Nollywood Has A Critical Diversity Problem
2026 will be a century of filmmaking in Nigeria since the first feature film, "Palaver: A Romance of Northern Nigeria" was shot in the kingdom of Toro in 1926 by the English filmmaker and military officer, Geoffrey Barkas.
The making of "Palaver" has been published in the second edition of my NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series
in 2014 and the publication is distributed by Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers.
Nollywood, the first indie film industry in Africa is known as the second largest in the world after the Bollywood of India in the quantity of film productions which are mostly videos and not on celluloid. And the phenomenal guerilla filmmakers have attracted global attention to the Nigerian film industry with many articles, essays, news reports and several books written by Nigerians and foreigners in the news media and academic institutions. And documentary films have been produced on the phenomenon of Nollywood.
Majority of the writers and documentary filmmakers have focused on the most dominant features of Nollywood and Kannywood which are largely dictated by the three major tribes of Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa in Nigeria.
Majority of the actors and producers are from the three tribes and so their movies have been based on the narratives and perspectives on the sociocultural, socioeconomic and sociopolitical themes of their ethnicities.
The few filmmakers from the minor tribes have been able to represent their regions and tell their own peculiar stories. But most of the peculiarities of their tribes have not been shown in Nigerian movies.
One of the most accomplished and prolific filmmakers is Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen from Benin in Edo State and has been the leading storyteller of the lives and times of Edo people and the foremost film studies scholar on Nigerian movies in indigenous languages, Prof. Osakue Stevenson Omoera has studied and written on Imasuen's movies.
See "Audience Reception of the Benin Language Video Film in Nollywood" by Prof. Osakue Stevenson Omoera
Journal of African Cultural Studies
Vol. 26, No. 1 (March 2014), pp. 69-81 (13 pages)
Published By: Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
I am still waiting for the best film productions of Imasuen that will show the rest of the world the great myths and mysteries of the great Edo people of the Benin Empire such as an epic film on Prince Ekaladerhan, whom the Ife people now called Oduduwa.
We have epics of Yoruba stories in Nollywood, but the filmmakers have often forgotten that the minority group of Nupe people can't be ignored in the historical films on Oyo Empire, because the demigod, "Sango", the third Alaafin of Oyo was born to an Oyo father (Oranmiyan) and a Nupe mother, who was the daughter of the Elempe (Nupe king). He is considered half-Yoruba and half-Nupe, having spent part of his youth in Nupe kingdom before becoming a powerful Oyo ruler known for wielding fire.
Nupe people have been underrepresented in both Nollywood and in Kennywood, even though they are mostly Muslims.
See the cinematic image of a Nupe cavalryman wearing lifidi (padded armour). Drawn in 1911 by Carl Arriens.
This is enough evidence that Nupe must have great untold stories that will captivate the cinema.
Among the most popular actors and actresses are personalities from the minorities like Nollywood divas Kate Henshaw, Ini Edo, Nse Ikpe-Etim and Mercy Johnson Okojie. But they have been featuring in Nollywood English movies often focused on common themes of the lives of Igbos and Yorubas and not on their own tribes who are lagging behind in the shadows of the major tribes.
Mercy Johnson-Okojie
Mercy Johnson-Okojie produced the Igala epic "The Legend of Inikpi" in 2020. But she has ignored telling the peculiar stories of her Ebira tribe of Kogi State.
The popular actor, Efa Iwara has not told us any of the stories of his Yakö people in the Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The diversity problem goes beyond tribal bigotry in the competition for leading roles for the principal cast in movies.
There have been complaints of tribal discrimination against actors from ethnic minority groups in Nigeria.
They have been denied special roles in preference for actors from the major tribes who have the largest audiences of movie-goers at the cinemas and largest viewers of both public and cable TV channels and majority of the viewers of videos streaming on YouTube channels, Netflix, Facebook, Instagram and other online platforms. So, the producers say their choice of the actors is based on popularity of the star power of an influential actor or actress and not based on tribal preference.
