Popular skit maker and Nollywood actor, Cute Abiola, has addressed claims that he threw shade at veteran filmmaker Kunle Afolayan following the latter’s recent comments about cinema earnings in Nigeria.
The controversy began after Kunle Afolayan, in a viral interview, explained why he has stepped back from producing cinema movies.
According to the acclaimed filmmaker, the stress of marketing films is overwhelming, and massive box office figures do not always translate into meaningful personal income for producers. He stated that he has little interest in celebrating ₦1 billion or ₦2 billion cinema grosses if his personal earnings amount to as little as ₦10 million. Afolayan also noted that he finds it difficult to keep up with the constant demands of content creation, including frequent skit production and costume changes.
His remarks surfaced around the same period actresses Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham were celebrating major box office milestones, with their films reportedly grossing over ₦2 billion and ₦1 billion respectively. Reacting to the interview, Funke Akindele took to Instagram, accusing Afolayan of being bitter and suggesting that he had been left behind in the evolving film industry.
Amid the heated reactions online, Cute Abiola—who is widely known to be close to Funke Akindele—shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) advising his followers to avoid anything that could turn them into an “old taker.” The statement quickly sparked backlash, with many Nigerians interpreting it as a subtle jab at Kunle Afolayan.
Responding to the criticism, Cute Abiola firmly denied the allegations. He clarified that his post was not directed at Kunle Afolayan or anyone in the entertainment industry. According to him, the message was a personal note of motivation inspired by his own experiences. He further emphasized his respect for Afolayan, describing the veteran filmmaker as his leader, while expressing frustration at those who misinterpreted his intentions.
The clarification has since reignited conversations about generational differences, creative growth, and income realities within Nigeria’s film and content creation space, as fans continue to debate the larger issues raised by the controversy.
