Wednesday, March 26, 2025 - 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.
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