Ferdinard Ekechukwu
When Abiodun Ayoyinka, the man well known as Papa Ajasco, came out recently to claim career struggles following the titular character he portrayed in Papa Ajasco & Company, a comedy series produced by Wale Adenuga Productions, the wave of reactions that greeted him was quite not unexpected. It is not unusual to see folks like him cry out and most times exit in penury despite decades of fame.
The show, a spin-off of a feature film of the same title created by Wale Adenuga in 1984, became one of Nigeria’s most widely watched television sitcom, airing weekly across several African countries at its peak Papa Ajasco character the most loved. Ayoyinka opened up about the professional and financial challenges he has faced, attributing them to restrictions surrounding his popular on-screen persona.
Ayoyinka said the character was trademarked by filmmaker Wale Adenuga, limiting his ability to fully capitalise on the fame it brought him. He explained that the restriction reduced his visibility and opportunities beyond the show. The actor also disclosed that he has faced financial hardship in recent years, noting that he retired from the Lagos State Ministry of Arts and Culture about five years ago.
Ayoyinka, 65, made the revelation in an emotional interview which has gone viral on the internet, during which he appealed to fans to continue supporting the once-popular sitcom, Papa Ajasco and Company. The actor also lamented that despite the fame associated with the character; he has no personal car or house and earns relatively modest fees when new episodes are produced.
Reflecting on his time on the widely watched television series, Ayoyinka noted that actors were paid per episode rather than on a stable salary. “It is money, and then if you have a good job, you will get a car for yourself. It is not that easy; they always pay us per episode. At times, we would record eight or nine episodes for the amount.
“We started with Wale Adenuga with N2,500, which was 1997 per episode. Then we began to grow to N3,000, N5,000, N20,000, N25,000 and so on and so forth, but it is not easy to collect a pay per episode, then you relax at home and then come back again after the year,” he added. He further explained that the restriction has reduced his visibility and opportunities beyond the show.
However, addressing the controversy, Wale Adenuga sought to clarify what he described as misinformation and emotional commentary that followed the interview.
Adenuga in a statement said he had a cordial relationship with Ayoyinka, describing him as a versatile actor who closely resembled the original cartoon character of Papa Ajasco.
“My first impression when I watched the Papa Ajasco video now trending on the internet, and local TV channels was: ‘Okay, so this guy has taken Papa Ajasco comedy into the public space,’”Adenuga said. “It is all well and good. I am happy for him, as his money-making strategy using social media has apparently worked for him.”
The veteran producer added that Ayoyinka had played the role successfully for many years and remained close to him.
“He is very close to me, and so far there has been no irreconcilable difference between us,” he said. Addressing claims of financial hardship, Adenuga said the actor had benefited from several forms of support during his years working on the show.
According to him, Ayoyinka previously received a car from the production company and had used several vehicles over the years, including a Mercedes-Benz.
“On the car issue, we once gave him a car and Pa James as well. He has also used not less than five cars, including a Mercedes-Benz, at different times,” he said. Adenuga added that, the actor also owns a house in Ogun State.
The producer also clarified that the Papa Ajasco character is a registered trademark, explaining why the actor cannot use the identity independently for personal ventures.
“He cannot use the copyrighted brand name Papa Ajasco for personal ventures because it is our duty to protect the brand from inappropriate usage that could damage its reputation,” he said.
He stressed that Ayoyinka had not been barred from accepting jobs, provided official approval was obtained from Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP).
“As he himself stated, all that is required is to seek official approval from WAP. This is part of brand protection,” he added. Adenuga rejected suggestions that actors working on the sitcom were restricted from taking other roles.
However, Adenuga pushed back firmly on the poverty narrative. He pointed out that Ayoyinka spent over 30years as a civil servant with the Lagos State Government, where he was even the face of the state’s cultural troupe, a role that brought him close to prominent figures. Adenuga questioned what became of Ayoyinka’s gratuities and retirement benefits from that long career.
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