Veteran Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Yemi Ayebo, popularly known as Yemi My Lover, has made an emotional appeal for help as he battles financial hardship decades after achieving fame with his iconic 1993 film of the same name.
In a candid interview with content creator Mr. LilGaga on YouTube, the Yoruba movie star opened up about his current struggles, revealing that despite the widespread success and cultural impact of Yemi My Lover, he is now financially down and seeking support from his colleagues and fans alike.
The actor disclosed that piracy and internal sabotage within the Nigerian movie industry robbed him of the financial rewards that should have followed the film’s success. According to him, the lack of a proper distribution structure at the time, coupled with widespread piracy, led to his career taking a downturn.
“I wrote and produced Yemi My Lover in 1993. The movie became a household name across Nigeria, especially in the Yoruba-speaking regions. Unfortunately, I didn’t make any significant money from it,” Ayebo said.
He explained that because there was no social media or advanced marketing tools at the time, he lacked the means to promote and protect his work. This gave room for piracy to thrive, and his movie was widely duplicated and sold illegally. Making matters worse, he said, his decision to personally handle the film’s marketing did not sit well with some influential marketers, who allegedly turned against him.
“The marketers waged a war against me because I didn’t allow them to control the process. The movie was pirated on a large scale, and others profited off my creativity. That was the beginning of my downfall,” he lamented.
Yemi My Lover further noted that the Nigerian film industry, especially the Yoruba sector, is heavily reliant on networking and insider connections. He pleaded with fellow actors, producers, and stakeholders in the industry to extend a helping hand and give him opportunities to return to the screen.
“The industry is based on who you know. I need connections to get back up. I’m broke right now and trying to find my footing again,” he added.
The actor’s heartfelt appeal has sparked reactions from fans and industry watchers, many of whom expressed sympathy and called for greater protection of creative rights in Nigeria. His story sheds light on the plight of early Nollywood pioneers who helped build the foundation of the industry but were left behind by the rapid commercialization and digitization of filmmaking.
Calls are now growing louder for film industry stakeholders, guilds, and even government agencies to step in and support aging or struggling veterans who once shaped the entertainment landscape in Nigeria.
