Nigerian media entrepreneur Mo Abudu has launched a permanent cinema in London dedicated to showcasing African and Black films, describing the initiative as a way to reshape global perceptions of these communities through storytelling.
The media executive explained that the project was inspired by the need for Africans and other underrepresented groups to have greater control over how their identities, cultures and experiences are presented to the world.
In an interview with BBC Africa shared on X on Friday, Abudu reflected on her experiences growing up in England, where she often found herself explaining African and Nigerian culture to people who held misconceptions about the continent.
Why Mo Abudu believes storytelling is important
Abudu emphasised that storytelling can play a significant role in challenging racial prejudice and correcting negative perceptions of African and Black communities.
She argued that providing alternative narratives would help people gain a better understanding of these communities and their experiences.
“Rac!sm really is real. And the only way to deal with rac!sm is to deal with rac!sm, and it’s by providing a different narrative.”
According to her, establishing dedicated platforms for African creative works would give filmmakers and other artists more opportunities to tell their stories from their own perspectives.
She described the London cinema as a permanent space where African cultural productions and creative expressions could be celebrated.
“This just gives a permanent 24-7 home to our films, to our food, to our fashion,” she said.
Cinema to open African stories to global audiences
Abudu clarified that the initiative was not designed to restrict African and Black films to a single location or prevent them from being distributed through other channels.
Instead, she believes the cinema would provide a dedicated environment where these productions could reach audiences while addressing the limited representation of their communities in mainstream spaces.
“It’s not to say that Black and African films can’t sit on other platforms, but I think predominantly because we’re so underrepresented, we need to create spaces where we feel safe and where our content can be shared amongst us,” she said.
She added that the project would also welcome audiences from outside African and Black communities, giving them an opportunity to experience their cultures and stories.
“And also we want to invite the rest of the world in. And the only way that you can achieve that is by being in charge of that narrative,” Abudu stated.
Abudu reflects on growing up in England
The media entrepreneur also discussed how her upbringing in England shaped her understanding of the challenges associated with cultural misrepresentation.
She recalled frequently finding herself in the position of explaining African and Nigerian identity to others, sometimes responding to questions she considered inappropriate or insensitive.
“So being brought up in England, I found myself for the longest time literally being an ambassador for everything that was African or Nigerian. You will be asked the most pathetic questions,” she said.
Abudu noted that people facing such experiences do not always confront the remarks directly. Instead, they may choose to ignore them and continue with their lives.
“People would sometimes say pathetic things to you, and you kind of just like swallow it and move on,” she added.
Through the new London cinema, Abudu hopes to create more opportunities for African and Black creatives to showcase their work while giving the communities they represent a stronger voice in shaping how their stories are told and understood around the world.