Funke Akindele: an influencer ignored me and turned down a paid promo for my film
PauseandPonderTV · Sun, 8 Nov 2026The filmmaker told a creative industry panel she offered to pay for content promoting Everybody Loves Jenifa, but was turned down.
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele says a social media influencer once ignored her, then rejected her offer to pay for promotional content for her 2024 film, Everybody Loves Jenifa.
Speaking on a panel at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND), Akindele said she contacted the influencer directly and made clear she was willing to pay. Days passed before she got a reply, and it said the influencer's management did not want to take part.
She did not name the influencer.
Akindele said she did not take it personally. "I didn't let it affect me. I embraced it," she said, adding that the experience had not stopped her from working with content creators to promote her films. She also dismissed claims that she had blocked someone over the matter.
Everybody Loves Jenifa became one of the highest-grossing Nollywood films at the Nigerian box office after its release in December 2024. Akindele is known for spending heavily on promotional tours and online campaigns for her films.
Source: this report is based on reporting by Naija News.
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