Abudu: I Lack the Energy to Dance for Film Promotion

Media mogul and EbonyLife CEO Mo Abudu has clarified that the energetic dance routines increasingly used to market Nigerian films are not a part of her personal promotional playbook. Speaking at the Lagos Business of Film Summit in early February 2026, Abudu admitted that while she admires the “viral” marketing strategies of colleagues like Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham, she lacks the stamina and natural inclination to replicate them. Her comments come at a time when Nollywood is intensely debating whether social media performances have become a mandatory chore for cinematic success.

Abudu’s remarks were framed by a genuine sense of wonder at the sheer physical energy required by the current industry standards. She noted that filmmakers like Akindele and Abraham have mastered a high-octane model of engagement, using dance and skits to drive massive foot traffic to cinemas. However, the media executive was firm in her stance: she has already instructed her team that she will not be the one in front of the camera dancing to sell a movie. Instead, she suggested that if a project requires that specific brand of “hustle,” the task must fall to those better suited for it.

The EbonyLife boss used the summit as a platform to advocate for a more diversified understanding of what constitutes “box office success” in Nigeria. She argued that there is no one-size-fits-all formula for reaching the modern audience and that creators should focus on their individual strengths rather than forcing themselves into uncomfortable promotional moulds. For Abudu, whose brand is often associated with high-end luxury and global partnerships, the “dance-to-sell” trend clashes with her established professional identity.

This debate was further fueled by similar comments from filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, who also stated at the same forum that he finds the demand for constant social media content “draining” and unsustainable. The conversation took a sharper turn when veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde recently weighed in, describing the pressure on actors to become “content creators” as unprofessional. While these figures aren’t dismissing the effectiveness of the dance-heavy model, they are collectively pushing back against it becoming a compulsory industry standard.

For Abudu, the focus remains on the structural and business side of filmmaking. She pointed out that while viral moments can spike ticket sales, the underlying goal should be to understand the evolving tastes of the Nigerian audience without losing one’s personal essence. She praised the record-breaking numbers achieved by her peers but maintained that she would rather find someone else to handle the choreography while she focuses on the strategic expansion of her media empire.

The “dancing” debate highlights a growing rift in Nollywood’s marketing philosophy. On one side are the “grassroots” marketers who leverage personal celebrity and social media trends to break records, and on the other are those who prefer a more traditional, executive-led promotional style. Abudu’s candid admission that “it is not going to be me” serves as a reminder that even at the highest levels of the industry, boundaries are being drawn to preserve the sanity and authenticity of the creators.

As the industry moves through 2026, the question remains whether films can continue to reach billion-naira milestones without the “TikTok effect.” For Mo Abudu, the answer lies in understanding what the market requires today—and admitting that while the market may want a dance, she isn’t the one to provide it. By encouraging her team to “look for someone else,” she is essentially calling for a professionalization of marketing roles that doesn’t require the director or producer to be the primary entertainer.