Nollywood actress and filmmaker Uche Jombo has described the Nigerian film industry as “a child of circumstance,” noting that the sector developed without many of the structures and systems needed to support it.
Jombo stated this in an interview on the CreativiTEA podcast, where she reflected on the growth of Nollywood and the changes that have taken place in the industry over the years.
According to her, although Nollywood has made significant progress technically, the industry is yet to reach the level it should have attained.
“We are not where we are supposed to be. Nollywood was such a great export for Nigeria. Then again, we are not where we used to be,” she said.
Jombo noted that the technical quality of Nigerian films had improved significantly, largely because filmmakers now have access to better equipment and larger production crews.
“Are our films better in terms of technicality? Absolutely, because we are filming with better cameras and bigger crews,” she said.
The actress also spoke about the demands of social media, observing that her generation was raised differently and was not accustomed to sharing as much of their personal lives publicly.
“If you notice, my generation doesn’t know how to overshare because of the upbringing. Social media is real work. To be present on social media is not easy. It’s a lot of work. That’s how I feel,” she said.
Reflecting on Nollywood’s beginnings, Jombo explained that the industry evolved organically, with many of its structures being established as the industry itself was developing.
“Nollywood was a child of circumstance. Factors and structures were not in place. The industry kind of just happened. The guilds were being put in place as we were going along, so chances are, anything like that, it’s okay for it not to be perfect at first,” she said
