Renowned actor Kanayo O Kanayo has issued a cautionary message to Nigerian youths, advising them to steer clear of money rituals as a means to attain wealth. He has long been associated with the portrayal of ritualistic characters in Nollywood, depicting individuals who are willing to resort to human sacrifices in their pursuit of riches.
In a recent conversation during Ikenga Online’s November 2023 virtual Town Hall Meeting, he addressed the theme “Rituals, Riches, and Realities: Debunking the Myths of Wealth Acquisition and the Importance of Honest Labor.” Kanayo stressed that there is absolutely no link between offering human sacrifices and attaining prosperity. He encouraged Nigerian youths to instead focus on hard work and dedication in order to achieve success in their respective pursuits.
Kanayo O Kanayo said:
“These people (youths) have up their ante and it is not about what they watch (movies). There is no truth to the fact that a man living in a thatched house will ask you to kill your girlfriend and sleep with her to make money.
“The Yahoo (scam) we knew many years ago was writing letters and promising deals that were utopian. We know many people who are in public office today who were part of it. I will not want to mention names.
“But today people are told that. The in-thing is Yahoo Promax, which involves killing someone, eating the heart of the person and washing it down with Hennessy, and the belief that you will make money. I can’t see any connection between that and making money. Money is made through hard work.”
Speaking about how he made money overnight to build a mansion in his hometown, which was a surprise to many, KOK said he did not indulge in any sacrifice.
“I laid the foundation of my house in 2015, and in 2016, Globacom, owned by Mike Adenuga, signed me as one of those to be a part of a nationwide campaign it was holding.
“The money was huge. It involved performances in many cities, but sometimes they count 10 cities and pay us upfront, even before we start visiting those cities.
“So, I made a lot of money and built my house. I can say I made a sacrifice to build that house because, at that time, I had the option of buying a brand new 2015 Range Rover. If I had bought it, today, I would have been seen as someone who was driving an old Range Rover.
“So the sacrifice I made was that I left the Range Rover and completed my house. That was the sacrifice I made”