Veteran Nigerian actor Francis Odega has asserted that the quality of Nollywood films has declined significantly compared to earlier decades, positioning his critique within his own historical role in the industry’s development.
Speaking on the ‘Where Is The Lie’ podcast, Odega contrasted the Nollywood of his active years with the contemporary landscape. He contended that productions from his era yielded memorable, impactful cinema, whereas current output frequently results in subpar films. “Back then, one script would give us one unforgettable movie. But now, one script can give you seven bad movies, and that’s not right. Nollywood back then, is far better than the Nollywood of today,” he stated.
Odega grounded his assessment in his lengthy tenure within the Nigerian film sector, claiming pioneer status. He detailed the industry’s early organisational structure, noting its evolution from the Nigerian Actors Guild (NAG) to the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN) before the term “Nollywood” gained prominence. “I was among the people who made Nollywood. When we started, Nollywood was just a phenomenon… So, I am one of the pioneers of Nollywood. I have been in the movie industry for 30 years,” Odega explained.
The actor’s comments tap into a perennial debate regarding the trajectory of Nollywood, which has grown from a largely direct-to-video sector into a globally recognised commercial industry. While the volume of production and international distribution have expanded dramatically, critics and some veterans occasionally argue that commercial pressures and rapid output have compromised narrative depth and production quality. Odega’s perspective, therefore, reflects a specific nostalgia for an earlier, arguably more artistically concentrated period, even as industry data shows Nollywood’s economic footprint and technical capabilities have substantially increased.
His remarks underscore an ongoing tension within Nigerian cinema between commercial scalability and perceived artistic standards. The discussion contributes to broader conversations about creative legacy, industry evolution, and the metrics used to define success and quality in one of the world’s largest film-producing nations. No specific examples of recent films or detailed production critiques were provided in the interview excerpt.
