerians, so I do, film is my core, film gave birth to all of these other things, so I do this in the ecosystem of, you know, cinema, film, and television."

Afolayan reiterated that his statements were not intended as a criticism of Akindele or her marketing methods. "I have absolutely nothing against her, and I didn’t say that she don’t dance."

His comments emerge amidst ongoing conversations about how Nigerian filmmakers can effectively balance artistic creation with commercial viability, while also recognizing the achievements and innovative strategies of their peers in marketing and distribution.