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“Nollywood’s Harsh Reality: Talent Alone Can’t Buy Success Anymore”
According to Nivo News, the recently released Nollywood film To Kill A Monkey, produced by Kemi Adetiba, has reignited debate over a growing trend in the Nigerian film industry: casting actors based on social media popularity rather than acting talent.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
For years, producers have leaned on popular faces to draw audiences, boost box office performance, and enhance a film’s credibility. High-profile actors not only help connect viewers emotionally to characters but also raise the industry’s profile on the global stage. However, Adetiba’s latest thriller—centered on cybercrime, betrayal, and ambition—featured relatively unknown talents as its lead actors, sparking conversation about Nollywood’s priorities.
Williams Benson, who has worked in film for over a decade without much public spotlight, earned widespread praise for his portrayal of Efemini Edewor, a struggling Nigerian man ground down by life and persecuted by his mother-in-law. Similarly, Bucci Franklin, long recognized for his acting prowess since his Tinsel and Jemeji days, delivered a commanding performance as Obozz, the ruthless leader of the Monkey Gang—a street kid who clawed his way through crime to power and eventual freedom. Despite such strong performances, both actors have relatively small social media followings, which critics say would normally hinder them from landing lead roles.
Industry observers note that this pressure for visibility has pushed many actors to reinvent themselves as online influencers, often exposing their private lives or stirring controversy to stay relevant in an algorithm-driven industry. Actress Lilian Afegbai, who also featured in To Kill A Monkey, recently revealed how personal relationships in the industry led to her being repeatedly sidelined with minor roles, despite her talent.
Veteran broadcaster Emma Ugolee condemned Nollywood’s obsession with follower counts, describing it as “sickening” and unfair to trained professionals. He argued that capable actors like Benson and Franklin are overlooked while internet personalities with no acting background—such as content creators known for sexually suggestive skits—are prioritized simply for their online reach. Ugolee urged producers to stop forcing actors to “entertain with their real lives,” warning that great talent is being lost to the numbers game.
Opinions within Nollywood remain divided. Actress Cossy Orjiakor claimed ignorance of any industry politics or social media-driven casting, while rising actor Funsho Davids offered a more pragmatic view. Davids acknowledged that visibility and timing play a huge role, with directors’ tastes, physical appearance, versatility, and online numbers often outweighing raw skill. He likened Nollywood’s internal politics to Nigeria’s political landscape, citing favoritism, money influence, and blacklisting as factors.
Davids cautioned that casting based solely on social media metrics might guarantee quick financial returns for executive producers but ultimately harms storytelling and erodes filmmaking quality. Unless content creators are trained actors, he warned, this practice risks reducing Nollywood to mediocrity.
The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the growing incidents of political violence across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The council specifically denounced the disruption of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) town hall meeting in Lagos on Thursday, describing the incident as unacceptable.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake, the party called on security agencies to strengthen their efforts to prevent political violence and respond promptly to threats against political gatherings.
News reports that Alake also urged security operatives to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for such attacks in accordance with the law.
The APC campaign council further appealed to politicians and their supporters to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of triggering unnecessary crises and public disorder.
The statement read: “We have observed the recent spate of violent attacks at political gatherings in parts of the country. The reported attacks in Edo, Cross River, and Gombe, and other violence targeted at party supporters and political leaders across party lines are condemnable.
“Our campaign strongly condemns the disruption of today’s scheduled town hall meeting of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Lagos.
“As we proceed with the electioneering campaign, political parties, politicians, and supporters must restrain themselves and avoid acts that could create needless crisis and public disorder.
“We call on the security agencies to be more responsive and alert in preventing political violence of any type and ensure instigators and perpetrators are apprehended and punished in accordance with the law.
“Political parties and candidates are enjoined to campaign on issues that uplift the lives of Nigerians and not to instigate violence at political events.”
Nigerians living in the United Kingdom on Thursday staged a protest against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, during his visit to Chatham House in London.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News reports that the demonstrators, reportedly members of the Nigerian diaspora, gathered around the vehicle conveying the INEC chairman outside the venue, chanting slogans and making accusations against him and the electoral body.
Some of the protesters described INEC as a “criminal organisation” and demanded Amupitan’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the commission’s preliminary voter register.
Their complaints reportedly centred on claims of duplicate entries, the inclusion of artificial intelligence-generated photographs and the existence of fake polling units in the register.
The demonstration took place as Amupitan arrived at Chatham House to participate in a discussion on Nigeria’s electoral process.
During the engagement, organised by the Kimpact Development Initiative, the INEC chairman appealed to Nigerians to have confidence in his leadership, assuring them that the commission was committed to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027.
Amupitan acknowledged that the technical glitches recorded during the 2023 general election had weakened public confidence in INEC, adding that the commission was working to restore Nigerians’ trust.
He said, “The 2023 general election significantly affected public confidence in INEC, and the commission is still working to rebuild the trust of Nigerians.”
The INEC chairman, however, assured Nigerians that measures had been put in place to prevent inaccurate polling unit results from appearing on the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2027 elections.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has stated that the commission will comply with any court ruling concerning former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
News recalls that the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had nullified the David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) caretaker committee and invalidated its decisions, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
Speaking on the matter on Thursday during an engagement at Chatham House in London, Amupitan said INEC was legally bound to obey any court order, particularly a decision of the Supreme Court, irrespective of its political implications.
He explained that although implementing such rulings could put the commission at the centre of political controversies, it would still have to respect the law.
He said: “If it travels through the courts and, as you said, he eventually fails, well, I’m obligated under section 285 of the Constitution of Nigeria to obey every court order, especially if it is from the Supreme Court.
“But the danger is that whenever there’s such a decision, and it’s you who now has to implement it, you become the problem.
“The problem now is transferred to you. But that is the position of the law.”
The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission was handling more than 300 court cases, with approximately 66 days remaining before the 2027 general election.
Amupitan said he had previously called for pre-election disputes to be concluded at least six months to one year before an election to enable INEC to focus on its preparations.
According to him, resolving such cases early would allow the commission to concentrate on logistical arrangements, particularly the procurement of sensitive election materials.
He said: “I had advocated in several forums that election matters, pre-election matters rather, should be at least a year before the election. Or let’s say six months.
“So that we can face our logistics. Now we have gone into serious procurement of the most sensitive materials. So that’s a very big issue for us.”
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