Nigerian filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan has dismissed as false the reports circulating online that he owes FirstBank the sum of ₦5 billion over a loan allegedly obtained to finance his 2022 film, Aníkúlápó. Reacting in a video shared on Friday, the veteran director said there was no truth to the claims and that neither he nor his production company owed such a sum to any bank.

Afolayan explained that the rumours had left several of his friends, family members and well wishers worried, prompting him to publicly address what he described as nonsense being spread around online. He joked that he would happily accept a ₦5 billion facility if any bank were genuinely willing to extend it to him, noting that he would put such funds to good use for the country, but stressed that no such arrangement exists in reality.

According to the filmmaker, Aníkúlápó was produced through a straightforward co-production deal between his outfit, Golden Effects Pictures, and Netflix, with no outstanding financial obligations tied to the project. He further dismissed suggestions of any legal dispute involving FirstBank, describing the lender as a long standing partner with whom his company continues to collaborate on other ventures.

He said there was no litigation between the two parties whatsoever.

While declining to name those responsible for spreading the claims, Afolayan hinted that he was familiar with the people behind the rumours, describing them cryptically before choosing not to elaborate further. He thanked those who reached out to check on him following the report and reassured the public that the ₦5 billion court case story was entirely baseless.

The rumours had gained traction on social media in recent days, adding to a string of viral claims that have followed the acclaimed director since the success of Aníkúlápó and its sequel series, Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens, both of which have kept the filmmaker firmly in the public conversation.

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