Funke Akindele Recounts How Influencer Turned Down Her Paid Offer to Promote ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has opened up about an unexpected experience she encountered while promoting her blockbuster movie, Everybody Loves Jenifa, revealing that a social media influencer once turned down her offer for a paid promotional collaboration.
The award-winning filmmaker shared the experience during a panel session at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND), where she discussed the challenges of promoting films and working with social media influencers.
According to Akindele, she was initially reluctant to approach the unnamed influencer but eventually decided to reach out with a proposal for promotional content that would help create more awareness for the movie.
She explained that her plan involved having the influencer create content several times a week as part of the film’s promotional campaign.
However, after sending the message and waiting for several days, she received a response indicating that the influencer’s management was not interested in the proposed collaboration.
What made the situation more surprising was that Akindele was willing to pay for the promotional services.
Recounting the conversation, she explained that even after making it clear that she was prepared to pay, the influencer did not respond to her follow-up message.
The actress also revealed that she later came across claims suggesting that she had blocked someone following the disagreement. However, she did not identify the influencer or provide further details about the alleged incident.
Despite the disappointing experience, Akindele maintained that she refused to allow the situation to affect her confidence or determination.
Rather than engaging in an online disagreement or responding negatively, she chose to move on and focus on her work.
She explained that she embraced the experience, avoided unnecessary confrontation and continued with her promotional activities.
Her experience highlights some of the realities of influencer marketing, where even paid partnerships are not always guaranteed, regardless of the profile of the individual making the request.
Interestingly, Everybody Loves Jenifa, released in 2024, went on to achieve remarkable commercial success, becoming one of the biggest films in Nollywood history.
The movie reportedly grossed approximately ₦1.88 billion at the box office, setting a major record for West African cinema.
The film’s success further strengthened Funke Akindele’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s most commercially successful filmmakers.
Her latest revelation has also brought renewed attention to the importance of marketing, celebrity partnerships and the unpredictable nature of the entertainment business.
For Akindele, the experience serves as a reminder that rejection is not necessarily the end of an opportunity. Sometimes, the best response is to keep moving forward.
