Ayebo explained how piracy robbed him.
Veteran actor and filmmaker Yemi Ayebo, best known for his iconic role in the 1993 Yoruba classic Yemi My Lover, has opened up about the financial hardships he faced despite the film’s major success—blaming rampant piracy for the losses.

The fantasy-romance film, which tells the story of a young man who falls in love with a mystical woman from a lineage of water spirits, quickly became a national sensation. It resonated deeply with Yoruba-speaking audiences and is regarded as one of Nollywood’s pioneering hits of the 1990s.

However, in a recent interview with YouTuber Mr LilGaga, Ayebo revealed the stark contrast between the movie’s popularity and his own financial outcome. He said piracy and poor distribution infrastructure in the analogue era prevented him from earning any meaningful returns.

“I wrote and produced the movie in 1993. It went viral across the country, especially among Yoruba audiences, but I didn’t earn from it—90% of the profits went to pirates,” Ayebo said.

He further explained that due to the lack of access to modern media and promotion tools, he had to single-handedly market the film. That decision, he noted, led to backlash from traditional industry marketers who felt sidelined.

“There was no social media back then. I did what I could to promote the film on my own, but the awareness was limited. Because I took charge of the marketing, the marketers felt threatened and turned against me. That was the beginning of my challenges with them,” he added.

The filmmaker said piracy became rampant, with illegal copies of the movie spreading across the southwest and beyond. Some individuals even went as far as renting halls and charging viewers for screenings, while others printed and sold DVD copies, none of which brought him any returns.

“Since then, I’ve been struggling. Both pirated and original copies of the movie circulated. People were printing and selling it without my consent. Back then, there was no way to combat piracy due to limited means of communication. Across all Yoruba-speaking regions, the film was being distributed illegally, and people profited from it. Some even rented halls to screen the movie and charged people to watch it. Meanwhile, some marketers printed the DVD covers and distributed them, while I was in my office selling what little I could.”
 

Ayebo also revealed he invested his modest returns into essential tools to continue working, including a camera, office space, and a car. However, the lack of support and awareness on distribution and marketing proved to be a major challenge.

“In the film industry, there’s supposed to be a division of labour, but I did everything myself due to my limited knowledge,” he added.
 

“I produced ‘Yemi My Lover’ with about N50,000 to N60,000 and only made a small amount back. I don’t own a house, I rent an apartment. So, from the money, I bought a camera, rented an office, hired a few staff, and got a car. That was all.”

His troubles didn’t end with piracy. Ayebo recounted a harrowing experience in 1996 that he described as a turning point in his professional and personal life. He said he was falsely accused, beaten, and detained—an ordeal that cost him hundreds of thousands of naira.

“There was a time in 1996 when I was in my office on Lagos Island, and a guy came to my office with soldiers,” he added.

“I was taken to Alausa, Ikeja, where we met a major, and I was falsely accused, beaten, and the major asked that I should be killed. However, some of his colleagues stopped him, and I was locked up. Some of my boys were also arrested. Before I could resolve the case, I spent almost N500k, and that issue was a major setback for me. Things haven’t been the same since.”

Today, veteran actor and producer Yemi Ayebo admits he is facing serious financial difficulties. He points to the current state of the film industry—where social media visibility and connections often outweigh talent and experience—as a major barrier to securing consistent work.

“Right now, I’m broke and don’t have much. Things are tough,” he said.

“In this industry, it’s all about who you know. Without strong connections, it’s hard to survive financially. I need more support and access to opportunities to rebuild.”

Despite his struggles, Ayebo remains a cherished figure among fans who grew up watching Yemi My Lover—a film that not only demonstrated his creative brilliance but also helped establish fantasy storytelling within Yoruba cinema.

His experience underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms in Nollywood, including stronger artist protections and better distribution frameworks—particularly for trailblazers who helped shape the industry but received little reward for their efforts.