Nollywood actor Rotimi Salami has publicly responded to a Facebook user who accused him of exploiting the legacy of late actress Allwell Ademola by redirecting streams of her film to his own YouTube channel. In a statement shared on Instagram on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, Salami clarified that all proceeds from the movie 'Until My Last Breath' would be directed to Ademola's family, unless they preferred the funds to be reinvested in producing more films in her name.
Accusation and Public Response
The controversy began when a Facebook user, Marufah Motunrayo Muhammed, questioned why Salami was directing viewers to his own YouTube channel to stream the movie, rather than to Ademola's own page. In her post, she wrote: "What happened to Allwell Ademola's YouTube page? Why are we acting like the movie suddenly belongs elsewhere?"
Salami, who recently celebrated Ademola's 50th birthday at her graveside, responded with a mix of humour and seriousness. He cheekily asked Muhammed to provide Ademola's YouTube login details if she had them, before addressing the core accusation. He wrote: "Proceeds will be going to her family if they don't wish for us to continue re-investing the proceeds into making more films in her name to keep her Legacy."
Ambitious Streaming Target
Salami also set an ambitious milestone, declaring he would push the film until it reached 200 million streams. In a light-hearted addendum, he joked: "Because me I want to use the money to buy G-WAGON. Aunty Morufah will be the first to ride with me."
The late Allwell Ademola died on 27 December 2025, after suffering a heart attack at her home. Salami's Instagram response sparked a wave of reactions from followers, many of whom sided with him. Comments included @easybiddy's "Depression is really real. A o ni se agbako o" and @pretty_adun_2's "You still put Aunty for her name. brother rotimi you are so nice…marufAh Abi Wentin be her name herself." Another follower, @marvelousadedapo, remarked: "People are actually funny. What has she contributed to the deceased family but has mind to post any how."
Context of Grief in Nollywood
The exchange comes amid a period of mourning in Nollywood. Legit.ng previously reported that Rotimi Salami mourned the death of actress Tope Osoba with a heartfelt Instagram post, sharing a photo of her and expressing deep sorrow over losing "another talent and a good heart." His emotional words urged colleagues and fans to "just live right" in the face of such loss. Toyin Abraham also joined in grieving, posting tearful Instagram Stories to honour Osoba's memory.
The controversy highlights ongoing questions about the management of deceased actors' digital legacies, with Salami's promise to direct proceeds to Ademola's family serving as a concrete commitment to her legacy.
