The African actress recently spoke at the Africa Trade and Investment Forum, held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the African Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank) in 2024. At the event, she shared her experience with Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), a program set up by Afreximbank to support the creative sector in Africa.
This renowned actress spoke about the moment she realized her status as a product in Hollywood. Despite her past successes, she realized that her artistic potential was often exploited for foreign purposes. She expressed disappointment at the lack of support she encountered in Hollywood, finding that the American film industry was primarily seeking to appropriate her talents in service of their pre-established narratives.
However, despite the opportunity offered to her to break into Hollywood, she chose to remain faithful to Nollywood, the famous Nigerian film sector. She explained that she had always nurtured the dream of developing a cinema industry in Africa capable of competing with the biggest. Convinced of the potential of Nollywood to tell the stories of the continent with authenticity, she preferred to invest locally to contribute to its growth.
His determination to build a strong and independent African film industry has been praised by many observers. She underlined her desire to create a space where African stories would be carried by and for Africans, thus counterpointing the imperialist aspirations of certain foreign industries.
Despite the challenges encountered, particularly that linked to the global health crisis, this actress remains optimistic about the evolution of the African cinematic landscape. She sees in this period of transformation an opportunity for Africa to reveal itself and take its place on the international scene. Its commitment to the African film industry gives it a central role in promoting cultural diversity and the continent’s influence on the world stage.