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Renowned Nollywood filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has finally spoken out about the recent controversy involving actress and box office sensation Funke Akindele. This follows the criticism he faced over comments he made regarding movie promotion strategies.
The uproar started after a video clip from an interview gained traction online. In the interview, Afolayan discussed the demands of promoting films, describing some promotional tactics, like excessive dancing, as exhausting.
During the conversation, he referenced Funke Akindele and other filmmakers, which triggered a wave of online reactions.
Funke Akindele was not pleased with the comments and took to her Instagram story to voice her frustration through a series of posts.
In an appearance on ARISE News, Afolayan addressed the misunderstanding, clarifying that his comments were not meant as a personal critique of Akindele or her promotional methods.
According to him, the situation escalated to the point where Funke personally called him to confront him.
“Funke Akindele called me yesterday and yelled at me. She said, ‘Mr Afolayan, I know you don’t like me, but stop mentioning my name in your interviews.’ Then she cut the call on me,” he revealed.
Afolayan explained that his comments were made during a film business forum attended by cinema operators, where discussions focused on profitability and sustainability in the industry.
He noted that he had expressed hesitation about returning his films to cinemas unless the financial structure improved, and that Funke’s name came up only as an example of success, not criticism.
“I have nothing against Funke. Just last week at a film festival in Kaduna, I told young people to adopt her as a model. I never said she should not dance or promote her films,” he added.
The filmmaker added that he was surprised by Funke’s reaction, stressing that he has always encouraged filmmakers to explore promotional strategies that work best for them.
Watch video below…
I Have Nothing Against Funke Akindele, I Told Upcoming Filmmakers To Copy Her Model – Afolayan
I’m a product of travelling theatre or travelling cinema. But for film, even in the recent past, I would drag my kids to the cinema and beckon people to come watch our film. I think… pic.twitter.com/oh66MfnJ6B
— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) February 1, 2026