Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has sparked debate with his views on the changing ethnic influence within Nigeria’s film industry, arguing that the Yoruba community has become more dominant because of its ability to organise and promote its own.
In a recent interview on Gbam, aired on the Yan Content Factory YouTube channel on Friday, Duru acknowledged the contributions of Yoruba pioneers such as Herbert Ogunde to Nigerian theatre and performance arts in the 1950s.
However, he argued that the modern Nollywood home-video industry was largely driven by Igbo entrepreneurs during the 1990s and early 2000s.
According to the actor, Igbo traders played a major role in developing the home-video market that eventually evolved into the Nollywood industry known globally today.
Duru argued that the Yoruba community was more effective at pooling resources, creating opportunities for its members and protecting its cultural interests.
“The Yorubas epitomise the saying, ‘Charity begins at home.’ We need to learn from them. If you don’t protect and project your own, who will do it?” he said.
He also cited streaming platforms such as Netflix as evidence of what he described as the decline in the visibility of Igbo stories within Nollywood.
“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,” Duru stated.
The actor blamed what he described as an individualistic mindset among some Igbos for the loss of influence.
“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,” he said.
Duru further expressed concern that Igbo history and culture are increasingly being portrayed by filmmakers from outside the community.
“We have great writers who are now writing for the Yorubas. You even see the Yorubas crossing over to write Igbo stories like Ahamefuna and making a mess of who we are,” he said.
Despite his criticism, Duru said his comments should not be interpreted as an attack on Yoruba filmmakers. Instead, he urged Igbos to learn from how the Yoruba community has promoted its own people and culture.
“Don’t get angry with them. These are people who saw their own and protected their own. What happened to you?” he asked.
He also questioned why more films had not been made about prominent Igbo figures and historical personalities.
“Igbos have many great men in Nigeria. When was the last time you saw the epic of one of these great men?” Duru asked.
His comments have since generated discussions around ethnicity, cultural ownership, collective investment and representation in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
