Entertainment
Revisiting Nollywood’s Dogged Strides To Success
From the 1957 “Fincho,” 1980 Kadara, 1992 Living in Bondage, 2002 ‘Keeping in Faith’ to the 2014 October 1, the Nigerian film industry has come a longway. There is a winsome era of film making which most Nigerians are oblivious to. An era that has nothing to do with the classic 1992 movie, “Living in Bondage or recent ‘Trip to Jamaica.’
This captivating era dates as far back as 1926 when the earliest feature film was made in Nigeria and featured Nigerian actors in a speaking role. In 1957 Fincho became the first Nigerian film to be shot in colour. Following Nigeria’s Independence in 1960, more cinema houses were established in 1972, the Indigenisation Decree by General Yakubu Gowon made possible the transfer of ownership of abut 300 cinemas from their foreign owners to Nigerians, resulting in more Nigerians actively participating in the Nigerian film growth.
In 1984, ‘Papa Ajasco’ by Wale Adenuga became the first blockbuster, grossing an estimate of 61,000 naira in three days. In 1985, “Mosebolatan” by Moses Olaiya grossed 107,000 naira in five days. Also in the 80s film makers like Adeyemi Afolayan produced classics such as ‘Kadara’ (Destiny), ‘Taxi Driver’ among others.
In 2016, during Ade Love’s 20th Remembrance Celebration his movie Kadara was screened to a number of Nigerians. Watching the classic movie, it is impossible to forget the artist imagery created by Afolayan as far back as 1980 more than the narrative structure, it was the images shots and the production quality that took the older generation through an enlightening journey.
The theatrical and cinematic efforts of the likes of Hubert Ogunde, Taiwo Ajayi Lycett, Olu Jacobs, Tunde Kelani, Adeyemi Afolayan, Ladi Ladebo, Moses Olaiya, Adebayo Salami, Sadiq Daba, Jide Kosoko, Afolabi Adesanya among others played a pivotal role in shaping the film industry which is now popularly called Nollywood.
In 1992, the release of the classic movie living in Bondage kicked off a new era in the Nigerian film industry. This era produced movies that were still referred to as classics, it produced actors that were and are still household names in Nigeria. In the 1990s the Nigerian cinema culture faced a major decline as the home video market boomed. Alaba market became a vital commercial domain becoming the hub of video distribution and finally the centre of piracy in Nigeria.
The 90s birthed movies like Violated, Silent Night, Domitilla, Nneka the Pretty Serpent, Hostages, Blood Money, Out of Bounds and more. Nigerians were introduced to actors who made an impact and are still relevant in the industry such as Genevieve Nnaji, Bimbo Manuel, Eucharia Anunobi, Tony Umez, Saint Obi, Ramsey Noah, Rita Dominic, Kate Henshaw, Emeka Ike, Stephanie Linus, Liz Benson, Pete Edochie, Kenneth Okonkwo, Kanayo O Kanayo, Richard Mofe Damijo, OmotolA Jolade Ekeinde, Bob Manuel Udokwu, Funke Akindele, Bimbo Akintola, Joke Silva and Francis Duru among others.
In the mid 2000s, the home video era experienced a major decline with factors such as piracy and rental shops playing a major role. However in 2004 a new cinema era began with the launch of a series of modern cinema houses by the Silverbird group. The first new wave film to be shown at a modern cinema was Kunle Afolayan’s 2006 “Irapada” which were screened at the Silverbird Gallery Lagos. Ever since then high and small budget movies like Ije, Surulere, The Figurine, The CEO, 93 days, Half of a Yellow Sun, the Meeting, October 1, The Arbitration, etc were screened at various cinemas in Nigeria.
Since the launch of Silverbird Cinemas, new Cinemas like Ozone, Film House and Genesis Deluxe have been launched and are playing important roles in the evolution of the Nigerian film industry. In the 2000s, the industry started witnessing the arrival of new actors, including Nse Ikpe Etim, Majid Michel, Yvonne Nelson, Sudan Peters, Ini Edo, Mike Ezuruonye, Uche Jumbo, Toyin Aimakhu, Mercy Johnson, Jim Iyke, Grace Amah, Desmond Elliot, Chike Ike, Chioma Chukwuka, Queen Nwokoye, Omoni Oboli, among others.
Currently in the 2010s. The Nigerian film Industry has grown and seen the arrival of a new set of actors including Adesua Etomi, Chacha Eke, Kiki Omehi, O. C. Ukeje, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Somkele Idhalama, Beverly Naya, Daniel K. Daniel, Deyemi Okanlawon, Linda Ejiofor, Bayray McNwizu, Kunle Remi, Okey Uzoeshi, Uzor Osimkpa, Tomi Odunsi, Osas Ighodaro, Rahama Sadau and Kemi Lala Akindoju among others.
In recent years, the Nigerian film industry has gone from being just Nollywood to being divided along regional and ethnic line; thus the distinct film industries like Kannywood, Callywood and the Yoruba film industry. Through the years of the industry’s evolution, segregatory terms such as New Nollywood/Cinema movies, Asaba Movies Lactors and Old Nollywood became popular. One major difference between Asaba and new Nollywood movies is the art. Most cinema movies have the perfect blending of cinematic style, technicality, beauty and storytelling.
However the cinema is considered a luxury thus their availability to the mass audience is limited due to the limited availability of these cinema productions. The popularity of ‘Asaba movies’ is constantly on the rise and readily available for mass consumption at a cheaper rate. Its 2017 and the advancement in sound technology, storytelling, technological special effects are proofs that Nollywood have evolved.
The current era has seen the success of various genres including horror, comedy action, thriller and romantic drama.
