Actor and singer Gabriel Afolayan has shed light on his professional and personal relationship with his brother, acclaimed filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, revealing how their childhood experiences laid the foundation for their creative partnership in Nollywood.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television, Afolayan recalled fond memories of growing up together and bonding over films — moments he said shaped their artistic journey.
“I can remember when we were much younger; he’s going to put me on his shoulder, we go and watch films together. So we’ve already had that filmic bond while growing up. And also, it translated pretty much well,” he said.
According to him, their shared commitment to quality storytelling and mutual respect make collaboration seamless, even when creative disagreements arise.
“We love quality stuff, fundamentally. And we love ourselves, even though when we argue, it’s for a certain cause that’s going to set things right.
I think we got that niche from our dad, always wanting to do things right,” he added.
The Evolution of Anikulapo
Afolayan described working on productions such as Anikulapo as a demanding yet fulfilling process, noting that large-scale projects require meticulous planning and technical excellence.
“For a big-scale project like Anikulapo, you can’t be any better. The project itself calls for exactly what it gets — building sets from scratch, having professional cinematographers, good technical people on grading, costumes, art design… everything has to be grand,” he said.
Explaining the transition of Anikulapo from film to series format, Afolayan emphasised the depth of its narrative potential.
“Because it’s a series now, it needs to extend… You can’t journey through a singular plot,” he explained.
He further clarified that Anikulapo is a title rather than a fixed identity.
“Anikulapo is a title, it’s not a name… meaning the one with death in his pouch. Anybody who is able to bring people back to life or return from the dead can be Anikulapo.
So it keeps going,” he said, hinting at evolving protagonists and layered storytelling.
Funding and Storytelling in Nollywood
While praising the growth of Nigeria’s film industry, Afolayan identified funding as a persistent challenge.
According to him, budget constraints often affect execution, even when scripts are compelling.
“Sometimes you can have a very good script, but because of budget, the storytelling will turn another way around… When it comes to execution, everything is still about the budget input,” he noted.
Afolayan stressed that strong writing, layered characters and personal conviction remain central to impactful filmmaking.
“It’s the story. I’m a big fan of good stories, good writing, layered characters… Filmmaking is still personal. What is your reason? Why are you in this field? Your own values influence the work,” he concluded.
His reflections underscore the blend of legacy, craftsmanship and vision driving one of Nollywood’s most prominent creative families.