Olaide Olabanji, the filmmaker, has claimed he helped bring actress Mercy Aigbe into the movie industry only for her to later cut ties with him and attempt to sabotage his relationships.

In a recent interview with Oyinmomo TV, the movie producer detailed how he first introduced Aigbe to acting in 2004 through his younger sister.

Olaide, who is CEO of LAIBAN film international, recalled finding Aigbe inside a shop outside the house and asking if she could act. He noted that he could have charged her for the introduction but chose not to.

The filmmaker said he later discovered that one of his equipment suppliers in Yaba was actually Aigbe’s brother, who also asked him to help her.

“I brought Mercy Aigbe into the film industry in 2004. She was a neighbour of my sibling in Ifako. She was leaving downstairs, while my younger one lived upstairs. Most of the people in the industry know this is my sister. I often see her whenever I visit my sister,” he said.

“There was a time I visited her when she was inside a shop that was built outside the house she was living in. I asked her if she can act. She already told my sister that she wants to act. I told my sister that if I had not called her myself, I would have collected money from her.

“The day I went to collect equipment at the Yaba area, I discovered the person was Mercy’s brother. The brother asked me to help her.”

The filmmaker lamented that many successful actresses tend to forget those who helped them rise.

“Ladies of this age must learn from that thing,” he said, implying that Aigbe became hostile after their fallout.

He accused her of trying to block his access to influential people. He also gave an example of a mutual contact in the UK who initially reached out to him to produce two films.

According to him, Aigbe later tried to sever that connection. Olabanji said he went on to produce the movies, which turned a profit.

“There were some places she would be blocking me. I helped you, but you are paying back with evil. Ladies easily forget things. It looks like she does not want me to exist,” he said.

“She has a friend in the UK who called me to say that she wanted to make two films. The person asked me now if she could promote my movie on her page. I later discovered that she tried to sever my ties with the person.

“I later produced the two movies for the person, and they were profitable.

“Let us just be good. There is nothing people cannot do to get fame or success. We worked for like four years.

“There are people who are angry about your existence.”

Olabanji, who began producing films in 1993 and is known for titles such as ‘Boya Lemo’ (2002) and ‘Sebeeyan Ni’ (2005).
By Pelumi Bolawa

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