For some time now, Nollywood has seen huge shifts in terms of film visibility, marketing and promotion. Unlike before, promotion no longer ends with press junkets, trailers, and premieres; it now extends into IG timelines, dance challenges, skits, lip-syncs, and carefully optimized “relatable” content. For many actors, particularly the upcoming ones, this shift has become a non-negotiable part of the job. Actors are expected not only to perform on screen, but to extend that performance into social media spaces, often through dancing, skits, or viral trends loosely connected to the film itself.
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This strategy works. Films gain traction. Clips circulate and the film visibility increases. Yet critics argue that it collapses the distinction between art and spectacle, thus reducing actors to content creators whose worth is measured by engagement metrics rather than skill itself or experience.
Thanks to Funke Akindle, Nigerian films have taken a huge dynamic turn. The “Funke Akindele effect” has transformed movie marketing into a high-energy sport. For example, record-breaking hits like A Tribe Called Judah and Behind The Scenes crossed the ₦2 billion mark. With this, the industry saw a direct correlation between viral skits and box office receipts. Suddenly, every actor, from the greenest newcomer to the seasoned veteran, feels indirectly pressured to perform choreographed “challenges” to sell a film.
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But not everyone is willing to play along. Led by some of the industry’s veterans and most established figures, they assert that while promotion matters, there should be boundaries, and professionalism should not be sacrificed to please the algorithm.
Kunle Afolayan
I don’t have to dance to sell that film
Filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, known for Aníkúlápó, The Figurine and Citation among others, has been one of the most vocal critics of the current promotional climate. While he has not dismissed marketing outright, he has repeatedly questioned the expectation that actors must perform online antics to validate their work.
At the Lagos Business of Film Summit in late January, the visionary director didn’t mince words. “I want to make a film if you guarantee me that I don’t have to dance to sell that film,” he stated, calling the current promotional cycle “draining” and “unsustainable.” He believes that the art should speak for itself, or at least be sold through professional distribution strategies rather than performative gimmicks.
Shaffy Bello
If That Disqualifies Me, You Don’t Know My Value
An old interview clip featuring Shaffy Bello with VJ Adams recently resurfaced, reigniting conversation around this issue. In the interview, the actress was unequivocal about her position.
She acknowledged that some actors excel at promotional dancing and content creation—and that those efforts are valid. But she was equally clear that such activities are not aligned with who she is. In other words, she won’t compromise her essence for a viral clip
“I can post. I can talk about the project,” she explained. “But I don’t wanna dance. I don’t wanna do content. I don’t wanna do the crazy stuff.”
Bello went further, “If because of that you don’t want to hire me,” she said, “then you don’t know the value of what I bring to the table.”
Her assertion was her clearly establishing professional boundaries, as well as an outright rejection of a system that increasingly equates enthusiasm with performance beyond the screen.
Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde
More recently, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde in a talk show with TVC Entertainment echoed similar sentiments. Promoting her upcoming film Mother’s Love, the actress, who has been a household name for nearly three decades made it clear that her objection was not to dancing itself.
“I’m sorry, but I would not be doing the dancing,” she told TVC’s E-Splash. “I love to dance… but to sell a movie is not professional.” Dancing for enjoyment, expression, or personal joy was not the issue.
Omotola Jalade Just Wiped Her IG Grid And We Know Why.
What she rejected was the expectation that dancing, or participating in viral content, should be a requirement for selling a film.
As Omotola pointed out, actors in “better climes” (referencing Hollywood) aren’t required to do a “Sabi” dance to get people into theaters. They do press junkets, talk about the craft, and let the distributors handle the billboard and digital spends.
This pushback appear generational. Younger actors often embrace social media fluency as part of their brand-building strategy, while veterans operate from an era shaped by traditional publicity models.
What we are seeing is a split between commercial Content, which thrives on the energy of the masses, and Cinema as Art, which seeks to maintain a certain level of prestige. While Funke Akindele rightly argues that “the sky is wide enough for everyone to fly,” the elders of the craft are making sure they don’t lose their wings to an algorithm.
What these actors are questioning is not visibility itself, but obligation. When promotion becomes performative labor without boundaries, it disproportionately affects those whose primary skill is acting, not content creation.
When promotion prioritizes virality above substance, actors can become extensions of marketing campaigns rather than interpreters of the narrative itself, which is unfortunate.
Veteran actors argue that this shift risks flattening the profession, rewarding those who perform best online rather than those who deliver the most compelling work on screen. This resistance, in many ways, is a good thing. It is a necessary attempt to preserve the distinction between performance as craft and performance as content.
Talking about a project, participating in interviews and engaging audiences thoughtfully are legitimate and effective forms of promotion. These align with professionalism and respect the actor’s role. This is the base of the argument. The notion that refusal to dance, trend, or entertain online equates to laziness, arrogance, or irrelevance should not be given credence.
As Nollywood continues to expand globally, this conversation has to be had. An industry seeking longevity must be careful to always strike a balance.
Movies should be promoted, but how, by whom, and at what cost. Progress does not have to come at the expense of professionalism.
