Ayoyinka Spent 30 Years at Lagos State Civil Service; Where Are His Gratuities? — Wale Adenuga Hits Back at ‘Papa Ajasco’ Star

Wale Adenuga, the producer behind one of Nigeria's most beloved sitcoms, "Papa Ajasco," has responded to the wave of public reaction following actor Abiodun Ayoyinka's revelation of his financial struggles over low remuneration for his role as the famous Papa Ajasco.

Last week, Ayoyinka, the man who has portrayed the pot-bellied, wrapper-wearing Papa Ajasco for nearly three decades, opened up in an interview with podcaster Lucky Udu about the reality of his finances. He disclosed that he earns ₦45,000 per episode, with only about 13 episodes recorded per year, and that since retiring from his civil service job with the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture five years ago, things have not been easy. He said he owns neither a car nor a house.

The interview struck a nerve with Nigerians who grew up watching the show, and the outpouring of concern quickly went viral.

Now, Wale Adenuga MFR, Chairman and Executive Producer of Wale Adenuga Productions, has issued a statement addressing what he calls "misinformation, emotional commentary, and uninformed public intervention" sparked by Ayoyinka's interview.

Adenuga praised the actor's talent and insisted their relationship remains cordial, describing Ayoyinka as someone who bears the closest resemblance to the Papa Ajasco cartoon character he created in 1976. He confirmed there has been "no irreconcilable difference" between them.

However, Adenuga pushed back firmly on the poverty narrative. He pointed out that Ayoyinka spent over 30 years 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, including then-Governor Bola Tinubu. Adenuga questioned what became of Ayoyinka's gratuities and retirement benefits from that long career.

"Now, the question is: why is Abiodun Ayoyinka claiming to be broke? Where are the investments from his over 30 years of meritorious service with the Lagos State Government? What happened to his gratuities?”

On the car claim, Adenuga said his company had provided Ayoyinka with a car at some point, as they did for co-star Pa James, and that the actor had used no fewer than five vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz, over the years. He also stated, to the best of his knowledge, that Ayoyinka owns a house in Ogun State.

Regarding the copyright restrictions on the Papa Ajasco brand, Adenuga acknowledged them but framed them as standard brand protection, noting that Ayoyinka is free to take on advert jobs under his own name; he simply needs to seek official approval from WAP before using the Papa Ajasco character commercially. He added that other cast members, including Pa James, Mama Ajasco, Boy Alinco, Miss Pepeiye, Akpan and Oduma, regularly appear on film sets under their personal names without issue.

"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 wrote.

Adenuga also shed light on the production schedule, clarifying that cast members are only on set for six weeks in a year, during which enough episodes are recorded to last 12 months, leaving ample time, he argued, for the actors to pursue other income streams.

The statement closed with a firm denial of any exploitation, with Adenuga asserting that his organisation pays according to industry standards and meets all financial obligations when due.

"Any narrative suggesting financial abandonment or exploitation by our organisation is entirely false and misleading”, he ended.

The ongoing conversation has reignited a broader examination of compensation in the Nigerian entertainment industry, the treatment of veterans, and economic opportunities after retirement.

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