Popular content creator and actress, Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, popularly known as Kiekie, has opened up about how her mother inspires her.

Kiekie spoke during an appearance on the ‘What I Said’ podcast, where she reflected on how her drive for success is influenced by her mother, a successful businesswoman in the male-dominated oil industry.

Speaking about how the strength of character her mother exhibited in her career has unapologetically shaped her journey, she declared that she is not yet half as successful as her mother.

Revealing that she comes from a supportive family, Kiekie talked about being inspired to be loud by her mother’s impressive achievements in a male-dominated industry, which got people questioning her growth.

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She said, “I am privileged to come from a supportive family. My mum is a very big businesswoman in the oil space, which, like many other industries, is male-dominated.

“At some point, she was the secretary of the entire association, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria. People said things like, ‘Why would you put a woman in that position?’ and others.

“I look at her and say, if this being is bursting doors like this, I am not even loud enough. I have not even achieved half of what she has achieved industry-wise.”

Shedding more light on being loud, Kiekie revealed that people often question her about being “too loud and always shouting”.

According to Kiekie, her response to this is that she is not loud enough, citing only having over 10 million followers across social media while Nigeria’s population is over 200 million.

She said, “One presenter met me on a red carpet and said, ‘Some people are of the opinion that you are too loud; you shout a lot.’ I told her she needed to be loud enough so I could learn her name.

“You have to be as loud as you can be. I am the one with the voice, I am the one with the dream, I am the one with the vision. I know what I want to achieve.

“Across (social media) platforms now, I have over 10 million followers, and you can compare that to the population of Nigeria (over 200 million people)? Do you see that my voice is not loud enough?”

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Nollywood actor and content creator Ijoba Lande has revealed that he got paid ₦90,000 for a month on a set with actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele.

Lande has stirred conversation in the Nigerian entertainment industry following a candid revelation about his experience working with one of Nollywood’s most influential figures, Funke Akindele.

In a recent disclosure that has since gone viral on social media, Lande recounted how he worked on a film project under Akindele’s production for an entire month, only to be paid what he described as a disappointing amount.

“There was a time Funke Akindele called me for a movie production at Amen Estate, and we spent one month there. I was shocked when she gave me ₦90,000 after spending one month,” he lamented.

The skit maker, known for his comic online videos and growing popularity in the Yoruba film scene, shared his story as both a warning and a learning moment for upcoming actors. 

Lande emphasised that while the allure of working with a top-tier filmmaker like Funke Akindele is undeniable, it should not come at the expense of one’s self-worth or professional standards.

“I have learnt my lessons. I will always state my charges before going to any location. When she called me, I was too excited to discuss payment, only to end up with N90k after one month,” he added.

Industry shockwaves

The actor’s admission has triggered mixed reactions online, with many expressing disappointment, while others have questioned the context behind the payment. 

Some commenters suggested that Lande’s lack of initial negotiation contributed to the outcome, while others criticised what they see as a broader issue of underpayment in Nollywood, especially for up-and-coming talents.

A user, “Truecrimedaniel” had this to say:

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“This is not about Aunty Funke or anyone, this is about Business. It’s about knowing your worth and negotiating your pay before accepting a job. Even Dangote or Elon musk will pay u chicken change if u did not negotiate with them. It’s business! Not charity!”

An upset user, Bukkyonradio responded: “Yes but this means you lack integrity if you’re waiting on someone to price themselves better before you offer them better.”

Another user stated: “I like Funke but have been hearing a lot of negative about how she treat her staff members Omo e bad but na allegedly.” 

The Reality of Nollywood’s pay scale

Lande’s story sheds light on a recurring issue within the Nigerian film industry: payment transparency and fair compensation.

Nollywood, despite being one of the largest film industries globally by output, still struggles with standardising rates for actors, especially newer or less established ones.

While A-list actors and actresses command substantial fees, many supporting actors, extras, and crew members often work under vague verbal agreements or out of sheer passion and hope for future opportunities. 

Ijoba Lande’s confession underscores the risks of going into any project without a clear financial agreement, regardless of the production’s profile.

READ ALSO: Jemima Osunde shuts down BBL allegation with classic wit on X

Nollywood actress Lolo has shared her stance on the number of women publicly embracing sex work, stating that they are devaluing hard work for money.

On the latest episode of the In My Opinion podcast, Lolo expressed her concerns about how openly some women discuss making money through sex work and flaunting their wealth, which she believes sends the wrong message to young people striving to succeed through legitimate means.

If you can blatantly come out and say you are a sex worker, you asked someone for money, and I got it and bought a car… And when you told me she bought a house, she bought this, what do you think every other average person would look at?

She argued that the growing acceptance of sex work is diminishing the importance of hard work and effort.

Sex workers are downplaying the value of hard work. They are downplaying the value of sweating, of growing something, of doing legitimate work. I keep telling women in my circle that your body is not a shop. Maybe, I belong to an extinct or slowly dying generation.

But for somebody to blatantly come out and say this is what I do for money, I’m beginning to rethink many things, okay, society has lost its sense of shame. Then let’s just make it a legitimate thing.

Lolo also noted that as sex work becomes more openly discussed, it may eventually become a fully legitimised profession.

Some of them would even tell you they don’t kill anybody, ‘my body my choice ‘ so if this has become a thing, the time for legitimising it is coming close.

So the same way people can call themselves bankers and oil workers, you can totally say you’re a sex worker. Gone are the days when there was nothing to show for it, now if you see the way these ladies live ehn.