For the sake of history, I would dabble into this debate of: "yorubas own Nollywood "... and I hope Nigerians would agree with me as I explain the TRUTH.

The Yorubas had a headstart with stage acting and drama series- this isn't in contest. However, that stage acting and drama was not Nollywood. It was not. Yoruba drama pre-dated Nollywood, but it was not Nollywood, neither did it metamorphose into Nollywood. Also, yourba drama was restricted to yorubaland. No one outside yorubaland watched Herbert Ogunde and Co.

Let's get this fact straight. The drama series that Herbert Ogunde and Co were doing was not Nollywood. It remains stage drama.

Nollywood as an industry started with the movie- Living in Bondage, as well documented. That movie launched motion picture in Nigeria, and started what is today known as Nollywood. And honestly, it was a purely Igbo affair. The Upper Iweka Road, and Pound Road Aba, were signatures of Nigerian movies at the time, and there is no yoruba equivalent of Iweka road or Pound Road, Aba.

Whilst yorubas can claim their stage drama, they must distinguish between early stage acting and Nollywood, which was launched, developed, commercialised and made global by the effort of igbos. The yorubas did not contribute to the global scale of Nollywood. Go all over Africa and Europe, they know mama gee, Sam loco, Pete edochie, Aki, Genevieve, jim iyke, Liz Benson, Eucharia Anuobi, Ken Okonkwo, Clem Ohameze, Ini Edo, Ukwa, etc. No yoruba actor comes close. This is the Truth. In terms of movies, the yorubas have very few that went global as Igodo, Ijele, Rattlesnake, etc. The only notable yoruba movie was Sango.

We see time and time again, how yorubas claim things they don't own. They had earlier claim that University of Ibadan was the first University in Nigeria, which is factually untrue, because what they had in Ibadan was a college of the University of London. It was far from an independent university. But yorubas claimed history that University of Ibadan was the first university in Nigeria, even though the University of Nigeria, built in Nsukka was already in existence. It is the same logic yorubas have applied to Nollywood. They counted the college in Ibadan as the start of the University of Ibadan, which is wrong. The UI started with an act of Parliament.

The same way yourbas claim to be the most educated tribe in Nigeria, again untrue. Yes, yorubas had a head start with education, but the igbos have long overtaken them. That is how yorubas claim everything.

Let history know that yoruba stage drama was not Nollywood, neither did it metamorphose into Nollywood. Even till date, yoruba movies are still a subset of nollywood, hardly ever watched outside yorubaland. I, for one, cant count any yoruba movie i have watched.

Nollywood, as a motion picture industry and as rightly documented, started with Living in Bondage. And it was started by the Igbos. Enlightened yorubas know this.

However, today's Nollywood has grown beyond the igbos and is now a national industry. And every Nigerian has a stake, regardless of ethnicity. But, the igbos should be given their due credit. They started, developed, commercialised and took Nollywood global. This is the Truth for history.

TemplarLandry:
You reek of ignorance.

Like how Yorubas claimed UI as first university abi. Or how yorubas claim- most educated tribe.

At least they're good at copying and claiming good things na.

Is it your claim? Abeg free us we are sophisticated simple!

https://tribuneonlineng.com/nollywood-over-the-years/

Tribune Online
Nollywood over the years
by Our Reporter October 15, 2019 Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Veteran

THE Nigerian entertainment Industry has experienced a massive development over the years; the Nollywood of yesterday is no longer the same Nollywood that we have now. The industry, popularly called Nollywood, is currently ranked as the second largest in the world in terms of output after India’s Bollywood. This change or evolution cannot be properly justified without a brief history of Nollywood. The first films we had in Nigeria were made by filmmakers such as Ola Bolagun, Moses Olaiya and Hubert Ogunde in the 1960s. In 1972, the indigenisation decree was issued by Yakubu Gowon, which demanded the transfer of ownership of about 300 film theatres from their foreign owners to Nigerians. This resulted in more Nigerians playing active roles in films and cinemas.

After other moderate performing films, “Papa Ajasco (1984)” by Wale Adenuga became the first grossing film with approximately N61,000 ( in 2015, it grew higher to #21,552,673) in three days. Back in the days, Papa Ajasco and company was at the tip of everyone’s tongue, its popularity spread through both Young and Old, especially with its theme song “Papa Ajasco and Company, this is a film by Wale Adenuga Production…”

A year later, “Mosebolatan (1985)” by Moses Olaiya also went ahead to gross #107,000 in five days, approximately N44,180,499 in 2015.

The Nigerian film Industry experienced another huge success with the release of the film Living in Bondage(1992), a film about a businessman,whose dealings with a money cult result in the death of his wife..........

I don't know why this is in politics section though.

Edited: thanks to the mod for moving this away from the politics section.

chopnaira:
https://tribuneonlineng.com/nollywood-over-the-years/


I don't know why this is in politics section though.

You are deceiving yourself with this scam article. Yorubas have no actor/actress of global reputation.
Enlightened yorubas don't argue this. They know the truth.

Jacobiceprince8:


You are deceiving yourself with this scam article. Yorubas have no actor/actress of global reputation.

LMAO. Weak clap back.

I am shocked you did not claim I bribed the Tribune editor. 🤣

chopnaira:

LMAO. Weak clap back.

I am shocked you did not claim I bribed the Tribune editor. 🤣

You don't have to bribe him. Yoruba journalist are everywhere, lying that UI was the first university in Nigeria. Its yoruba stock in trade.

chopnaira:

LMAO. Weak clap back.

I am shocked you did not claim I bribed the Tribune editor. 🤣

Don't let me dig up all yoruba lies in Nigeria. Just pity your tribe.

Jacobiceprince8:


You don't have to bribe him. Yoruba journalist are everywhere, lying that UI was the first university in Nigeria. Its yoruba stock in trade.

I don't know what you are smoking but UI is a Federal University. It is not a Yoruba University. 😂

chopnaira:

I don't know what you are smoking but UI is a Federal University. It is not a Yoruba University. 😂

You are new to nairaland. Go find your mate.

Jacobiceprince8:


You are new to nairaland. Go find your mate.

You may want to change your crystal meth supplier 🤣

You registered in June 2023.

I registered in September 2021.

😂

It is pathetic how yorubas lie so much. Ah ah.

But google has UI as the first, Best & oldest university in Nigeria. I guess Yoruba controls everything on media. Besides, u guys are still behind Yorubas in Nollywood of today. how many of the Igbo movies have the type of quality of Yoruba movies sef? Check the highest grossing Nollywood they're all produced by Yoruba person. You'll hardly find Igbos films there. That tells you quality is different from quantity 👌 Nollywood produced by Yoruba persons sells more than Igbo own 😎