Samshudeen Omowura, son of the late Apala legend Ayinla Omowura, has disclosed how much the family received from the 2021 biopic Ayinla despite acquiring massive proceeds.
In an interview with Punch, the Abeokuta-based granite supplier said producers initially sent ₦1 million, but just ₦800,000 eventually reached the family.
“Personally, I was not satisfied with the amount,” he stated. He also alleged that the original agreement signed by family members was later altered, with some signatures removed.
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Directed by Tunde Kelani and produced by Jadesola Osiberu, Ayinla starred Lateef Adedimeji in the lead role. The film, made on a ₦50 million budget, went on to gross about ₦91.5 million at the Nigerian box office and later streamed on Netflix.
Samshudeen, who was only about three years old when his father was killed in a 1980 bar fight, confirmed that the production team contacted the family and that one of his elder sisters appeared in the movie.
While he praised Adedimeji’s performance, he believes the family deserves a fairer share of the proceeds.
The revelation has reignited conversations about how the families of cultural icons are compensated when their stories become commercial successes.
As at time of filing this report, the director and producer are yet to respond to the legend son’s claims.
