Toyin Abraham, a renowned Nigerian actress and producer, expressed deep distress as pirates targeted her recently released movie.
In a heartfelt account, she revealed the emotional toll the incident took on her, sharing her shock and dismay upon discovering the unauthorized distribution of her film.
“I’m really not okay; you can see it in my face. I had to rush from the hospital because I’ve been experiencing panic attacks.
“Shooting a movie with a budget of nearly 500 million naira, only to witness it being illicitly circulated, had a profound impact on my well-being, ” Toyin lamented.
The actress narrated the surreal experience of stumbling upon her movie and another film on Telegram, with the pirates announcing their intention to upload the movie by 12 o’clock.
The gravity of the situation hit her hard, feeling as if her world was crumbling before her eyes. “My whole world is coming to an end right in front of me,” she expressed.
Despite the emotional turmoil, Toyin took swift action, with her manager advising her to open the link provided by the pirates. What she saw left her in disbelief—her movie, “Malaika,” exposed for unauthorized distribution.
Determined to salvage the situation, Toyin and her support network mobilized. Her manager, godparents, FilmOne team, sister, played a crucial role in reaching out to tech experts and Google to counteract the piracy.
Highlighting the broader impact of piracy on the creative industry, Abraham emphasized, “This is my life. This is the only thing I do. That is why I decided to take it upon myself, my manager, FilmOne, to fight piracy.
“And this is not about me. It’s not about Malaika, It’s not about any movie cinema. It’s not about tribe, but it’s about the creative industry. It’s about the entertainment industry.”
When asked about the financial losses incurred, she admitted, “Yeah, I have lost a lot, because even when you go on social media, you see people saying, oh, we’re not going to watch it in cinema. We’re waiting for the link to drop.”
However, Abraham shifted her focus from monetary concerns to the broader cause, stating, “It’s not about money now. It’s about fighting a particular cause for the audience. For the whole entertainment industry, for the whole creative industry, which I’m happy about. So it’s not about the money now,” She concluded.
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