Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has sparked reactions online after sharing a video of herself dancing while promoting her forthcoming movie, The Return of Arinzo, scheduled to hit cinemas across the country in April.

The actress, who is a mother of two, posted the clip on Instagram as part of the film’s publicity campaign, making it clear that she intends to use any effective strategy to draw attention to the project.

Her post comes amid ongoing debates in the Nigerian film industry about the use of dancing as a marketing strategy for movies.

Earlier reports noted that filmmaker Kunle Afolayan criticised the trend of dancing to promote films, stating that he would not prioritise cinema earnings if they did not bring substantial returns. Actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele later responded, advising him not to allow jealousy to distract him.

Veteran actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde also weighed in, describing the practice as unprofessional. Meanwhile, media entrepreneur Mo Abudu acknowledged the energy displayed by Akindele and Toyin Abraham in promoting their films but noted that her brand prefers different promotional approaches.

Iyabo Ojo had earlier reacted to the discussion, stating that jealousy is the final stage before witchcraft and questioning who set the rules for how movies should be marketed.

She urged industry colleagues to allow people promote their projects in ways that work for them, adding that the year should be about taking action rather than endless discussions.

In her latest post, the actress doubled down on her stance, asking why she should not dance while promoting her movie and brushing off critics of the method.

She said:

“What nonsense is coming out of your mouth? Oya say, tufi kwa. Don’t ever repeat it. Make I no dance ke? I go dance to promote my movie.”

She also included a caption revealing the film’s April cinema release date and hinted that more details about international screenings would be announced soon.

Watch the video below

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