From conventional movie plots, the Nigerian film industry has moved to experimental and innovative films. The Nigerian film industry has become an instrinsic part of the global film sector. Currently the largest film industry in Africa and producing more films than Hollywood, Nollywood has evolved into the industry with reputable film festivals such as African International Film Festival, Lights Camera Africa, Abuja International Film Festival, Eko International Film Festival, among others.
Nigerian films are also screened at International film festivals such as the Cannes film festival, Toronto film festival among others. The Industry has become more profitable with movies like “The Wedding Party” grossing over 405 million naira in just two months and a Trip to Jamaica” earning a Guinness Book of World record spot for its box office success. The industry has also created quality TV series such as ‘Hush,’ ‘Sons of Caliphate,’ ‘the Governor’ etc. Over the years web platforms like Iroko TV, Ibaka TV and CIX TV that provide paid for Nigeria films in demand have become affordable.
Pay TV entertainment platforms like Africa Magic have also invested in the Nigerian film industry, creating shows and award platforms that further projects the industry in good light.
There are days when disappointing movies like A Trip to Jamaica, Gold Digging, Bloggers Wife, Keeping my Man and Three Wise men find their ways to Nigerian Cinemas. There are days when film makers decide to create African adaptations of foreign series instead of our local stories in those days, Nollywood disappoints thousands of its followers. But despite all of its disappointing moments the Nigerian film industry is one that has evolved and is still evolving.
-Source: Pulse.ng
The family of veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie, has dismissed viral rumours circulating on social media claiming that the film icon is dead.
Reacting to the reports in a video shared on his Instagram page on Tuesday, the actor’s eldest son, Leo Edochie, described the claim as false and malicious.
“I’ve been receiving text messages and calls over the nonsense post by some people that our father, Chief Pete Edochie, is dead. It is a lie from the pit of hell,” he said.
Leo added that the actor is alive and in good health, condemning those responsible for spreading the rumour.
“Our father is alive, hale and hearty. And if you wish someone dead, two things usually happen. The person will live very long and you will die before him. Shame to all of you,” he said.
The rumour had sparked concern among fans before the family’s clarification.
Nollywood veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is making her directorial debut with a different and sharper focus. Speaking recently with Newsmen,, the screen icon highlighted a glaring void in the industry’s catalogue, which is the authentic reality of mother-daughter relationships.
“We don’t have too many films that explore or showcase the relationship between mothers and daughters,” Omotola said during the interview, describing the subject as something deeply personal to her.
Speaking honestly about raising her first daughter, she admitted she had only one mode at the time, which was discipline. “I didn’t do a good job,” she said plainly, explaining that she understood motherhood strictly through control, not softness or emotional openness.
At the centre of Mother’s Love is Adebisi, a sheltered young woman from a wealthy home whose life is shaped by her father’s rigid control. Her first taste of freedom comes through NYSC, where distance from home allows her to begin discovering who she is outside her family’s expectations. She forms a friendship with a young man from a more modest background, and through him, starts to see the world and herself differently.
But the emotional core of the film isn’t Adebisi’s rebellion. It’s her mother. Long after being presented as quiet and compliant, she slowly reveals a resolve when her daughter’s safety and future are threatened. As secrets surface and buried grief comes into view, Mother’s Love becomes less about youthful independence and more about maternal sacrifice, unspoken trauma, and the emotional costs of survival inside a patriarchal home.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the film doesn’t shy away from weighty themes by including PTSD, unresolved grief, and social inequality at the centre of the story. It is far removed from the soft-focus sentimentality that often defines Mother’s Day-style narratives.
It also marks Omotola’s directorial debut, a significant moment considering how long she has shaped Nollywood from the front of the camera. She stars in the film alongside a mix of familiar faces and newer talent, including Ifeanyi Kalu, Olumide Oworu, and Noray Nehita.
Beyond the film itself, Omotola’s interview touched on a tension that has been simmering in Nollywood for a while now: how movies are marketed in the age of TikTok. Addressing the growing expectation for actors and filmmakers to create viral dance content to promote their work, she didn’t mince words. The pressure, she said, is exhausting and unnatural.
For her, the industry wasn’t meant to function this way. Still, she was careful not to judge anyone else’s approach. Everyone invests differently, carries different risks, and should be allowed to promote their films however they see fit.
“Do whatever you can do. It’s exhausting, it’s not natural. For me, the film industry is not supposed to be like that. We are encouraging nonsense if we are doing that. It doesn’t mean that whoever is doing it is wrong.”
Her comments arrive not long after the public back-and-forth between Kunle Afolayan and Funke Akindele over marketing styles, a debate that quickly turned into a proxy war between prestige storytelling and viral strategy. Omotola’s stance sits somewhere calmer. She understands the shift social media has brought, but she’s also clear about her own boundaries.
Omotola’s critique about the lack of mother-daughter stories isn’t unfounded. In Nollywood, mothers often exist as symbols rather than people. They’re either saintly figures who pray endlessly for their children or villains whose cruelty drives the plot forward. What’s missing is intimacy, the negotiations, and the regrets. The love that exists alongside resentment and misunderstanding.
Films rarely sit with the emotional complexity of women raising daughters in systems that also failed them. There’s little room for mothers who made mistakes but are still trying, or daughters who love their mothers while questioning the damage they inherited. Mother’s Love attempts to occupy that space, offering a more grounded portrayal that reflects lived experience rather than archetypes.
That’s where the film’s potential impact lies, in the decision to centre a relationship that Nollywood has largely flattened. If it works, it could open the door for more stories that treat motherhood as a lived, evolving reality rather than a fixed moral position.
Mother’s Love, directed by and starring Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, had its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025. The film is set for a nationwide cinema release in Nigeria on March 6, 2026.
Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.
Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.
Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.
Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.
What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.
Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.
Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.
Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.
Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.
And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.