Veteran Nollywood filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has fired up social media after defending his creative choices in the wake of mixed reactions to his new Netflix series Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens. In a video shared on his Instagram page, the director made it clear that his work isn’t about wide-appeal entertainment it’s crafted for intellectual viewers who enjoy deeper storytelling and layered narratives.
Addressing critics head-on, Afolayan explained that he doesn’t expect everyone to like or even understand his films. He said his projects are made for those “who can think,” and that early criticism is nothing new, pointing to earlier works like Irapada and The Figurine which were initially misunderstood but later gained acclaim and awards.
The director also urged viewers to be patient, noting that Aníkúlápó has multiple episodes and that it’s unfair to judge the story before seeing it all comparing the experience to how audiences engage with complex series like Game of Thrones. He’s sticking to his creative vision, insisting that complex, thought-provoking cinema shouldn’t be “spoon-fed” to audiences and that criticism shouldn’t steer his artistic direction.
Netizens are now divided some applaud his commitment to meaningful storytelling, while others feel he’s dismissing everyday viewers. Is Afolayan right to make films only for thinkers, or should Nollywood cinema balance depth with mass appeal?
