Article may be outdated

This article is 51 days old. Some details may have changed since publication.

Punch Newspapers·3 min read·medium

"I Don't Believe in Money Rituals, Witchcraft Mo

S
Samuel Omotere
"I Don't Believe in Money Rituals, Witchcraft Mo
AI Summary

Veteran Nollywood actor Sunny Alli has publicly criticized the portrayal of money rituals and witchcraft in Nigerian cinema, labeling them as unrealistic and lacking logical credibility. He advocates for scripts that reflect verifiable human experiences rather than superstitious myths.

Why it matters

This highlights an ongoing cultural debate within the Nigerian film industry regarding the responsibility of creators to avoid perpetuating harmful superstitions.

Dive DeeperCreate a free account to unlock

Veteran Yoruba actor, director and producer Sunny Alli has said he does not believe in money rituals, describing many witchcraft-themed storylines in Nollywood as unrealistic and lacking credibility. The actor, known for films such as Omo Ghetto, Lagos Girls (Omoge Eko), Omo Olè and Okan Soso, made the remarks during a Wednesday episode of Oyinmomo uploaded on the show YouTube channel, where he spoke in Yoruba about scriptwriting, superstition and his personal beliefs. According to Alli, there are certain themes he deliberately avoids when writing movie scripts because they are not based on realities people can verify. “There are some lines that can never be in my scripts. Like witch meetings, I feel it is not realistic because we do not know if it is true. No one has experienced it. Do they rent a hall? Some even say they wear red clothes. Who went there?” he asked. Questioning popular portrayals of witches in films, the actor said there was no evidence to support many of the claims frequently depicted on screen. “Who is the witch that documented everything? How do witches even look? I can write about hit-and-run because it is real. Those are things people experience,” he said. Alli also dismissed claims surrounding money rituals, arguing that many of the popular narratives do not stand up to logical scrutiny. Related News PICTORIAL: Ex-Nollywood star Grace Bassey announces engagement VIDEO: I quit acting in 2019 over poor pay, mediocre work – Deyemi Okanlawon Veteran Nollywood actor Elegbeje Ado dies “I always say I do not believe in money rituals because I once asked them a question. They said a demon brings money. Does the demon have a printing machine? Will it steal money from the Central Bank of Nigeria or a Bureau de Change?” he said. He explained that when those questions could not be answered, people often changed the explanation. “I asked them, and they were confused, so they came up with another myth that the money comes through a contract that the person did not even bid for. I love realistic scripts. I do not believe in money rituals,” he added. The actor also opened up about his past gambling habit, revealing that he once participated in football betting before deciding to stop. “I used to bet before. I mean football betting, but God does not support it. We thank God it is now in the past,” he said. Alli is a founding member of the Odunfa Caucus and has remained one of the notable figures in the Yoruba film industry, recognised for his emotional acting style and contributions as an actor, producer and director. Samuel Omotere Samuel Omotere is an experienced journalist covering human interest stories, pop culture, and digital trends. He combines his background as a language graduate with a focus on sustainable digital storytelling.

Continue reading on Headlinne

Create a free account to read the full article.

Read full article →
cultureentertainment
Political Bias
Center
LeftLean LCenterLean RRight
Confidence: 75%

The article reports on an actor's personal opinion and cultural critique without taking a stance on the validity of the superstitions themselves.

Get smarter about the news

Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.

Create free account

Already have an account? Sign in