Why Kanayo O. Kanayo Wants Rising Nollywood Teen Actress Stop

He alleges that her mother disrupts production by taking her daughter away from sets prematurely, causing significant disruptions and financial losses for production teams.

Angel Unigwe, a rising Nollywood teen actress, is having her embryonic acting career facing a barrage of threats. One of the most significant threats is that of her age status which critics have said, has not come off the legal status to act in most of her erotica scenes. Against all odds, Unigwe has always come off greatly, shunning all spiny insults and comments.

The young, probably, the youngest of Nollywood actresses will turn 18 by June 27. And she will, in the end, escape the criticisms around her age since 2011. But Kanayo O. Kanayo, a prominent Nollywood Actor and producer, has come with another disparaging threat to the young actress. In this new threat, it is not about her age. It is about something else which is making KOK profusely say, producers should stop using Unigwe in their respective movies.

KOK, who publicly called out the teen actress and her mother, says that he is ready to disrupt any movie set that has Unigwe incorporated among the actresses.

KOK, in a video released on his Instagram page, says Unigwe and her mother breached a contract and as such, the actor wants them to face the wrath.

One would wonder why KOK who had formerly endorsed the young actress, would renege to call for her not to be used in any movie set. But whatever happens, the young actress, Unigwe, is already having another twist to her career. Following are the major reasons for Kanayo’s stance and the career implications for the young actress:

Alleged Breach of Contract: Kanayo O. Kanayo has accused Angel Unigwe and her mother of not honouring agreements made with producers. He alleges that her mother disrupts production by taking her daughter away from sets prematurely, causing significant disruptions and financial losses for production teams.

Personal Experience with Disruptions:

The veteran actor shared his own frustrating experience, stating that despite previous warnings, he faced the same issue when Angel’s mother removed her from a set at 9 pm, violating their contract. This firsthand encounter intensified his concerns about their reliability and professionalism.

Protection of Industry Standards:

Kanayo emphasizes the importance of upholding professional standards in Nollywood. He believes that actions like those of Angel’s mother undermine the industry’s integrity and make it difficult for producers to trust and work with young talents.

Call to Producers: To safeguard future productions, Kanayo has issued a stern warning to fellow producers, advising them to avoid working with Angel Unigwe until July 2024. He has vowed to personally intervene and disrupt any set that employs her during this period, underscoring the seriousness of his allegations and his commitment to protecting the industry.

Reputation and Reliability: Kanayo’s public declaration aims to alert the industry about the potential risks of working with Angel and her mother. He believes their behaviour could damage Nollywood’s reputation and hinder its progress by setting a poor precedent for professionalism.

While Kanayo’s claims remain unverified and Angel Unigwe has not yet responded, the situation highlights significant concerns within the Nollywood community regarding contract adherence and professional conduct. Angel Unigwe has been a rising star, featured in numerous films and TV series, and her recent recognition with the Trailblazer Award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) adds further flavour to her blossoming career.

Enoch Oyedibu

I am a writer and investigative journalist who specialises in literary criticism and underrepresented narratives. Among other publications, I have been featured in Business Day Nigeria, TheICIR, Platform Times and Daily Nigerian. Right now, I work as a full-time staff writer for Unconventional Magazine.