Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has blamed Igbos for allowing Yoruba filmmakers to dominate Nollywood, arguing that the group failed to protect its cultural identity after helping build Nigeria’s film industry.
Duru said the lack of Igbo heritage films on major streaming platforms such as Netflix was shameful, while praising Yoruba filmmakers for creating and protecting opportunities to promote their culture.
“We need to learn from the Yorubas. Go to Netflix today. You hardly see one Igbo film that speaks of Igbo heritage. It’s annoying. It’s so shameful. But the Yorubas created an opportunity for themselves and utilised it very well.”
The veteran actor said Igbos should not blame the Yorubas for their growing dominance in the industry, arguing that they had simply taken advantage of opportunities available to them.
“Don’t get angry with them. These are people who saw their own and protected their own. What happened to you?”
Duru based his argument on what he described as the Igbo roots of modern Nollywood, citing businessman Kenneth Nnebue and the 1992 film Living in Bondage. “Nollywood from the phenomenon of Living in Bondage; we started it. Kenneth Nnebue was providing empty videos for Yoruba movies. That’s what has given birth to the place we got to before people started seeing the industry.”
He said Nnebue’s role in the development of the home-video industry demonstrated the contribution of Igbo entrepreneurs to the emergence of Nollywood.
Duru, however, argued that Igbos subsequently failed to consolidate their position by producing enough films centred on Igbo heritage and identity.
He also criticised Yoruba filmmakers for venturing into Igbo stories, alleging that some of their productions had failed to accurately represent Igbo culture. “You see the Yorubas crossing over to write Igbo stories just like Ahamefuna and made a mess of who we are.”
Duru’s comments specifically referenced Ahamefuna, a film centred on Igbo cultural themes, which he argued misrepresented the identity and traditions it sought to portray.
The actor’s remarks have reignited debate over cultural representation in Nollywood, particularly the visibility of Nigeria’s major ethnic groups on global streaming platforms.
His argument also raises broader questions about who controls the narratives of Nigerian cultures as the country’s film industry expands its international audience.
Duru, who rose to prominence during Nollywood’s formative years, has remained a prominent voice on the industry and issues surrounding cultural representation.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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