LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Nollywood actress Fathia Balogun has accused cinemas of frustrating the release of her historical movie, “Efunroye: The Unicorn,” claiming the film is being pushed into late-night screening slots that limit audience access.
In a viral video shared online on Friday, the Nollywood star alleged that cinemas were deliberately placing the movie in late-night screening slots instead of daytime showings, making it difficult for many fans to watch the film.
Balogun disclosed that the arrangement has negatively affected the visibility of the movie despite the huge effort, planning, and financial investment involved in producing the historical drama.
She stated that her frustration goes beyond ticket sales, stressing that the cast and crew deserve proper exposure after dedicating months of work to the project.
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The actress explained that many movie lovers interested in seeing the film cannot conveniently attend midnight screenings, describing the scheduling as unfair.
She also revealed that the situation disrupted opportunities for physical promotion and fan interactions, including planned meet-and-greet sessions with supporters.
Furthermore, Fathia hinted that she may eventually speak publicly about the individual she believes is behind the alleged attempts to frustrate the movie if it gets removed from cinemas.
“Efunroye: The Unicorn” is a Yoruba historical drama centred on the life of 19th-century businesswoman and political figure Madam Efunroye Tinubu.
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The movie features actors including Odunlade Adekola and Mercy Aigbe.
Despite the controversy, the film reportedly opened strongly at the box office, earning about ₦29.5 million during its first weekend and nearly ₦780 million within three weeks.
Fathia Balogun now joins the growing list of Nollywood stars who have raised concerns about alleged sabotage within the cinema industry.
Actress Toyin Abraham previously made similar claims during the release of her movie “Oversabi Aunty” in December.
