Media personality, Chude Jideonwo has asserted that Nigeria’s most prominent filmmakers largely hail from the Yoruba region of the country.
Chude shared this perspective during a discussion on the significant influence and dominance of Yoruba filmmakers within Nigeria’s film industry. He highlighted how creatives from the Yoruba community have consistently shaped the landscape of Nollywood, often leading in terms of production quality, storytelling, and cultural representation.
According to Chude, their impact and contributions have positioned them at the forefront of the country’s cinematic scene.
In an Instagram post, the media personality highlighted the dominance of Yoruba filmmakers by mentioning prominent names such as Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, Kemi Adetiba, Mo Abudu, Kunle Afolayan, and Femi Adebayo.
Chude used these influential figures as examples to illustrate the substantial impact Yoruba creatives have had on the Nigerian film industry, emphasizing their role in shaping the future of Nollywood with their remarkable storytelling and production skills.
He argued that Yoruba movies have the strongest presence on global streaming platforms, surpassing other regional films in terms of visibility. He pointed out that Hausa and Igbo-language films are almost entirely absent from these platforms, further highlighting the dominance of Yoruba filmmakers in showcasing Nigerian cinema to a global audience.
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According to him, this trend underscores the wide-reaching influence and appeal of Yoruba storytelling in the international film space.
“The biggest filmmakers in Nigeria now are all Yorubas. Think about it: Kemi Adetiba, Jade Osiberu, Mo Abudu, Kunle Afolayan, Kayode Kasum, Toyin Abraham, Funke Akindele, Mercy Aigbe and Oga Bello’s son 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 or Igbo-language movie on Netflix or Amazon? The closest was Genevieve’s ‘Lionheart’ many years ago. Only Yoruba movies are able to exist on Amazon, Netflix and become mainstream cultural hits.”