Nigeria’s Biggest Filmmakers Are All Yoruba, Chude Jideonwo Claims

According to media personality Chude Jideonwo, the Yoruba ethnicity makes up the majority of Nigeria’s leading filmmakers.

When talking about the predominance of Yoruba filmmakers in Nollywood, Jideonwo included prominent figures like Toyin Abraham, Funke Akindele, Kemi Adetiba, Kunle Afolayan, and Mo Abudu as examples in an Instagram post.

He maintained that Hausa and Igbo language films are almost nonexistent on international streaming sites, while Yoruba language films are the most prevalent.

He went on to say that Yoruba film culture has been able to successfully assimilate into other communities, which has contributed to its ongoing supremacy in the Nigerian film industry.

In his words;

“The biggest filmmakers in Nigeria now are all Yoruba,” he said.

“Think about it: Kemi Adetiba, Kunle Afolayan, Jade Osiberu, Mo Abudu, Kayode Kasum, Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, Mercy Aigbe, Oga Bello’s sons—the ones that do every movie, including ‘Beast of Two Worlds’ and ‘Jagun Jagun’—and Bolanle Austin-Peters.

“Think about it: most of the mainstream, big cinema, and streaming movies are all by Yoruba people.

“What has happened is that the Yoruba filming culture has merged itself into the other groups that are leading again. Can you name one Hausa-language movie on Netflix or Amazon? Or can you name one Igbo-language movie on Netflix or Amazon? The closest was… Genevieve’s ‘Lionheart’ many many years ago. Only Yoruba movies are able to exist on Amazon on Netflix and become mainstream cultural hits.”

Jideonwo is the co-founder of Red Africa and Joy, Inc. He is the executive producer and host of #WithChude, a multimedia show.

Personally I feel yoruba dominates not only in movies, but in the whole of entertainment industry in Nigeria.

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