‘She Threatened to Ruin My Life’: The Explosive Fallout Between Toyin Abraham and Abike Shugaa
A storm is brewing in Nollywood as the once-enviable “mother-daughter” bond between filmmaker Toyin Abraham and influencer-turned-actress Abike Shugaa has dissolved into a public battle involving allegations of underpayment, deleted scenes, and recorded threats.
A storm is brewing in Nollywood as the once-enviable “mother-daughter” bond between filmmaker Toyin Abraham and influencer-turned-actress Abike Shugaa has dissolved into a public battle involving allegations of underpayment, deleted scenes, and recorded threats.
The controversy erupted after Abike Shugaa claimed her former mentor threatened her future in the industry. The breaking point, according to Shugaa, was her decision to promote Funke Akindele’s record-breaking film, A Tribe Called Judah, a move that allegedly sparked a series of “intense” messages from Abraham.
In a claim that has sent shockwaves through social media, Shugaa alleges that the filmmaker warned she would “ruin” her if she ended their professional relationship.
“She said… that if I leave her that she’s going to make sure that she ruins my life,” Shugaa claimed in the report. “Immediately I felt so scared so I tried to record that conversation… I asked her, ‘Mama what did you say?’ Then she repeated it.”
Shugaa further noted that the atmosphere had become so toxic she felt she had no choice but to involve her family. “I still have the recording… I sent it to my mom and my manager that I’m scared… it’s becoming too intense.”
Beyond the alleged threats, the dispute has pulled back the curtain on Nollywood’s pay structures. Shugaa revealed she was paid only ₦50,000 for two scenes in the blockbuster Ijakumo and ₦500,000 for a lead role in Malika—a film that grossed over ₦300 million.
The actress also expressed deep hurt over finding her performance was completely erased from the final cut of Ijakumo without notice. “When I saw the movie I didn’t see myself in it… She said, ‘Ah, that she forgot to tell me that they removed the scene’,” Shugaa recounted. “I cried about it to my own family.”
Responding via her official X (formerly Twitter) account, Toyin Abraham denied paying the “inaccurate” figures being speculated by some social media users, asserting that she actually overpaid based on industry standards for newcomers.
“I never paid anyone such. I paid 500k for Malaika and 50k for two scenes in Ijakumo and the director removed it, pls I won’t say a word,” Abraham posted.
She further challenged the notion that she was exploitative, highlighting her role in launching the influencer’s acting career. “While I paid for her [sewing] machine, she was paid 500k for Malaika for an upcoming; nobody will pay such. I beat my chest that I’m among those who will pay such,” she wrote.
Despite the intensity of Shugaa’s claims—which included a recording where she alleges Abraham threatened to “ruin” her life—the filmmaker has indicated she will not be drawn into a prolonged public war of words.
“I have made up my mind never to say anything cos I see her as my daughter,” Abraham noted in her statement. “I won’t say anything; may God bless everyone of us.”
Abraham’s management also released a statement describing the controversy as “manufactured” and “misleading,” insisting that the decision to cut Shugaa’s scenes from Ijakumo was a standard post-production directorial choice rather than a personal vendetta.
