Abike Shuga And Toyin Abraham Clash Over Payment, Movie Cuts

Popular social media influencer Olawuni Oluwapelumi Abike, better known as Abike Shuga, and Nollywood Actress Toyin Abraham were engaged in a battle of words with the influencer detailing a “painful” professional experience that led to their fallout.

In a trending video, Abike Shuga recounted her experience filming for Toyin Abraham’s 2021 production, Ijakumo. The influencer alleged that despite accepting a modest fee of N50,000 in good faith to support the actress, she was shocked to find that her entire contribution had been scrubbed from the final cut.

Abike expressed deep hurt over the exclusion, particularly because she attended the cinema premiere under the impression that she was a featured cast member. “I was surprised when I realised my scenes were not included,” she stated, adding that she and other creators were invited to promote the film without being informed of the editing decisions.

Abike Shuga drew a sharp contrast between her experience with Abraham and her work with Funke Akindele. She claimed that Akindele typically commands higher industry rates, paying between $600 and $800 for promotional roles, such as her work on the series “She Must Be Obeyed.” Abike further alleged that she had once turned down a project with Funke Akindele specifically to feature in Toyin Abraham’s production, believing it would yield better collaborative opportunities, a move she now regrets.

Reacting to the viral claims, Toyin Abraham provided a breakdown of the payment structure to clarify the narrative. The actress confirmed paying Abike N50,000 for two scenes in Ijakumo, but emphasised that she also paid the influencer N500,000 for her role in another project, Malaika.

Regarding the deleted scenes, Abraham explained that such choices are purely creative and were made by the film’s director, not out of personal malice.