A scene from my "Lagos in Motion documentary film showing an Igbo actress Cynthia Agu and an Edo actress, Franca Aide.
Lest we forget, we are the best storytellers of our own stories and our stories are best told in our own languages.
We can't call the Nigerian film industry Nollywood when millions of people from the ethnic minorities have been ignored and marginalized among the stakeholders.
The estimated population of Nigeria is over 236,747,130 of which 30% are Hausa; 15.5% are Yoruba; 15.2% are Igbo; 6% are Fulani;. 2.4% are Tiv; 2.4% are Kanuri; 1.8% are Ibibio and Efik; 1.8% are Ijaw and 24.7% are from the remaining minorities of the over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa.
While 29.5% (Hausa-Fulani), 20.3% (Yoruba), and 16.6% (Igbo) were historically listed as major, this leaves roughly a third or more of the population as part of various minority groups.
The Diversity Problem of Different Sexual Orientations
The other cases of lack of diversity and inclusion In Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry come from sections of the society with people profiled as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) and the larger community of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer).
There have been cases of widespread LGBTQ+-phobia; prejudice, fear, hatred, or discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, encompassing homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia.
The causes of LGBTQ+phobia are often religious beliefs and traditional taboos.
The largest dominant religions of Christianity in Nollywood and Islam in Kannywood forbid homosexuality and in extreme cases of intolerance, homosexuals have been attacked and banished from film productions and treated as outcasts in the society.
Homosexuality is a crime in Nigeria. Therefore, the film industry does not accept a community of people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. And so will not promote
inclusivity, covering individuals who are not heterosexual or do not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth. But they cannot be ignored.
They have the fundamental human rights to tell their stories and amplify their voices in Nollywood and Kannywood and WE MUST PROTECT THEM from the violations of their liberties as bonafide citizens of Nigeria and fellow humans with the same equal rights to live and work in love 💕, peace and unity.
Diversity and inclusion will accommodate the best talents and accelerate the sustainable development and advancement of the entertainment industry and the creative economy of Nigeria.
Key Components of a Diversity Problem
Unconscious Bias & Stereotyping:
Prejudiced, automatic assumptions that affect hiring, promotion, and daily interactions.
Underrepresentation (The "Glass Ceiling"): A lack of diverse talent in top-level leadership roles, often due to systemic barriers.
Lack of Inclusion:
Having a diverse staff but failing to create a welcoming environment where those individuals feel valued and supported.
Cultural Clashes & Communication Barriers:
Misunderstandings due to differences in cultural norms, communication styles, and values.
Inequitable Treatment:
Unequal pay, limited opportunities for advancement, or exclusion from key projects based on social identity.
Consequences of Unaddressed Diversity Problems
Reduced Innovation:
A homogenous group fails to bring diverse perspectives to problem-solving.
Lower Productivity & Morale: Cultural clashes and unfairness increase employee turnover and decrease productivity.
Reputational Damage:
Organizations may face negative public perception if they appear non-inclusive.
A diversity problem is generally solved by defining specific, unique challenges rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach to inclusion.
- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
The Founder/ CEO,
International Digital Post Network Limited,
Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema (SOOAC)
New Nigeria
Tel: +234 706 637 9246
PS:
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima (also known by the pseudonym Orikinla Osinachi) is a prominent Nigerian writer, publisher, and multimedia producer born on January 30, 1963, in Lagos Island.
Professional Roles & Media Presence
He is the Founder and CEO of the International Digital Post Network Limited, the first Nigerian company to attract the IMAX Corporation to Nigeria, King of Kings Books International and Screen Outdoor Open Air Cinema (SOOAC). He secured International partnership with the Cinewav of Singapore for the "One Village, One Cinema" initiative and partnership with the
International Chamber of Media & Entertainment Industry (ICMEI) of India for the Bollywood To Nollywood Filmmaking workshops for international co-productions between India and Nigeria.
Writer & Publisher:
He is the Publisher/Editor of several online platforms, including Nigerians Report Online, Nigerian Times, and the Founder and Publisher/Editor of the popular NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry.
