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Veteran Nollywood actor Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia, has explained how Yoruba filmmakers helped establish and popularise Nigeria’s home-video industry before the name Nollywood came into use.
Owoh made the clarification during an appearance on Curiosity Made Me Ask, a programme hosted by comedian and content creator Adebayo Abidemi, popularly known as Bae U.
The interview, published on the host’s YouTube channel on Saturday, came months after a debate over the contributions of the Yoruba and Igbo communities to the growth of Nigeria’s film industry.
The discussion followed comments by late actor Francis Duru, who argued in August 2026 that the Igbo built Nollywood, while the Yoruba community had become more dominant because of its ability to organise and promote its work.
Owoh, who was asked about his alleged claim that the Yoruba started Nollywood, rejected that interpretation. He explained that the name Nollywood did not exist when filmmakers began producing films.
“First of all, you have given me this wrong accusation that I said, Yoruba started Nollywood. No. Yoruba started this film on…when did Nollywood come out? When we started the thing, there was no Nollywood as a name. We sat together and we’re banding, you know, ideas and all that, how the thing is going to come to fruition. And eventually, we chose Nollywood,” he said.
The actor maintained that Yoruba filmmakers played a major role in making home-video productions popular in Nigeria. He specifically mentioned veteran filmmakers Hubert Ogunde and Adebayo, whose works he said he enjoyed watching.
“So, Yoruba started the thing. They made the thing very popular home video and all that. Yes, they did. And I’ve said it several. Okay. Ogunde and Adebayo Papa. These are the people I love to watch their thing,” Owoh said.
When the interviewer jokingly suggested that Ogunde was Igbo, the actor disagreed and insisted that the filmmaker was Yoruba.
“Ogunde is not Igbo. I’m telling you that Yoruba started it. When Ogunde was out, I don’t think there was any Igbo man who was that popular in that,” he added.
He further clarified his position by distinguishing between the origins of home video and Nollywood as a film industry.
“The Yoruba did not start Nollywood. They started Home video,” he said.
Owoh’s comments have added to the long-running debate over the contributions of different ethnic groups to Nigerian cinema.
