Veteran Nollywood icon, Chiwetalu Agu, recently unveiled a captivating tale of his past, disclosing the intriguing tale behind his decision to decline a staggering N10 million offer. In an exclusive interview with Chude, the revered actor recounted how he turned down the tempting proposition from billionaire magnate, Mike Adenuga, which ultimately led to an unprecedented negotiation.
Agu recalled that when the generous proposal was extended, he found himself in dire financial straits, never having witnessed more than N1 million in his possession. Unwilling to settle for less, Agu boldly countered with a remarkable demand of N20 million for his participation in the movie project. This audacious stance highlighted his determination to garner a sum that matched his perceived worth.
The thespian recounted the engaging standoff, revealing, “Chief Mike Adenuga said, ‘what I have for you in this contract is N10 million.’ I have not seen N1 million before when he was pricing me N10 million but I refused. I said, ‘if it’s not N20 million, forget it.’ He insisted, I insisted.” This exchange showcased Agu’s unwavering resolve to secure a fee that aligned with his self-assessed value.
In a twist of events, Agu recalled employing a shrewd stratagem to further cement his negotiation position. Threatening to depart the meeting and return to his hometown of Enugu, he effectively amplified his commitment to his terms. Astonishingly, Adenuga yielded to Agu’s terms, directing his team to produce the necessary paperwork for the transaction.
As the documents were laid before them, Agu’s signature marked the turning point of the encounter. “From that moment uhuru dance started. I did it diplomatically in the office. I didn’t want them to know that N20m was a big deal to me. But it was the most wonderful thing to me at the moment.“
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