Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has sparked discussion after attributing what he sees as the growing influence of Yoruba filmmakers and actors in the Nigerian film industry to their strong culture of collective support.
Speaking about the evolution of Nollywood, Duru argued that the Yoruba community has been more deliberate about creating opportunities for its own people and promoting its cultural identity.
According to the actor, while Yoruba pioneers such as Herbert Ogunde played important roles in Nigeria’s early theatre and film history, the home-video boom that gave rise to modern Nollywood in the 1990s and early 2000s was largely driven by Igbo entrepreneurs and filmmakers.
However, he believes the Igbos did not do enough to consolidate the position they had established.
“We Igbos created Nollywood, but if you go to Netflix today, you hardly see one movie that speaks of Igbo heritage. But the Yorubas, on the other hand, created opportunities for themselves and utilised them.”
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Duru blamed what he described as an “individualistic mentality” among some Igbos, saying a focus on individual success sometimes comes at the expense of collective progress.
He urged them to look beyond personal achievements and work together to identify and take advantage of emerging opportunities in the entertainment industry.
He said: “Igbos failed to learn because of their individualistic mentality. You think you are the big man, so you are self-centred. But you forget that a time will come when you need to be expansive.”
The actor stressed that the success of Yoruba filmmakers should not be viewed with resentment, but rather as an example from which others can learn.
He added: “Don’t get angry with them. These are people who saw their own and protected their own. What happened to you? Igbos have many great men in Nigeria.”
He also recalled that many early Nollywood pioneers were traders who recognised the commercial potential of home videos and invested in the industry, urging Igbos to adopt a more proactive and collaborative approach to promoting their culture and people.
