The figures are astounding. Over 4b in ticket sales for three movies, making her the biggest money-making machine in the 3rd largest film industry in the world.
She has beaten even the biggest movie makers in the world who are shy of making three back-to-back hits.
The economics are crazy, the wealth creation indices are out of this world, and the direct and indirect impact on certain sectors of the economy, including entertainment infrastructure, equipment leasing, jobs, and other allied sectors, can only be imagined.
The Chambers of Commerce nationwide should be fetting her, just as governments are sending celebratory messages to Funke Akindele.
Then comes my brother Kunle Afolayan with his “I cannot dance to market a movie” prick on her balloon.
As if that was not enough, movie star of yesteryears Omotola reined in with her own — “ohhh, it’s unprofessional to dance to sell movies.”
You see, this penchant to jump on creative arrogance to put down genuine efforts is germane in their industry.
They will soon deride her and begin to call her Movie Marketer, like some have been calling me Theatre Marketer.
Thankfully, Funke comes with abundant talent that most in the industry cannot rise to compare, so she cannot be derided as such.
The industry is a multi-trillion-naira industry pushing to surpass agric as the largest employer of labour, feeding over 3m SMEs who directly and indirectly service it, and becoming a major forex earner to the country, thereby contributing very succinctly to the GDP and taking a vast share of diaspora receipts.
Practitioners don’t see this, refuse to see it, and can’t comprehend the vast economic power that propels talent.
Instead, they poke an arrogant nose at “outsiders” who have come in with liquid cash to propel the industry.
People like Bolanle Austen-Peters, who reignited modern Nigerian theatre, suffered derogatory outcomes from practitioners until she caved in to go get capacity, and today is one of the biggest filmmakers in the land.
When I say that talent, as much as it is respected, is a given in the equation, and what worsens its case is its oversupply.
So the premium factor in the equation is the Funke Akindele type who can transform a N100m investment into a N2b revenue-beating machine.
That is the power, and that is what matters, no matter the directorial talent or the acting prowess of Jack Nicholson you put in the equation.
What would have been Nollywood without the liquid cash of the Igbo trader?
What would be Nollywood without the emotional capital that is being thrown into the space by female producers?
It smirks of abandonment when you take investors’ money, produce a movie, and then don’t do what you need to do — even if it’s not dancing — in ensuring that investors get their returns.
Yes, you can pursue industry accolades by winning Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Singer awards, but what really matters for the continued survival of the industry is returns on investment.
Funke has time and time again ensured that while showing the best of eclectic cinema, she ensures that the figures pan out.
It’s one thing to be paid upfront and then dump on a streaming platform, which now takes all of the icing on the barely cost-covering fees they pay, and be happy with that; and another for you to drop the movie in outlets and push with your blood to ensure it sells.
Of course, there is no one road to the market, as you could sell a movie in many ways, including and not limited to dancing or small drama at cinemas, amongst others.
But when industry heavyweights now come out with this position, it sends a demeaning, look-down-on-a-strategy-that-is-working message.
Funke’s strategy, whatever it is, should be studied in business schools and imbibed by all.
You can imagine if all movies produced in Nigeria averaged just N300m in returns — the massive impact on the economy.
The only point Mr. Afolayan threw up was the point where he said, “people make just N10m out of N2b.”
Now this shows his financial illiteracy, and I say this with all due respect.
Let me explain. So I can go to Kunle and say, “I want you to produce a movie for me. How much will it cost me?”
Kunle looks me up and down and says, “My fee is N10m, and then the budget is N100m for every other thing.”
So I pay him the N10m and take the market risk. He has no business with the upside.
But if he came to me and said, “You know what, leave my fee but give me a share of gate takings and a share of other marketing opportunities,” then he can share, because he is taking the risk.
So if Funke, as he is alluding, gave a fee and got paid, then she cannot be derided because she didn’t take the risk and had valued herself as such, which is right.
I have paid theatre directors over N5m — I once paid one N8m and sold only N1m tickets.
If I had sold N50m, would it be right to now be laughing at that director?
No. He has valued himself, and I have paid him.
These people need to take a crash course in the business side of their craft so they don’t come out and be making these kinds of statements.
The industry has grown so much to the extent that just talent no longer matters, as it is a given, like I have said, but what really matters today is the man with the liquid and the person who can turn that liquid into cash and strong returns. Rarely do you find all of these in one person, and that one person is Funke Akindele.
Thanks.
Come and beat me.
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: February 5, 2026
