Nigerian filmmaker Jimmy Rolland has alleged that actor Tunde “Okele” Usman abandoned the set of a film production after a disagreement, forcing him to suspend a movie project valued at about ₦1 million.
Speaking on the African A-List podcast, Rolland claimed the incident happened during a shoot in Mowe, Ogun State, and has left the production unfinished months later.
According to the filmmaker, the cast included Okele, Anike Ami and Habeeb Alágbè. He said Okele was hired for two days at a fee of ₦200,000, while Anike and Alágbè were each booked for three-hour appearances.
Prompt News reports Rolland alleged that Okele failed to arrive on set at the agreed time on the first day of filming.
“It is Okele. I did that work about three months ago. I still have the job in the studio, and I am not sure how to proceed. I gave him ₦200,000 for the two days.
“What happened was that we had an agreement for a two-day shoot. I shot the film in Mowe, Ogun state. I do not live in Mowe. I asked the director and production manager to get him a suitable hotel.
“I called Anike Ami and Habeeb Alágbè. Anike Ami did not have the date. She was going to finish by 12 noon from a set, while the next day she had another movie shoot. She told me she needed to rest from 12 till the evening.
“But because we were close, I asked her to spare me three hours. I also pleaded with Alagbe to also spare me three hours. I thought I had Okele for two days.
“Okele did not get to the set on the first day until 1 pm, and he was supposed to be on set by 9 am. We shot only two scenes before Anike arrived. By the time he came, he was also drunk.”
Rolland further claimed the actor became upset when production shifted focus to filming Anike Ami’s scenes and allegedly left the location for his hotel.
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“Before we finished shooting for Anike, Okele had angrily left for the hotel. He said why they would leave him and be shooting Anike. He even fought with the staff at the hotel. He did not sleep in the room I secured for him. I even paid for the room he slept in the next day because he made it a condition for him to come for the second-day shoot.
“On the second day, he came by 10 am. He was supposed to shoot nine scenes but left by 5 pm.
“Why would you leave the location without shooting nine scenes, and you expect the success of such a million-naira project?
“From that work, no one can say I owed them money.”
The filmmaker also alleged that Okele showed no regret when they later met at an event.
“I did not talk about this until we met somewhere. He did not utter the word ‘I am sorry’. I will say it anywhere I go that he is so arrogant. He was not even remorseful from the way he was talking. We almost fought on that day.”
Rolland disclosed that he initially planned to sue the actor over the incident but later abandoned the move after receiving legal advice.
“I really wanted to take the matter up. Everything had been given to my lawyer. I sincerely wanted to tear everything apart,” he said.
“But my lawyer told me I could not go ahead because there was no written agreement.”
