Daily Post Nigeria
Veteran actor Francis Duru attributes the current dominance of Yoruba filmmakers in Nollywood to better organizational skills and internal support compared to Igbo filmmakers. He argues that while Igbos pioneered the industry, their individualistic approach has hindered their ability to maintain market leadership.
Why it matters
This provides insight into the cultural and economic dynamics of Nigeria's massive film industry, reflecting broader debates on ethnic representation and business strategy.
Veteran Nollywood actor, Francis Duru has explained why Nollywood is currently dominated by Yorubas despite Igbos "being at the forefront in the early stages." Despite people of Yoruba extraction, such as Herbert Ogunde, being widely recognised as early pioneers of the film industry in Nigeria in the 1950s, Duru insisted that the phenomenon called Nollywood was birthed when people of Igbo extraction introduced home video into the Nigerian film market in the 1990s and early 2000s. He explained that the Yorubas overtook the Igbos in Nollywood because they are better organised and more supportive. He said, "The Yorubas epitomise the saying, 'Charity begins at home.' We need to learn from them. If you don't protect and project your own, who will do it? "We created Nollywood, but if you go to Netflix today, you hardly see one movie that speaks of Igbo heritage.
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