‘Yoruba Did Not Start Nollywood’ – Osuofia Clarifies His Earlier Comments

According to Daily Post, published on November 8, 2026, veteran actor Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia, has clarified his position on the history of Nollywood, insisting that Yoruba filmmakers pioneered home video production but did not establish the Nigerian film industry.

Owoh made the clarification after his earlier comments about the contribution of Yoruba people to Nigerian filmmaking were interpreted as suggesting that they started Nollywood.

The actor explained that when he and other filmmakers began producing films, Nollywood was not yet the name used to describe the industry. He added that the name was adopted later following discussions among people involved in filmmaking.

He questioned how he could have said Yoruba people started Nollywood when the name itself did not exist during the early period of his filmmaking career.

However, Owoh acknowledged the contribution of Yoruba filmmakers to the development of home video in Nigeria. He specifically mentioned veteran filmmaker Hubert Ogunde, whom he credited alongside other Yoruba pioneers for helping establish the home-video tradition.

The actor stressed that his reference to Yoruba filmmakers was about the beginning and growth of home video production, not the creation of Nollywood.

He further maintained that his comments had been misunderstood, insisting that the two developments should not be treated as the same thing.

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

His clarification highlights the distinction he wants Nigerians to understand between the early home-video tradition and the later adoption of the Nollywood name.