Temple challenges Bisola Aiyeola’s ranking on FilmOne’s highest grossing actors list

Temple Company, a leading creative management and production outfit, has highlighted inaccuracies in the Nigerian Box-Office Year Book 2024, which was curated by cinema distribution company FilmOne.

While acknowledging that the report provides an opportunity to showcase the economic impact of the film industry, the company has raised concerns over the criteria used to rank its top talent, award-winning Nollywood actress Bisola Aiyeola, who is listed in fourth place among the Highest Grossing Females in Supporting Roles.

The company has made a formal request for a reassessment of the ranking. “We respectfully request a review of the ranking methodology and data aggregation process to ensure accuracy and fairness in representing our industry’s achievements,” stated Femi Salawu, Head of Media Relations and Public Affairs.

Salawu affirmed, “Strategic talent advocacy is part of our commitment to our clients as key players in the creative sector. We are dedicated to accurately representing our talents in the marketplace, motivating them to give their best. We demand excellence from ourselves as much as from others, which is why our position is clear.”

The organization further pointed out issues with the misrepresentation of Bisola Aiyeola’s contributions to this year’s cinematic achievements. Despite her compelling performances as a Supporting Lead in several successful productions, including “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” “Ajosepo,” “Muri,” and “Ko,” her significant role as Madam Bassey in “Everybody Loves Jenifa” was notably excluded from her box office calculations.

“This omission raises critical questions about the methodology used in the ranking system, particularly concerning the classification criteria between lead and supporting lead roles, the consistency of these criteria across all evaluated performances, and the transparency of the data aggregation process,” the statement noted.

Temple Company disputed the classification of Bisola Aiyeola’s role as Madam Bassey in “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” stating that its exclusion from her box-office tally is a significant flaw that undermines the report’s credibility.

 The statement continued, “The traditional industry standard defines supporting roles based on screen time and narrative impact, with supporting actors typically having fewer but more impactful appearances compared to leads. This established metric appears to have been applied inconsistently in the current rankings.” Additionally, the discrepancy extends to other performers, such as Nancy Isime (ranked fifth), whose similar supporting roles received differing classification treatments.

Although the Nigeria Box Office Rankings provide a valuable opportunity to highlight the industry’s economic contribution and market significance, such inconsistencies threaten to undermine its credibility as an industry benchmark.

In its commitment to fostering growth in the creative sector, Temple Company expressed continued support for initiatives that promote transparency and accuracy in reporting standards. The company has been at the forefront of driving growth through film and live event production, capacity development, and the provision of state-of-the-art audio and visual recording services at its Ogidi Studios.