Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham on Monday cautioned against snide remarks about successful women especially in the entertainment sector.
Toyin said this in reaction to a post Nigerian rapper, Ruggedman, made about female actresses making it more than their male counterparts in the entertainment sector.
Ruggedman had tweeted:
“My male actors in nollywood whats going on? Its just the females that are buying cars and building houses left and right. I wanted to come into nollywood but at this rate, I am not coming again”
Reacting via her Instagram page @toyin_abraham, Toyin said she understands what Ruggedman was trying to say and finds it saddening that many people seized the opportunity to say derogatory words against female actors.
“I saw the social media post made by respected rapper, Ruggedman about women making more money and doing better than men.
“I read between the lines and saw what Ruggedman implied. It is a little bit sad that many people on social media leeched on it with many derogatory comments about women especially those of us in Nollywood.
“It is important that I put this out there that many women make money and make it legitimately. I know actresses who charge between two to five million in this Nollywood.
“I get paid in millions of naira for gigs as a matter of fact; I just paid for a very good car worth millions.
“At the same time, I know a lot of men in Nollywood who are doing extra ordinary well and paid in millions.
“The fact that most of these men choose not to make noise on social media do not in any way means that they are second class citizens in this industry.
“We need to stop attributing every woman’s success to her sexual prowess with men. Women deserve the success they have as much as men without attributing it to their sexuality.
“It is disparaging to put the successes of these women within the box of their sexuality. A lot of women are doing great things legitimately.
“I am one of them and so also are many other women in other industries not just the entertainment industry.
“A woman is more than the sum total of her sexuality,’’ she said.
Toyin Abraham began acting in 2003.
Over the years, she has produced, directed and featured in several Nigerian films, such as ‘Alani Baba Labake ‘and ‘Ebimini’.
She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in ‘Ebimini’ during the 2013 best Nollywood Awards.
Toyin is also the producer of the popular series, Fate of ‘Alakada’.
