₦airaland Forum

tjskii: Kai i really nid to get my mind outta the gutter,when i saw the topic twas somthin totally diff i had in mind

I have no clue what was on your mind when you saw the topic. Can you share?

Shocking earnings of Yoruba movie stars


by Peter Thomas (groovemasterpt@yahoo.com)

Quite a number of perks come with being a movie star in this part of the world. They include designer clothes, luxury cars and posh apartments. Apart from their penchant for such status symbols, today's Nollywood actors and actresses are also seen as role models, especially to the young and impressionable who dream of becoming stars some day.


But, judging by the results of a recent investigation conducted by Saturday Beats, it appears all that glitters is not gold, after all.


Contrary to popular opinion, the life of the average Yoruba movie star is that of constant 'suffering and smiling'.


In spite of the fabulous profiles and immense goodwill enjoyed by some of these celebrated screen gods and goddesses, the contents of their bank accounts are really nothing to be cheerful about.


Even the 'alarming' increase in the volume of home video films produced in Yoruba language ought to be sufficient to improve the bank balances of such celebrities. To make matters worse, many of them suffer from a financial disease known as 'Withdrawal Symptom.' In fact, it is no longer news that a good number are regular visitors to ATMs.


“As soon as money is paid into their bank accounts, you will see them rushing to the nearest ATM to withdraw almost all the cash,” an amused banker told Saturday Beats recently.


Certainly it is difficult to believe that no reasonably successful Yoruba actor or actress has ever been paid up to N500, 000 for a lead role in any movie. Half a million seems a fantastic sum by all indications. Instead, the maximum fee payable to the best actor or actress has remained between N150k and N250k. Even many of the 'veterans' receive as low as N10k to appear in a film feature.


While those that are constantly in demand or have won awards in the industry, such as the likes of Funke Akindele and Odunlade Adekola, earn a maximum of N250k per feature film, the rest are left with peanuts. Interestingly, an exception to this 'golden rule' is Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde. Saturday Beats investigation shows that she earns between N250k and N400k.


Another 'big earning' actor is Adebayo Salami, aka Oga Bello. It is said that he hardly receives part payment from any producer. Usually on location, he would demand his fee of not more that N150,000 before going into action.


The same is said about Omotola who does not budge until she or her manager has confirmed that a certain amount of money has been deposited in her bank account.


However, the so-called big budget film productions have never exceeded the N3m mark despite the fact that a lot of money goes into paying the crew and cast. Money is also spent on production equipment, lights, costumes, makeups, transport, food, accommodation, generating plant sets, and other logistics/incidental expenses. That is also why most of the cast and crew are grateful when the filmmaker or marketer, who bankrolls the production, is able to hand them paltry sums of money.


“You can count on your fingers the number of individuals involved in the production who respectively got paid less than N50,000,” a production hand says.


Also included in the budget are the editing suite staff, copies of empty VCDs to be dubbed, posters and film jackets to be printed, marketing and distribution.


Now we know why most of the highly paid or underpaid actors/ actresses are writing their own movie scripts and directing or producing their own movie projects, as well as saturating the market with volumes of half-baked home videos every week.


Bukky Wright was the highest paid actress in the Yoruba language genre before Funke Akindele broke her N150,000 per featured film record with Jenifa.


Omilade Babatunde, aka Baba Suwe, used to be the highest paid aactor until the much younger Odunlade Adekola, aka Cause Trouble, began to earn up to N250k per feature film. The other notable figures? Well, they are trying hard to catch up with Omotola, Funke and Odunlade.


Omotola, Adebayo Salami, Funke Akindele, Bukky Wright and Odunlade Adekola were unavailable for comment.


But prolific film producer, Kunle Afolayan, said, “I really don't know how much they earn now because I've since moved on to other major things.”


Top actress, Lizzy Anjorin, found it hard to answer the question.


“Ha! That's a tough question that I don't have a ready answer for. Fees vary from one filmmaker to another. As for me, I bill per script and I don't appear in just about any film.”


Saturday Beats sought the view of scriptwriter/actor/filmmaker, Femi Davies.


He responded, “You can't really get any top actor/actress that will proudly and honestly tell you this is how much he or she earns per film. But for my years in the industry, I don't know anyone that collects half a million naira per film he or she featured in that's not a film produced by him or her. Things can only get better.”


