Kannywood never rejected me based on religion or ethnicity – Aboki

Prominent Nigerian filmmaker, Prince Daniel Aboki has dismissed claims that he faced rejection in Kannywood due to his religion and in Nollywood because of his northern roots.

In a public statement, the Mai Martaba director clarified that he never made such claims in any interview and attributed the misunderstanding to comments he made during a Nollywood in Hollywood event in Los Angeles.

Aboki explained that his remarks were meant to highlight the segmentation of Nigeria’s film industry and the challenges of navigating between Kannywood and Nollywood.

He stated that while his film was sometimes perceived as Nollywood by Kannywood and Kannywood by Nollywood, this was never due to religious or ethnic discrimination.

“For clarity, Kannywood has never rejected me on the basis of ethnicity or religion. In fact, it has been my greatest pillar of support as a filmmaker,” he emphasized.

He credited Kannywood’s industry practitioners and audience for their unwavering support during Mai Martaba’s cinema run.

The filmmaker reaffirmed his commitment to elevating Kannywood by collaborating with industry veterans and telling northern stories on a global stage.

He also underscored his mission to create employment for youth and challenge negative stereotypes about Northern Nigeria.

“I remain committed to working with my colleagues and the founding fathers of Kannywood to elevate the standard of our industry—telling our stories to the world and creating employment opportunities for our youth,” he stated.