Funke Akindele Warns Fans Not to Pirate Her New Movie “Everybody Loves Jenifa”

Renowned Nollywood director Funke Akindele has issued a stern warning against the piracy of her upcoming film, “Everybody Loves Jenifa.”

This cautionary statement was made during the Exhibition Soiree on November 20, 2024, following previous incidents where her film “A Tribe Called Judah” was pirated shortly after release.

As “Everybody Loves Jenifa” gears up for its cinema debut on December 13, 2024, Funke Akindele has taken to Instagram to thank her fans for their continued support while emphatically discouraging any recording of the movie in theaters.

“If you go to see my new movie and you bring out your phone or any device you have to film then that won’t be fine.

I know you’ve got mad love for me as my fan, I know you respect me, I know you support me, and you want to promote, Everybody Loves Jenifa, but you’re filming it is not you supporting me.

No! You uploading it on your social media accounts is not support. Don’t bring out your phones.

If you want to support me, get to the cinemas, take pictures by the stands, post my trailers, the teasers of the movie and I’ll be fine. Cos the act of you filming it on the screen is piracy. YES,” she said.

Funke Akindele further encouraged fans to show their support in non-infringing ways, such as taking photos at cinema stands and sharing official trailers and teasers on social media.

She stressed the financial and creative harm piracy inflicts on filmmakers, noting that serious security measures will be in place to prevent unauthorized recordings during screenings.

Legal consequences await anyone caught recording the film, as Akindele and her team are determined to protect their work and ensure its success in the cinemas.

“We must not encourage piracy. It’s killing us; it’s not helping the brand. We need to grow more than this. We spent a lot of money on that project,” she concluded, highlighting the significant investment involved in bringing her vision to the screen.