Funke Akindele-Bello is my senior colleague, not enemy — Toyin Abraham
There is no cold war between Nollywood stars Funke Akindele-Bello and Toyin Abraham.
This is according to Abraham who cleared the air in a recent interview after some fans “were led to believe” that both stars’ battle for industry supremacy has marred their relationship in real life.
The perception of the said ‘beef’ between the Nollywood heavyweights seemed to have risen from an allegation made by another movie icon, Iyabo Ojo. The actress accused Akindele-Bello of paying blogs to discredit Abraham’s new movie ‘The Ghost and The Tout Too’.
“She is my senior colleague and she is someone I respect a lot; so, I do not know what people are talking about, trust me,” Abraham told a radio show about Akindele-Bello.
“She is one of the few people I look up to. Sometimes, people do not understand that we are colleagues and not family. So, you cannot be talking to all your colleagues. We talk, we follow each other.
“If I see her, I will kneel down and say, ‘Aunty Funke, se wa okay,’ (meaning Aunty Funke are you okay?).
“A lot of people do not understand that we are working in the same space; we do not have to be close friends. When we see ourselves we greet each other. Forget social media, trust me.”
After a video of the interview surfaced online, Abraham’s fans criticised Ojo for ‘trying to cause commotion’ in Nollywood, forcing Abraham to issue another clarification on Tuesday.
“I just saw an interview I did a few weeks ago with a twist and bends to suit the narrative of reaction,” she said.
“Some things are better left unsaid. That was my stand then, and now.
“So, for the avoidance of doubt, the said interview was done before ‘The Ghost and The Tout Too’ hit the cinema.
“I am not reacting to anything or throwing anyone under the bus. We look forward, not backward. We move. Thank you, guys.”
