Actors Union Rallies Round Actress Yewande Adekoya Over Ban

Prince Dele Odule, President, TAMPAN, in a statement released on Monday, said, “No person(s) or association has any right to issue a ban statement on any of our members without due consultation with the national executives of our association (TAMPAN) in which in this case I finds extremely unwarranted and out their jurisdiction.”

YOVIFPMAN, last Thursday had placed a “total ban” on Yewande and another actors, Kunle Afod, for an alleged unscrupulous online activities it claims are inimical to their association.

The movie marketers’ chairman, Alhaji Abdulrasaq Abdullahi, disclosed that it is aware the actors were operating in manners not in line with the association.

“Now all manners of people are taking the advantage of this technology enhance window of distribution to load all manner of films on the internet either censored or uncensored, either legally acquired or not,” the statement read.

It identified Kunle Afod and Yewande Adekoya “as being grossly involved in this act that is capable of destabilizing the industry which we have guarded jealously and sustained over the years with huge investments from various other stakeholders.”

YOVIFPMAN then directed its members nationwide to stop all business dealings with Yewande and Kunle Afod indefinitely at any level in the industry including their associates.

The association also directed its members that the duo should also not be used in posters or promotional materials.

But TAMPAN disagreed with the harsh penalty.

Odule said, “I’ll like to thank all lovers of arts and the practitioners who stood by Yewande Abiodun, an actor and producer under the umbrella of TAMPAN, during the imbroglio between our member and Mr. (Akeem Olatunji) Balogun, CEO, Olasco Films. May I use this medium to state that Yewande Abiodun as a member of our dear association and as a producer is free to produce for any person(s) or any viewing platform that shows interest in her works.”

He added, “Let me state that any future pronouncement on any of our member without due consultation will be met with stiff opposition. I want to thank all stake holders from both association who have tried to wade into the matter before and after the ban statement was issued. TAMPAN  remain resolute in uplifting our great industry and the practitioners by way of standardizing our production and improving on distribution channels.

“I’ll hereby enjoin all TAMPAN members to go about your job without any fear but with all sense of dignity until this issue is arrested and rested.‎

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Yewande and Balogun, her movie marketer, fell out over movie royalty issue.

The actress had alleged that Balogun, since 2014 has been owing her N2 million as royalties for her films which he has helped market. She said the movie marketer is after her life and that if anything should happen to her, he should be held responsible.

In a post on her Instagram page, Yewande stated, ” This man (Balogun) is presently owing me the sum of N2 million and he has refused to pay because he feels no one can challenge him. He has been owing me since 2014. When he owes you, you dare not ask for your money, if you do, he will start war just like the one he has just started. He is also not the type that signs a contract due to his dubious character. He prefers verbal agreements.

“He is very influential in the Yoruba movie market, so it is almost a waste of time to report him to anyone there. I know this because I had earlier reported him to several marketers who have rapport with him, still no result. I called the president of the Yoruba (Movie) Marketers Association, he didn’t pick my calls. I was eventually able to speak with his assistant who sympathized with me and then told me that little or nothing could be done about the matter. “Olasco has humiliated and oppressed me for too long, and now, I feel it’s time to speak up. The last business deal I had with him that really pissed me off was “Kurukuru”, a three-part movie I wrote and produced while I was 8 months pregnant in 2015. He released “Kurukuru” online and on DVD in November 2015, and then claimed we didn’t make any profit from the 3 releases of the movie despite the huge success record the movie had. I decided to keep mute about everything since last year, because I do not like to fight anyone or make noise over anything whatsoever.

“He sent me an embarrassing sum of N300,000 which he believes should serve as my payment for Emere, Irawo Meji and Kurukuru Part 1,2 and 3. I quietly moved on with my life and faced my work squarely, but Mr. Akeem Balogun will not let me be. He keeps oppressing and terrorising anyone I choose to do business with. He even went as far as influencing movie marketers and some movie producers to stop casting me for movie roles. Why? What exactly did I do to you? What exactly do you want from me?

“Mr. Akeem Olatunji Balogun please leave me alone. I refuse to be enslaved by you, like you enslave some others. You don’t pay them and you also won’t let them do business with other people. Maybe it’s because I refused to date you even after all these years, that is why you are strongly determined to destroy me. I serve a living God Mr Akeem and the God I serve will never allow darkness overcome light.

“Olasco films has refused to pay me my royalty for the three movies: Emere, Irawo Meji and Kurukuru Part 1, 2, 3 and I have not yet taken him to court for that, and he is here, strongly advocating against me doing business with other marketers and film distributors of my choice. I know you are tough but my God is tougher than you. Don’t try HIM. I still have the bounced Cheque of N1 million that you gave me in 2011. May my God reward you accordingly. My beautiful fans and fellow Nigerians all over the world, please help me tell this man to leave me alone oooooooooo if he does not want the wrath of God to descend on his entire household.”