Veteran Nollywood filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan has finally addressed the controversy involving actress and box office queen Funke Akindele, following backlash over comments he made about movie promotion.
The issue began after a viral video surfaced from an interview in which Afolayan spoke about the pressures of film promotion, describing activities like excessive dancing to market movies as draining.
In the process, he mentioned Funke Akindele and other filmmakers, which sparked reactions online.
Funke Akindele, however, did not take the comment lightly, as she went on a series of rants on her Instagram story to express her displeasure.
While speaking on ARISE News, Afolayan clarified that his remarks were misunderstood and were never intended as a personal attack on Funke Akindele or her promotional style.
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
