I Was Ready To Pay – Funke Akindele Recalls Shocking Rejection During Jenifa Movie Campaign

Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has recounted how a social media influencer rejected her offer to pay for promotional content for her 2024 movie, Everybody Loves Jenifa.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the filmmaker made the revelation during a panel discussion at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND), where she spoke about her experience seeking promotional partnerships for the movie.

Akindele explained that she was initially hesitant to contact the unnamed influencer but eventually decided to reach out in the hope of securing a collaboration to promote the film.

However, she said she waited for almost a week before receiving a response indicating that the influencer’s management was not interested in the proposed partnership.

The actress disclosed that she even offered to pay for the promotional content, but the influencer allegedly ignored the offer.

According to her account, she later came across claims suggesting that she had blocked the individual following the disagreement. However, she did not reveal the influencer’s identity or provide further details about the alleged incident.

Despite the experience, Akindele maintained that the rejection did not discourage her or affect her approach to securing promotional partnerships. She said she chose not to respond publicly to the situation and instead focused on moving forward with her plans.

Recounting the incident, the filmmaker said she had initially struggled with the decision to contact the influencer but eventually took the initiative because she believed the collaboration could benefit the movie.

She explained that when the influencer communicated that their management was unwilling to participate, she offered payment but received no further response.

Akindele added that she refused to allow the experience to weigh her down, choosing instead to accept the situation and continue with her promotional efforts.

Her revelation highlights some of the challenges filmmakers encounter when seeking collaborations with social media personalities to promote their projects, even when they are willing to pay for the services.