Nollywood actor, Gideon Okeke has tackled his colleague, Aisha Lawal over her statement that Yoruba actors and filmmakers own Nollywood.
The filmmaker had in a recent interview, said the Yorubas owned Nollywood because they started it.
She said: “We own the industry. Go back to research. The industry belongs to the Yoruba people. If you go back to research, you will hear from people like Hubert Ogunde and Ade Love. I don’t want to go into details. But, if you go and research very well, you will discover that Yorubas own this industry, we started this industry. We messed up at some point, but we are not playing catch-up. We are there already. Now, everybody wants to shoot a Yoruba movie.”
In response to the actress’s statement, Gideon via his Instagram page on Sunday slammed the actress for making such a statement.
He further clarified that Nollywood isn’t owned by a particular tribe but collectively, adding that separatist behaviour reeks of ignorant entitlement.
He wrote: “The Nigerian film industry, Nollywood as it is called, is not owned by the Yorubas. The Gold in the North of Nigeria is not owned by the Hausas. The oil in the south and South East is not owned by the Igbo or Riverine dwellers. The acronym WA-ZO-BIA is a wrapper that ties and joins us all, by the hip. One belle botton, stop being uber ridiculous with your blinded quest for individuality. Your separatist behaviour reeks of ignorant entitlement
“Your Education is Nothing, if it can’t impart a positive, inclusive change in the world around You.
Similarly, Oluwatoyin Bayegun popularly known as Woli Arole, in response to this, said Nollywood is beyond being owned by a tribe, stressing the growth in the film industry is a collective effort.
The skitmaker noted that the efforts of veteran actors like Sam Loco Efe, Nkem Owoh and Nothern movie stars will not be overlooked.
Arole added that Nollywood is a collective building, and the Igbos did a fantastic job in the industry.
Commenting on a blog post, he wrote, “Yoruba were part of the major origin of filmmaking in Nigeria. Google Hubert Ogunde.
“Nollywood is beyond being owned by a tribe the growth became a collective effort, we can’t take away the Sam loco Efe, Osufia, even northern actors and actresses from it.
“The Igbos too did an awesome job in that industry. It’s a collective building.” He said.