Nollywood star Funke Akindele has made an emotional plea to Nigerians to reject piracy as she prepares for the release of her highly anticipated movie, Everybody Loves Jenifa.
The actress and filmmaker, known for her box-office successes, is deeply concerned about the devastating impact piracy continues to have on the Nollywood industry.
Funke’s movie is set to hit cinemas on December 13, but she fears that piracy will ruin the effort and resources invested in the project.
Taking to her social media platforms, Funke pleaded with Nigerians to say no to piracy, especially the practice of recording videos in cinemas.
She posted a passionate message, calling out the act as a form of intellectual property theft.
“Say No To Piracy! Recording short videos at the cinemas is piracy!!! Please stop it!!! Piracy is killing us!!” Funke wrote on her social media. “I worked so hard on this project. Please, I’m pleading, do not be caught promoting piracy!”
In her post, Funke emphasized the extensive resources that went into the making of Everybody Loves Jenifa, and the strain that piracy is putting on the industry.
“A lot of resources were and are still being invested in Everybody Loves Jenifa,” she continued. “Again, do not be caught encouraging piracy. Thank you.”
Her emotional plea comes amid growing concerns about the threat piracy poses to Nollywood. The industry has faced significant losses due to illegal copies of movies being distributed online and sold in the black market.
Many filmmakers, including Funke, have suffered financially from this practice, making it difficult to sustain future projects. Piracy has been a long-standing issue for Nollywood, and it has only worsened in recent years as technology has made illegal recordings easier.
As Funke Akindele prepares for the release of Everybody Loves Jenifa, she remains hopeful that Nigerians will respect the hard work of filmmakers and stop supporting illegal activities that damage the industry.
“I’m pleading, do not be caught promoting piracy!” Funke urged, hoping that the public will listen before it’s too late.
Funke’s colleagues in the industry have also voiced their frustrations with piracy. Last month, actor Deyemi Okanlawon spoke out about the issue. He shared a personal experience where a fan tried to access a pirated version of his latest movie.
But, in a surprising turn, another fan stepped in to stop the piracy by offering to buy tickets for five people to watch the movie legally.
Deyemi praised the fan’s gesture, noting that such actions give him hope for the future of Nollywood, even as piracy continues to undermine the industry.
“Nigerians have no idea how much damage and loss their participation in piracy causes us,” Deyemi said. “But when I see gestures like this, it gives me hope that there are still people who care.”
Similarly, actress Wumi Toriola, who made her cinema production debut in October, addressed piracy head-on.
She shared her frustration with fans who inquired about watching her movie on illegal platforms like YouTube or Telegram. Wumi took to Instagram Live to express her anger and even used her dialect to curse those who participate in piracy.
The widespread problem of piracy has made it difficult for filmmakers to profit from their hard work and creativity.
In addition to losing money, piracy undermines the effort put into creating films that represent the culture and talent of Nigeria.
Filmmakers, who often work with limited resources and face a lack of support from financial institutions, see piracy as a betrayal of their commitment to telling stories that resonate with audiences.
Nollywood has grown into one of the largest film industries in the world, with filmmakers striving to produce world-class content.
However, the rise of piracy threatens to undo the progress the industry has made. While the Nigerian government has implemented measures to combat piracy, including copyright protection laws, enforcement remains weak.