Consultant:
He has served as a social media consultant and previously worked as a National Program Consultant for UNICEF Nigeria and independent Production Manager of "Money Wise" business magazine programme on DBN TV.
Advocacy:
He is recognized for his advocacy for girl-child education supporting the compulsory education of the millions of underprivileged girls out of school in Nigeria.
Art, Literary & Creative Works
Chima is a notable artist with local and International exhibitions of his drawings and paintings. He was the national curator for the 1993 World AIDS Day "Art Against AIDS" exhibitions at the National Museum and National Theatre in Nigeria.
He is a prolific writer who is the author of numerous books spanning fiction, poetry, and historical commentary:
Books:
He published his first book, Children of Heaven, in 1987.
His notable titles include Bye, Bye Mugabe, a collection of short stories; collections of his poems in Children of Heaven, The Prophet Lied and Scarlet Tears of London; The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream on the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria, In the House of Dogs and Diary of the Memory Keeper.
Prizes
Chima won the first prize in the national essay competition on What I Like Best in Nigeria organized by the Pop magazine in 1976.
His poem "Song of Patriotism" won the first prize in a national poetry competition on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in 1987.
His poem, "Empty Shells in Our Oil Wells" was one of the finalists for the 2000 Music Society of Nigeria national poetry award.
His short story, "One Day at Obalende Bus Stop" won the third prize in the 2002 Lire en fête short story competition organized by the French Cultural Centre in Nigeria.
Early Success:
He directed his first play at age 17 and at 18 he became the youngest independent professional scriptwriter for TV in Africa, writing episodes for the puppet drama series of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the largest TV network on the continent from 1981-84. See
Nigeria: 'I Started Writing Professionally At 18' - allAfrica.com
https://allafrica.com/stories/Visual Media:
In 2016, he produced the photo album LAGOS in MOTION, documenting Africa's largest megacity from the principal photography of his first long documentary film project, "Lagos in Motion: Sights and Sounds of Africa's Largest Megacity".
Education & Affiliations
Education: He attended St. Gregory's College, Lagos, and later had further education from seminars and workshops by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in 1980, Book Development Council of Nigeria in 1982, Johns Hopkins University's Population Communication Services (JHU/PCS) in 1984 and 1990, PATH in 1985, UNICEF in Nigeria in 1988, World Health Organization (WHO) in 1993 and other organizations.
Memberships:
He has been a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) since 1987, the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC), Digital Cinema Society (DCS), International Law Office (ILO) and Online News Association (ONA). He participated in the Digital Media Law Project (DMLP), a major initiative based at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Originally founded in 2007 as the "Citizen Media Law Project," it provided legal resources and education for independent journalists and online media
Chima’s work often bridges the gap between sociocultural analysis and political documentation.
Focus on Nollywood
As a major stakeholder in the Nigerian film industry, Chima has documented its evolution through the NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series: This is a comprehensive book series—available in print and digital formats—designed to capture the "big picture" of the industry for a global audience.
The First Edition celebrates Nollywood's icons, its emergence as an African phenomenon, and its strategy for breaking into global markets.
The Second Edition highlights "New Nollywood" developments (circa 2014), including the epic Invasion 1897, the evolution of digital filmmaking, and the first Hollywood star from Nigeria, Orlando Martins.
Film Festivals:
He is the Founder and Festival Director of the annual Eko International Film Festival and Zenith International Film Festival.
Political Commentaries
His political writings focus on pivotal moments in Nigeria's democratic history:
The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream: This book serves as a personal testimony and historical chronicle of the 2015 presidential election. It analyzes the principal actors behind the first time an incumbent president was defeated in Nigeria’s history.
Digital & Periodical Analysis: Through his platforms Nigerians Report Online and Nigerian Times, he provides ongoing commentary on Nigerian federalism, social justice, and leadership.
Satirical Critique:
Works like Bye, Bye Mugabe use short stories to offer a broader critique of African leadership and political dynamics beyond just Nigeria.
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