Nollywood actor Ijoba Lande has publicly apologized to Funke Akindele after a now-viral video triggered a wave of backlash over claims he was underpaid on one of her sets. The actor, in an emotional Instagram video posted Friday, prostrated before the camera, tearfully asking for forgiveness and clarifying that the whole issue stemmed from a misunderstanding and a misrepresented clip.
“Please, don’t let me go to jail. Help me beg Aunty Funke. I’m so sorry.” Ijoba pleaded, visibly shaken.
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced where Ijoba Lande claimed he was paid only ₦90,000 for working a month on Akindele’s production, My Siblings and I. But in his clarification, he insisted it was all a mistake — not just of words, but also of how the clip was edited.
“The video was cut in a way that made it look like I was attacking her. I actually said ₦190,000 at first but made a slip, and some people ran with that,” he explained. “I never meant to make her look bad. She didn’t do anything wrong.”
He recounted how he joined the cast in 2022, playing a gateman character for a month. According to him, the payment arrangement had initially gone through someone else, and Funke Akindele wasn’t aware of the exact amount he was being paid.
“She called me herself after I stopped coming to set and asked why. When I told her what I was paid, she was shocked. She said, ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I thought she knew,” he said.
Upon learning about the situation, Akindele reportedly stepped in and ordered a new payment structure — increasing Ijoba’s daily pay to ₦55,000 or ₦65,000. “She made things better for me, and I appreciated that. That’s why it hurts that people are now using my words to stir drama.”
Lamenting the fallout, Ijoba criticized those who edited the video to create tension, calling them “wicked.” He stressed that the real issue he was trying to highlight was the general lack of transparency in actor payments by production managers — not an attack on Akindele.
“It’s sad because I was just trying to advise actors to always agree clearly on payment. But they cut out that part too,” he said.
In a final heartfelt plea, he begged Funke Akindele to forgive him, reiterating that he harbored no resentment and never meant to disrespect her.
“Aunty Funke, I’m begging you. I’m not fighting you. If you arrest me now, it means you just want to jail me because I have no strength to fight. Please, forgive me. I truly respect you.”
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