Speaking about ethnic influence in Nigeria’s film business, veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru contends that while Igbos were crucial in creating modern Nollywood, Yorubas have taken the lead because they are more adept at coordinating and promoting their own.

Speaking on Gbam, Duru praised Yoruba pioneers like Herbert Ogunde, who made substantial contributions to Nigerian theatre and performance arts in the 1950s.

However, the actor claimed that in the 1990s and early 2000s, Igbo businesspeople—especially traders—dominated the home video market. Additionally, he contended that Yorubas have been better at combining resources, giving their people opportunity, and defending their culture.

“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.

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.

Duru claimed that Igbo history and culture were increasingly being portrayed by outsiders and attributed their diminishing influence in the industry to what he called an individualistic mindset among some Igbos.

He said that Yoruba filmmakers had only safeguarded their own culture and made possibilities for themselves, thus Igbos shouldn’t be upset with them.

“These are people who saw their own and protected their own. When was the last time you saw the epic of one of these great men?” he added.

Many Nigerians are disputing the roles that various ethnic groups have played in the development and expansion of Nollywood as a result of his remarks.