‘We Created Nollywood’ — Francis Duru Says Yoruba Filmmakers Now More Dominant.

 

Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has sparked debate after claiming that Igbos played a major role in building the Nigerian home-video industry but have been overtaken by Yoruba filmmakers in promoting their culture.

Duru made the remarks during an interview on Gbam, where he discussed the contributions of different ethnic groups to the growth of Nollywood.

According to the veteran actor, Igbo entrepreneurs were instrumental in establishing the home-video industry, but the Yoruba community has been more effective in supporting its own filmmakers and projecting its cultural identity.

“We [Igbos] created Nollywood, but if you go to Netflix today, you hardly see one movie that speaks of Igbo heritage,” Duru said.

He urged Igbos to emulate what he described as the Yoruba community’s ability to support its people and preserve and promote its cultural heritage through film.

Duru stressed that his comments were not intended as an attack on Yoruba filmmakers but rather as a call for Igbos to do more to showcase their culture and stories on global platforms.

His remarks have since generated discussions online, with social media users weighing in on the contributions of different ethnic groups to the development and growth of Nollywood.