Nigerian actor and producer, Kanayo O. Kanayo, has lamented that desperate Instagram celebrities are destroying the Nollywood industry by doing everything to become popular like genuine actresses.
The veteran actor disclosed this on Sunday when he appeared as a guest on the online talk show “90MinutesAfrica,” hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo and Chido Onumah.
Kanayo O. Kanayo, who starred in the breakthrough Nollywood movie, “Living in Bondage,” said, “When they introduce themselves as actresses, we know they are not actresses. We know what they are doing is impersonation. It is when they steal the dollars of these politicians that we get to hear about it. And what you will hear then is, all these actresses na thieves. And that is where we say, no.
"Or generally, they will say all these Nollywood girls na ashawo. We still have very responsible, fine Nollywood girls, but the worst thing that has happened to Nollywood is the infiltration of Instagram stars into Nollywood. The girls who are popular on Instagram but are not rooted to the ground. They are the worst thing that has happened to Nollywood.”
Kanayo, who is also a lawyer, said these Instagram celebrities “are the ones giving Nollywood a bad name; because they can do anything to become Genevieve Nnaji. They can do anything to become Omotola. They can do anything to become Rita Dominic. They can do anything. They are just popular on Instagram. You cannot rate them on anything.”
Responding to questions, the veteran actor who recently published a legal thriller, The Testator, said many beautiful girls were desperately throwing themselves into Nollywood for the benefits.
“What most of these girls do is to ensure that those who design the jacket of movies put their faces. So, she will act in Asaba, take that jacket design to Abuja and see a top politician. When she is asked, “What do you do?” She will say, “I am an actress.” So, instead of giving her two hundred thousand or one hundred thousand after a night, the man gives her two million. That is one benefit.
“You will see a man take a girl from Nigeria to one island and she comes back with a Range Rover just because she is an actress, and that is not good. So, you see, the benefits are many just to mention that you are an actress; and the men are the ones stoking this fire,” he noted.
