Abudu does not like that the history of the term Nollywood is tied to an era of ‘bad film genre’.
Nigerian filmmaker, Mo Abudu, is not a big fan of the country’s film industry being known as ‘Nollywood’ in its current era.
The EbonyLife TV boss has produced high-profile movies like Fifty, the wedding party and oloture but he would prefer they not be referred to as Nollywood films, due to his distaste for the history of the word.
“Do you know the story behind the word? A Canadian journalist came to Nigeria and decided he was going to give us the name Nollywood, and that was it. It’s been stuck ever since.
“I hate the word Nollywood. The term Nollywood itself is a bad film genre. We all know what Nollywood is supposed to stand for: it’s the VHS movies that were made in the past.
“So for me to keep calling myself Nollywood is a no. We need to use terms like African filmmakers or Nigerian filmmakers.” she said.
Abudu wants to bring Nollywood to the world
Abudu further said Deadline that their obsession with making the Nigerian film industry global is why EbonyLife TV is working with Elba’s Green Door Pictures.
He noted that it is important to work with someone who knows African filmmakers and is committed to exporting films from the continent to the international stage.
“I have an obsession with making a huge blockbuster that the world is going to see, but putting things in context for Africa, we don’t have the budget.” she said.
The 58-year-old noted that the type of partnership she has with Elba will help enhance the growth of local Nollywood projects, income and income.
