Toyin Abraham to Funke Akindele, “we don’t have to be negatively competitive”

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Nigerian thespian, Toyin Abraham has admonished her fellow Nollywood actress and producer, Funke Akindele to desist from “negative competition”.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Toyin Abraham noted that they became “competitors and persona non grata” due to gossips.

She recalled that their rivalry began in the Yoruba movie industry and they carried it over to the Nigerian-English cinema when they crossovered to Nollywood.

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Abraham, however, said age and wisdom have made her realised that they can compete without being negatively competitive.

She wrote, “In the English industry, Aunty Funke and I continued the rivalry sort of. It pitted our fans against each other. We are two competitive Virgo women, we love to win and sometimes in that process, we splash dirt and mud. But with time, age, and more wisdom, I have realized we can compete without being negatively competitive.

“Aunty Funke, I celebrate you for showing us what is possible. You are a winner. You sold over 1B, you made it possible for other women to dream. You ran us street with that 1B o, this year, many of us will move to 1B and we pray God makes you bigger. Thank you for making great movies and selling them like your life depends on it. You taught other women to hustle harder.

“I had set records in box office records, Aunty came and beat them, today I am happy because she has challenged me to set higher goals. Sis, let’s compliment each other even in competition at the box office, I owe you one post in December (only 1 o, I need to sell market…Lol). I pray that God will make all your dreams come true. I admire you and wish you all the best.”

If you guys knew the fierce competition to be number one in those days in the Yoruba industry (I don’t know if that still exists though). The fierce competition created camps, enmity, and many professional gossips. The number one cause of fights in the industry then was ‘he said,… pic.twitter.com/iSjtaK6o1T

— TOYIN ABRAHAM AJEYEMI (@toyin_abraham1) April 21, 2024