Nigerian actor Joseph Benjamin has criticized his colleague Eniola Ajao for allegedly using the services of Bobrisky, a crossdresser, to promote her new film ‘Ajakaju’.
Recall that in March, the premiere of ‘Ajakaju’ was overshadowed by controversy when Bobrisky was named “best-dressed female” during the ceremony.
Celebrities were outraged after the crossdresser won, and they exchanged jabs on social media.
Ajao eventually apologized for the scandal, claiming that Bobrisky’s award was intended as a “publicity stunt”.
She also introduced new winners in the category. However, Bobrisky was recently sighted in an Ikeja movie promoting ‘Ajakaju’.
In response to the video on Tuesday, Benjamin turned to X to criticize Ajao for allegedly utilizing the crossdresser for movie promotion.
He further criticized the director for apparently lying about her intentions, despite stating the prize was a publicity gimmick.
He wrote:
“I thought Eniola was crying, saying the award was a publicity stunt to market the movie,” he wrote.
“Now Bobrisky is doing a meet and greet? For the same movie. Who is fooling who please. Smh.”
I thought Eniola was crying, saying the award was a publicity stunt to market the movie.
Now Bobrisky is doing a meet and greet? For the same movie. Who is fooling who please. Smh. https://t.co/RgEJfmjEOI— Joseph Benjamin (@iamjbenjamin) April 2, 2024
In other news, Actor Joseph Benjamin has taken to social media to lament about tribalism in Nollywood.
He said that certain Nigerian filmmakers use indigenous films to promote tribal superiority.
In a post on his X page, the 47-year-old addressed the surge in cultural-based film production in Nollywood. He stated that, while Nigerian films are “amazing,” there appears to be a “race to showcase whose culture is best.”
Benjamin also mentioned the South African film industry, stating that they “are more focused on pushing their country to the world rather than tribes.”
He also addressed indigenous film producers, asking if they develop their films with a “mindset of communalism or individualism”.
He said:
“My dear Nollywood, we are slowly pivoting towards a tribal trajectory. As I skim through, all the amazing language based titles, coming out of the industry. I cannot help, but see a subtle race, to showcase whose culture is best,” he wrote.
“As much as we desire to tell our stories ourselves. The competitive lines are becoming less blurry. When South Africans make films, they have one goal. Which is quite evident in their final work.
“The big picture is South Africa as a brand. How do we sell South Africa to the world? Not Afrikaans, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sesotho, Swazi, Setswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu.
“However, reverse is the case with us. We are all about, how do I sell the Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa culture. Well, as much as some might be of the opinion that, if they see these tribes, and the beauty of our diversity. They will be attracted to our culture at large.
“Let me ask this question to you dear filmmaker. Please look in the mirror, and honestly tell yourself the truth. When you make your language based films. Do you have a mindset of communalism? Or individualism?
“Until we start seeing this whole process as a ‘WE’ focused movement and not ‘I’, then and only then can we boldly say we are ready to scale up.”
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