Gbenga Adebayo
Comedian and actor Cute Abiola has cleared the air after his social media post sparked speculation that he was subtly mocking veteran filmmaker Kunle Afolayan over recent industry comments.
The controversy began after Afolayan voiced concerns about the financial returns from cinema releases in a recent interview.
During the viral discussion, Afolayan explained his decision to step back from producing theatrical films, citing the strenuous marketing demands and disproportionate earnings.
He stated, “The marketing grind for cinema releases is draining. When you hear about N1 billion or N2 billion box office figures, the actual personal take-home might be as little as N10 million. I respect how contemporaries like Funke Akindele manage it, but constantly creating content and switching costumes isn’t my style.”
These remarks came shortly after industry colleagues Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham celebrated major box office milestones for their respective films.
Akindele later responded strongly on Instagram, implying that Afolayan was envious of others’ success and needed to adapt to modern industry trends.
Amidst this back-and-forth, Cute Abiola, known for his close association with Akindele, shared a cryptic tweet advising followers, “Steer clear of anything that might label you as outdated in your field.”
Many social media users interpreted this as a veiled jab at Afolayan’s comments, prompting backlash against the comedian.
Addressing the misunderstanding, Abiola clarified passionately, “Let me set the record straight – my tweet was personal inspiration, not a dig at Kunle Afolayan or anyone. To those twisting my words against a respected industry leader, may your misinterpretations never prosper! Seriously, what’s wrong with you people?”
Grace Effiong
