Kanayo O. Kanayo Blasts Ghanaian Actors Over Equal Pay Demands

​Veteran Nollywood icon Kanayo O. Kanayo has sparked a heated cross-border conversation following a sharp rebuke of Ghanaian actors who demand parity with Nigerian counterparts on movie sets.

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​Arriving in Accra for a new film production, the veteran actor did not mince words during a media engagement, addressing a practice he described as a persistent bottleneck in regional collaborations. According to him, some local talents undermine production dynamics by insisting on receiving compensation equivalent to established Nollywood pioneers.

​”I am KOK. I was among the founding fathers. You now wake up in Ghana… You Ghanaian boy will now insist they pay you the same fees as me,” the actor stated, emphasizing the presence of industry seniority and structural hierarchy.

​Key Points of the Controversy

• ​Demand for Parity: The actor highlighted a recurring trend where local practitioners attempt to match the baseline fees of visiting Nigerian stars during joint production negotiations.
• ​Call for Independence: Urging actors to focus on individual contracts, he advised peers to negotiate independently rather than tying their financial expectations to established veterans.
• ​The ‘Amadioha’ Threat: In his trademark dramatic flair, the actor issued a lighthearted yet stern warning against persistent gate-crashers, threatening supernatural intervention if the behavior continues.
• ​Production Friction: He revealed that similar friction arose during the current project he is undertaking in Ghana, though he withheld specific names after intervention from colleagues.

​Industry stakeholders are currently divided on the remarks, with some backing the veteran’s stance on experience-based remuneration, while others argue for equal pay based on role significance rather than geographic origin.