Filmmaker and directo, Kunle Afolayan has responded to actor Mike Ezuruonye’s allegation of being anti-Igbo because he shared a direct screenshot in which Mike was tagged a fraudster.

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In his response on Instagram, Kunle stated that his intention for sharing the post was misconstrued. According to him, he only sent the message jocularly to purveyors of fake news and unproven allegations that they should free him and by extension his other colleagues of such mindless allegations.

The message was not just to subtly disprove such accusations but to send a signal that I frown against such intrusive messages

On being anti-Igbo which he was accused of by Mike, Kunle stated that he is detribalised Nigerian nature and the “array of star colleagues and subject matters treated in his films, in addition to the staff in his workforce and friends in and out of Nollywood will easily put a lie to the cheap anti-Igbo toga.

Despite the misunderstanding, Kunle stated he still has utmost regards for Mike as a man of honour and large heart that he knew him to be.

Here is his post:

“Mole, Mountain and My Brother Mike Ezuruonye

I’m compelled to publicly offer a response to Mike Ezuruonye’s diatribe against my person.

On Thursday, I shared on my Instagram timeline a message posted on my comment section about an unfounded insinuation of his involvement in scams.

With a message in Yoruba, which I inscribed on the post: “E gba mi o. Ewo n temi?” (Spare me, what’s my own) I had shared the post on my timeline with the intention to jocularly send a message to purveyors of fake news and unproven allegations that they should free me and by extension my other colleagues of such mindless allegations.

It was not just a message to subtly disprove such accusations but to send a signal that I frown against such intrusive messages.

Sadly, my colleague and brother took it badly even after exchange of private messages to explain the harmless intention behind my post.

Not only has he called me out openly and making a social media feast of his disavowal, he has also accused me of being anti-Igbo.

He is wrong!

While my apology to him subsists, because it’s only fair; it is pathetic of him to bring needless ethnic sentiment into a mere molehill of an issue that can’t be fancied as a mountain.

To me, it didn’t matter that the sender of that message is apparently Igbo. What’s important is that my post drew no negative comments until Mike decided to raise the roof.

To dissppoint Mike and other ethnic jingoists, this molehill issue isn’t enough for me to climb the rooftop to shout my detribalised Nigerian nature. The array of star colleagues and subject matters treated in my films, in addition to the staff in my workforce and friends in and out of Nollywood that i associate with, will easily put a lie to the cheap anti-Igbo toga that Mike has pitiable tried to dress me with.

My utmost regard is always reserved for him as a man of honour and large heart that I knew him to be.

Ire

Kunle Afolayan.”