Helping Nollywood Veterans Publicly Is Deliberate – Kunle Afod

Kunle Afod

Popular actor Kunle Afod has explained why he began to publicise his charity work for ageing Nollywood stars.

He recently revealed that while he has only just started making it public, he has been supporting veterans privately for many years.

Speaking with actress Biola Adebayo, Afod said that he decided to let Nigerians know about his good deeds after someone blasted him and his peers for constantly wasting money at parties while old actors suffer neglect.

According to him, the misguided comment hurt him deeply because it was far from his reality, hence his decision to render his assistance in the open to correct that impression.

Kunle stated that visiting ageing actors at their homes to check up on them and render any form of help to make their lives better has been a regular part of his life.

“I have been doing this for a very long time. I remember a time my wife came home and said she met with Aunty Biola today. I remember I went to your house then at Ojodu and how you have been out of the movie scene for a while. And you told me a lot of things you were going through. I said you would still pick it up.

That is what I have been doing for a very long time and for a lot of people.

When I decided to go public was during my 50th birthday, my comment section read: ‘They only know how to do party. They do not take care of the old actors who paved way in the industry’. I said we have been doing it but people have not been seeing in the public space.

After that I decided I was going to go public with the help rendering. As God would have it, it even helped the elderly ones. That is why I stuck to all the veterans alone. You said our veterans are suffering. So, I am on them now,” he said.

Recall that Kunle Afod recently gifted veteran actress Iya Osogbo N2 million as she celebrated her 95th birthday.

Clips of his visits to other Nollywood pioneers have been going viral on social media in recent months.

The filmmaker concluded by urging Nollywood stakeholders to create more opportunities for older actors to stay relevant in the industry.