Nollywood actor Zubby Michael has claimed that some industry executives deliberately avoid supporting Igbo talents because they fear their protégés could eventually become competitors.
Michael made the claim in a recent interview with Broadway TV that began trending on Sunday.
According to the actor, some executives are reluctant to mentor Igbo talents because they believe they learn quickly and could master in a short time skills that took their mentors years to acquire.
He said an Igbo mentee could leave after gaining the necessary experience and start a competing business if not treated well.
Michael added that the reluctance to support Igbo talents also exists among some Igbo executives, who he alleged fear being outshone by those they mentor.
His comments came a day after veteran actor Francis Duru raised concerns about the declining visibility of Igbo culture and stories in contemporary Nigerian cinema.
Speaking on Gbam, aired on the Yan Content Factory YouTube channel, Duru urged Igbo filmmakers and investors to learn from the Yoruba film industry’s approach to promoting its culture and creating opportunities for its filmmakers.
Duru attributed the stronger presence of Yoruba productions in cinemas and on platforms such as Netflix partly to better organization, strategic investment, and deliberate efforts to promote regional stories.
He urged Igbo stakeholders to invest more in their own stories and opportunities, arguing that cultural representation would not improve unless they took deliberate steps to protect and project it.
