Award-winning actor Femi Adebayo and actress Funke Akindele have called on Nigerians to shun piracy, urging fans to support the Nigerian film industry ethically as their new movies debut on Netflix and in cinemas.
Adebayo, whose latest movie Seven Door is now streaming on Netflix, made an appeal via his social media handles today, December 13, 2024.
He said, “Say No to any form of piracy. Do not patronise unauthorized platforms such as Telegram and all, help us remain in business, help film industry to grow.”
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Similarly, Funke Akindele, whose new film Everybody Loves Jenifa is now in cinemas, expressed frustration over the rampant piracy affecting the industry.
Speaking to her fans on Wednesday via an Instagram post, she emphasised that recording videos in cinemas constitutes piracy and harms the film industry.
“Say no to piracy! Recording short videos at the cinemas is piracy! Please stop it! Piracy is killing us!” Akindele wrote.
In a video accompanying her plea, Akindele addressed her fans directly, acknowledging their support but urging them to avoid sharing recorded clips of her movie online. “If you go to see my new movie, Everybody Loves Jenifa, and you bring out your phone or any device you have to film, then I won’t be fine. … If you want to support me, get to the cinemas, take pictures by the standees, post my trailers and teasers, and I will be fine,” she said.
She assured fans that security would be on high alert to apprehend violators and called on everyone to uphold ethical standards in promoting the Nigerian film industry. “We must not encourage piracy. I love my fans so much, please don’t be caught doing it,” she added.
