‘Yoruba Did Not Start Nollywood’ – Actor Nkem Owoh

Veteran actor Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia, has clarified that Yoruba filmmakers pioneered home video in Nigeria, not Nollywood.

Owoh made the clarification during an appearance on ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask’, hosted by Nigerian skit maker and content creator Adebayo Abidemi, popularly known as Bae U.

ALSO READ:

• “If You Allow Osuofia, He Will Talk From Now Till Tomorrow” — Producer Mr Martins Onyemobi On Nkem Owoh
• I Was Forced Into Acting – Nkem Owoh

The actor explained that the name Nollywood did not exist when he and other filmmakers began producing films. He said the name was adopted later following discussions among people in the industry.

He credited Yoruba filmmakers, including veteran filmmaker Hubert Ogunde, with pioneering the home-video tradition and helping to popularise it.

Owoh maintained that his earlier position had been misunderstood, stressing that he was referring to the origins of home video in Nigeria rather than the creation of Nollywood.

He said:

“I never said Yoruba started Nollywood. When did Nollywood come out? When we started film, there was no Nollywood as a name.

“Ogunde is not Igbo. I am not telling you that Yoruba started it.

“Yoruba did not start Nollywood; they started home video and the rest.”

Meanwhile, Owoh recently spoke about how his fame as a comic actor sometimes affects how people treat him in real-life situations.

He explained that many people are accustomed to seeing him play funny characters, so they sometimes laugh even when he is being serious.

The actor recalled an incident at a gathering where he was asked to lead a prayer. According to him, some people could not hold back their laughter as soon as he began praying and calling on God.