Popular movie producer and actor, Kunle Afolayan has reacted to an accusation by Mike Ezuruonye, a Nollywood actor, that he hates Igbo people.
TheNewsGuru recalls that Ezuruonye had taken to his Instagram page on Sunday to accuse Afolayan of tribalism after the movie producer shared a message from one of his fans who accused the actor of defrauding people.
In the message, the film executive had responded by asking what his business was with Ezuruonye and the claims against him.
This seemed to have provoked Ezuruonye who wrote a long invective via his social media handle where he described Afolayan as a “tribalist” who has always hated the Igbos.
“The small respect I had for you is gone. I wrote you that in your sick DM. U buy wrong Market!,” he wrote.
“You touched the wrong guy by posting this on your twitter and Instagram stories. U now acting like u don’t know impersonators are using Actors/Musicians/politicians /celebs fake profiles and videos to defraud people world over? Or haven’t u seen the ones caught in my respect and even jailed for impersonating me by @officialefcc? Why am I surprised, you’ve always HATED IGBOS?
“Are we going to forget in the press your statement years ago saying IGBOS are the ones spoiling the movie industry..U don’t like casting them. Well this IGBO ain’t like u cos he was born in Lagos and speaks flawless Yoruba. And loves the Yoruba people. U Tribalistic human!”
In his response, Afolayan said it was very unfortunate that Ezuruonye would label him a “tribalist” in retaliation.
The film maker also said that the actor misconstrued his message which was for “purveyors of fake news and unproven allegations that they should free him and by extension his other colleagues of such mindless allegations.“
He went on to apologize to Ezuruonye and anyone who found his post “offensive” while insisting that he “maintained a mutual friendship with people of other extractions, Igbos especially.”
“I did not see my innocent reaction to an indicting post by a random IG follower as capable of further hurting my friend and colleague, Mike Ezuruonye, to be labeled a tribalist in retaliation is very unfortunate,” the filmmaker wrote in the now-deleted post.
“Honestly, I was misunderstood. My reaction, which was rather spontaneous, was to chide the IG follower who appeared to be reporting the actor to me. And I merely asked (in Yoruba) how all of that was my business. It was like saying ‘when did I become an officer of the law’.
“Obviously, my colleague took the context of my post wrongly, and angrily accused me of tribalism.
“I have told Mike ‘I’m sorry’ since he found my post offensive. I am also apologising to anyone who also may have seen things from his point of view. Ire o.
“I do not know what gave birth to such misrepresentation. However, while I am famous for living and promoting everything that my tradition stands for as a Yoruba man. I have maintained a mutual friendship with people of other extractions, Igbos especially.”