The story is not different in the Igbo or the Hausa language-speaking movie sector. We gathered that the actors/actresses who in real life drive fancy cars, live in their own houses, dress in the latest designer clothes, are the privileged ones who have been able to sustain and maintain their celebrity/star status by engaging in private business outside movies like car dealership, party/event planning, boutiques, supermarkets, hair dressing saloons, voice-over on radio/TV adverts, comperes at private and public functions, corporate brand endorsements.

sad! sad! sad!

Ngutor: Oga Siena I want to assure you that if you relocate to Nigeria with your skills you will ever have only one regret; why you made the choice late. You will make money (tax free)sotaaaaaaaay you go cry.
On another level can these injectors be replaced?

I agree with you.

From my experiences when in Nigeria; standard, well equipped auto shops with qualified Technicians are badly needed everywhere in Nigeria. Imagine the number of customers Sienna will get from badly treated Nairaland members alone.

Seriously Sienna, give it a serious thought, save a lot of these people from throwing money away. Most of these mechanics only do trial by error at the expense of the car owners.

wesley8: Ok, I didn't see this earlier but I'm sure you can forgive me seeing it took you the best part of 7 DAYS to manage a response. Back to topic.
If you say my post was picked on by other posters to indulge in ethnic bashing, does that necessarily make me a tribalist? I only made a wicked humoured joke - granted - that was seized upon by others ( Seanet and Dayokanu) two notorious tribalist to do what they are known for. I reposted after the post was clean because I felt they wouldve moved on and others regardless of tribe would enjoy the joke just as I alluded to in my second hidden post on that thread, but you had to make a point allbeit an ill informed one!
I have no history of indulging in ethnic bashing, I received no warning and you gave me no explanation for a first time offender even when I was at a loss as to why I couldn't post yet you show up acting all macho like a freshly castrated eunuch and you expect me to have kind words for you?
I know you guys are trying to bring sanity in here but charity should start at home - some of you guys appear to be less sane than those you're after, the resort to lengthy bans at the slightest provocation is absurd and for folks with a clear conscience as myself it only achieves the direct opposite when a simple sentence wouldve left me accepting my ban in good spirit - a simple sentence!
Now here we are with a newly formed "wesley8 series" (10 in all) and a bloated NL membership figure because of trigger happy common sense lacking Mods.

I thought the reason I banned you was obvious. My bad. Apologies for not breaking it down to you earlier.

You do not need series of monikers if you dont plan to break the rules. Besides it is a waste of your time IMO, since the series can all be banned in seconds with a click of a button compare to the length of time it took you creating them.

Just remain the law-abiding good person you used to be and we will be good friends.

Thanks.

So proud of my Governor.

This is when 3rd term agenda make sense. But then, I believe there are many as good as Fashola that will continue the good work come 2015.

ijebabe: This is the first time I'm noticing TeHN's work. Good job guys and thanks for making the effort to do this!

Hmnnn... You need to improve yoour Amebo/olofofo informatiom ministry o

This should be the 5th or 6th project we are embarking on since a little over a year ago TeHN came to be on Nairaland. I will expect your fat check soon.

^The moniker is OAM4J. Only 5 characters that shouldn't be difficult to remember. Next time you type it as OMAJE4 or any other way, I will see it as a deliberate attempt to abuse my moniker.

Thanks.

wesley80: ^At least you were courteous enough to offer an explanation, OAM4J banned me for 5days without as little as a notification or explanation for "tribalism" apparently for mentioning Oduduwa and wussies in one breath. I'm still waiting for a justification of the utterly senseless ban.

When you posted it the first time, you saw how quickly your post was picked on by other posters and the thread was being derailed into another tribal bashing but for my quick intervention. At that time I banned nobody but hid all the posts. But trying to be smart, you posted the same thing again making it look like you were only replying to a post.

Seeing how it was derailing the thread, turning it into tribal war, and my hiding it should have stopped you from posting it again but of course it seems you cant resist posting it so I had to ban you to prevent you from posting it the third time and posting anything that will derail a thread into a tribal war in the future.

We are trying to bring a lasting sanity here, you are not the only one affected, in the last few days Mukina2 and I must have banned not less than 30 serial tribal warriors across the ethnics. All we are saying is that; you should make your point on topic and while doing that dont insult another poster or ethnic group.

Thanks.

Deep Sight: Are previous debaters barred from participating again as debaters?

Not at all.