Murphy Afolabi: Adunni Ade refutes owing late actor N150,000 acting fees

Nollywood actress Adunni Ade has responded to claims that she owed late actor Murphy Afolabi N150,000 acting fees.

Recently, the actress has been perceived as an outcast in the Yoruba movie industry owing to her comments during the recent general elections that saw Bola Tinubu emerge as Nigeria’s President-elect.

During the election period, Adunni accused some of her industry colleagues working for politicians for pittances.

She said, “Many of you left your homes, sat in some place for two months and were paid peanuts literally. You guys fought yourselves; they paid you guys peanuts. I have a screenshot of someone who got N90,000 after wasting his damn life for two months campaigning for someone.”

Although she refused to mention a particular name, actress Bukky Adekogbe Raji, popularly known as Aminatu Papapa, however, took her post personally and made a video addressing her using denigrating words.

Recently, at the right-day Fidau Prayer held in honour of the late Murphy, a public announcement was made urging Adunni to refund the money to the late actor’s burial committee.

According to information, the funds were sent to Adunni by the late Murphy, who died on 13 May, as payment for a role in his upcoming movie.

The movie was yet to be filmed before his untimely demise.

The announcer at the prayer ceremony spoke in Yoruba, saying, “Adunni Ade, please return the N250,000 that you owe the late Murphy Afolabi.”

However, the embattled actress, through her media team, Virgin Outdoor, has come out state with proof that she paid the actor his money before his passing.

Debt repaid

In a statement by Virgin Outdoor, the 46-year-old set the record straight regarding the claims that she owed the late Mr Afolabi.

The actress stated emphatically that the allegation was false.

“This isn’t the time for anyone to slander others or say things that will negatively influence the memory of a man I treated with honour and respect. Let us all respect the dead.

READ ALSO: ‘Women are sometimes abandoned for giving birth to female child’

“I never cheated him in his lifetime, nor would I cheat him or anyone in the afterlife. May his soul rest in peace,” she wrote.

She further explained that the late Mr Murphy Afolabi contacted her, requiring her services for movie production. According to her, the late actor appealed to her that it was a self-funded production and that he couldn’t afford her professional fee but would need my moral support.

“I asked how many scenes and duration were expected of me on set. He said ten scenes and that I would spend one day. He offered to ‘fuel my car as an honorarium, which payment was made on 02 July 2021 for N150,000.

“Unfortunately, on 11 July 2021 shortly before the commencement of the production, I lost my younger brother. I contacted Mr Murphy Afolabi a few days afterwards to request for his bank account details, to send him a refund, as I would be travelling to the United States for my younger brother’s funeral, and to spend time with the rest of my family,” she explained.

Adunni, who is of Nigerian and German descent, noted that the late actor insisted she holds onto the money while he figured out whether to move the shoot forward or contact her for another one.

“I returned to Lagos end of September 2021 and waited for his call. Mr Murphy Afolabi contacted me on the 8th of October 2021 and said he wanted to start a new job soon and needed me for four days, playing the lead but for the same amount of N150,000 which he had paid in July.

“I respectfully declined, requested for his bank account details and transferred to his bank account the full refund of N150,000 on the same day 08 October 2021,” she said.

She posted, alongside proof of both payments on a post on her Instagram page.

More controversy

As an actress, Adunni has been in the news a lot lately.

Also in February 2023, actress Kudi Alagbo took a jab at her for misleading people into believing that she is worth more than she looks.

Alagbo claimed that Adunni did not have chairs when she was living in the Oko Oba area of Lagos before moving to the Island.

The ‘Soole’ actress replied Alagbo by sharing a throwback video of her former house with her furniture in plain sight.