Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has opened up on his strained relationship with actress Funke Akindele, shedding light on what led to their reported fallout.

 

Speaking during a recent interview on Arise TV, Afolayan disclosed that he initially approached Akindele for the role of Queen Arolake in his critically acclaimed film Anikulapo. According to him, the actress demanded a fee of ₦3.5 million for the role—an amount he said did not align with his production budget.

 

Faced with the financial constraint, Afolayan revealed that he decided to move forward with another actress for the part. However, he claimed that the decision appeared to have created tension between them.

 

“The moment she heard we had started filming, she stopped talking to me,” he said, adding that despite occasionally seeing each other at industry events, their relationship remained distant.

 

The filmmaker further disclosed that in an attempt to mend fences, he later reached out to congratulate Akindele on the success of one of her projects. However, the response he received was unexpected.

 

“She told me not to ever talk to her or mention her name again,” Afolayan recounted during the interview.

 

The revelation has sparked conversations within Nollywood, especially amid ongoing discussions about professionalism, pay standards, and interpersonal relationships in the industry.

 

While Funke Akindele has not publicly responded to the claims, the story has fueled renewed debate among fans and stakeholders about the balance between actors’ worth and production realities in Nigeria’s film sector.

 

The disclosure also adds context to recent tensions involving Akindele and fellow actress Toyin Abraham, as industry watchers continue to piece together the complex dynamics among some of Nollywood’s biggest stars.