“Hollywood needs to come to Africa for great stories” – Omotola

• Posted on August 30, 2012
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Award winning Nollywood actress Omotola Ekeinde has asked Hollywood film makers to visit Africa to discover great stories.

The actress, who is in Jamaica on business as well as to film segments of her television reality series, The Real Omotola, said Hollywood is now resorting to killing children. Her charge follows the creation of the film Hunger Games.

“I can’t believe someone allowed that to be made. Hollywood needs to find Africa. Yes, they are superior in terms of financing and technology but for great stories they need to come to us,” she said.

Nigeria films are popular in Jamaica and Omotola (or Omosexy as she is known to her fans) has ratcheted up an impressive ‘filmography’. She is listed as one of the most successful actresses to come out of Nollywood.

Omotola explained that acting was never on the cards for her earlier on, as the profession was once frowned upon in Nigeria.

In fact, she really wanted to be a singer. But at age 16, a modeling audition made her turn to acting.

Omotola said what the Jamaicans need to emulate Nollywood for is “Passion.”

“The truth is having been there from the start I know what it’s like with a few people just doing what they loved, and believing that nothing was impossible. So just get going” she advised.

She also stated that it is hard to track how much is being expended on Nollywood annually. “We have had to deal with a lot of issues including piracy as well as the fact that previously a lot of our films went straight to home video.”

Omotola continued, “There is now a change, with the help of technology we are able to produce for cinema. With this, we will better be able to track overall earnings.