Funke Akindele fumes as Kunle Afolayan says he’ll never dance, do skits to promote movies like her

31 Jan 2026, 18:54 by Pelumi Bolawa · TheCable Lifestyle

Funke Akindele, the Nigerian filmmaker, has offered a pointed response to recent remarks by her colleague Kunle Afolayan, concerning the intense demands of promoting theatrical films.

Afolayan had spoken at the recent Lagos Business of Film summit, describing the relentless cycle of content creation required for modern film promotion as “unsustainable.”

He revealed that the exhaustive demand was a key reason he stepped back from producing cinema releases, despite “being a pioneer of Nigeria’s cinema resurgence”.

Afolayan also took a swipe at Funke, saying, “I want to make a film if you guarantee that I do not have to dance to sell that film. Are there other ways? We need to come up with other strategies. How do we sell without exhausting ourselves?

“I do not know how Funke and the likes of them are doing it – creating all of those skits, changing costumes every day.

“I cannot do it. But we have stories we have been working on for more than four years, and we are willing to do,” he added.

However, reacting in a series of Instagram stories, Akindele presented a different perspective, urging filmmakers to innovate rather than withdraw.

She argued that creators can — and should — develop their own promotional models.

Akindele maintained that she is committed to her own promotional style, stating she is “believing in Gods plan for me”.

She emphasised that the industry holds limitless opportunities, and success does not require following a single blueprint.

“I’m not the one hindering your progress. Karin ka po, yiye ni n ye ni,” she wrote in a mixture of Yorùbá and English.

“If you can’t beat them or join them, create your own path. No allow jealousy burn you. The sky is so big for everybody to fly. Eyin Werey jojo!!!

“Go ahead and create alternative promotion or marketing strategies for promoting your business, or hire a company to handle it.

“You can do it! The opportunities are endless, and everyone has their own path. I’m focused on mine, and I have faith in God’s plan for me.”

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