Kanayo O Kanayo Speaks Up As Ghanaian Actors Demand the Same Fee As Nigerian Actors
- Nollywood veteran Kanayo O. Kanayo called out Ghanaian actors who pressured producers to match Nigerian actors' fees on a Ghana production
- KOK, who identifies as one of Nollywood's founding fathers, warned he would name the actors responsible if pushed further
- Patience Ozokwor, popularly known as Mama G, also weighed in after being asked about her fee for working in Ghana
- An award-winning filmmaker, Sunny Okonkwo, weighed in on seniority and legacy of veteran actors in Nollywood
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Nollywood heavyweight Kanayo O. Kanayo has fired back at Ghanaian actors who demand equal pay to their Nigerian counterparts on joint productions, describing the practice as a breach of industry hierarchy.
The actor, currently in Ghana alongside fellow veteran Patience Ozokwor, addressed a Ghanaian media outlet during what appeared to be a press engagement tied to an upcoming production.
Source: Instagram
He revealed that the pay dispute had actually occurred on the very project he was set to work on, and grew visibly agitated recounting the incident.
KOK stressed that his standing in the industry was earned over decades, noting that he was among the individuals who built Nollywood from the ground up.
He argued that Ghanaian actors had no basis to benchmark their fees against his, and urged them to negotiate their own rates independently rather than drawing comparisons.
"I am KOK. I was among the founding fathers. You now wake up in Ghana. They called KOK to come and act in Ghana; you, Ghanaian boy, will now insist they pay you the same fees as me," he said. "There is hierarchy even in heaven. The movie industry has hierarchy. Negotiate what you want to be paid. Don't equate yourself with me. Tell your Ghanaian brothers and sisters, it is not your business what they pay Nigerian actors. Go and negotiate your own, receive it and go and rest; and then you will have peace in your life, otherwise I will invoke Amadioha."
Patience Ozokwor Speaks on Cross-Border Pay
Mama G was also drawn into the conversation after being asked to disclose her own fee for the Ghanaian production. Rather than reveal the figure, she deflected the question while pointing out that the payment gap cuts both ways.
Source: Instagram
She noted that some Ghanaian actors who have travelled to Nigeria for film roles have earned as much as $10,000, suggesting that the flow of high-paying cross-border opportunities is not exclusive to Nigerian talent.
Both veterans made clear that the issue of pay equity between actors from the two countries is one that has simmered beneath the surface of Nollywood-Ghallywood collaborations for some time.
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Does seniority and legacy justify higher fees, or should current audience appeal carry more weight?
In a brief chat with award-winning filmmaker Sunny Okonkwo, he weighed in on whether veteran actors' seniority and legacy justify higher fees, or whether current audience appeal and box-office performance should carry more weight.
In his words:
"As a filmmaker, I believe seniority and legacy can justify higher fees, but the actor’s value to the particular production should carry greater weight.
"Veterans like Kanayo O. Kanayo have earned their place. Years of craft, recognisable screen presence, audience trust and cultural influence have real value. A producer may be paying for the credibility and depth that an experienced actor brings to a film, even when that actor is not its biggest commercial attraction.
"However, seniority alone should not automatically determine who earns the most. A younger actor with stronger audience demand, greater relevance to the target market or exceptional suitability for the lead role may reasonably command a higher fee. Respect for our pioneers should leave room for other talents to establish their own value.
"We must also be careful with box-office comparisons. A film’s success depends on its story, direction, marketing, distribution, release timing and the entire cast. It is difficult to credit one actor with every successful film or blame them for every unsuccessful one. Social media popularity also needs to translate into actual audience demand before it becomes a convincing commercial argument.
"On Nigerian–Ghanaian collaborations, I would apply the same professional criteria to everyone: craft, role, workload, audience appeal and contribution to the project. Nationality should not automatically determine an actor’s worth. Actors should be free to negotiate their fees, and producers should be able to explain why a particular fee makes business sense.
"At the end, legacy deserves recognition, and current relevance deserves consideration. The strongest justification for any fee is the value that the actor brings to the film we are making today."
Kanayo replies Portable over post
Legit.ng had reported that Portable had shared a video where he was referring to the veteran actor Kanayo. O Kanayo as a ritualist.
After the veteran actor came across the video, he had a funny reply to Portable and even gave him an instruction on what to do.
He instructed him to meet him at 2 am for rituals, as he referred to the singer as his brother.
Source: Legit.ng
