Popular Nigerian social media activist Reno Omokri has aimed a scattershot attack at Nollywood filmmakers for adding to the plights of Nigerians living abroad in a different way.
Reno Omokri says Nollywood is responsible for portraying citizens of the country as diabolic and fetish people in the eyes of the world through the constant production of fetish movies in nearly three decades of its existence.
The vocal activities and author made this known in a series of tweet released via his Twitter page on Tuesday, June 8, 2020, where he suggested the industry name be changed from ‘Nollywood’ to ‘Jujuwood’.
In his post, Omokri revealed that people from African and Caribbean countries believe Nigerians to be diabolical people because of what they see in Nollywood movies.
According to him, responsible Nigerians who live abroad have gone from being perceived as swindlers by foreigners to those who practice dark magic aka Juju.
He also recalled how a white lady accused him and veteran actor Kanayo O. Kanayo of sorcery during one of their trips to the US.
Omokri went on to advice Nollywood filmmakers to make films that is in line with the county’s true culture just like their American counterpart.
See his tweets below:
I have been to many African and Caribbean countries. Once they know you are Nigerian, many become wary. Not because of 419. But because of juju. Nollywood has conditioned them to see all Nigerians as fetish juju people. We did this to ourselves!#FreeLeahSharibu #RenosNuggets
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 8, 2020
In 2011, @KanayoOKanayo and I were walking in San Francisco. An American lady recognised him. I brought out my camera, thinking she wanted a photo. She screamed and said ‘you want to use my photo for juju’! That is what Nollywood has done to us!#FreeLeahSharibu #RenosNuggets
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 8, 2020
Art imitates life. Movies are meant to reflect your culture. When you watch an American movie, like Fast and Furious, for example, it makes you want to go to America. When you watch a Nollywood movie, it makes you want to run far away from Nigeria!#FreeLeahSharibu #RenosNuggets
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 8, 2020
I sometimes wonder if Nollywood is an appropriate name for the Nigerian movie industry. Perhaps Jujuwood would be a more fitting name. No other institution has been as responsible for the stereotyping of Nigerians as diabolical people as Nollywood!#FreeLeahSharibu #RenosNuggets
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 8, 2020
Dear @morkaray,
Nollywood took off in 1992 with Living in Bondage. 28 years later and she’s still in infancy? It started with juju (Living in Bondage), and still focuses on Juju. If it used 30 years to learn madness, how will the real madness be? #FreeLeahSharibu #RenosNuggets pic.twitter.com/Aa2SWUtNSq
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 8, 2020
Interesting.
Photo Credit: Instagram
