Nigerian actor, writer and director, Wale Ojo is gearing up to release his highly anticipated film, This Is Not a Nollywood Movie. The project, he described as “zany, completely mad, off-ball comedy,” is set to debut nationwide on December 6, with advanced screenings kicking off in Lagos before expanding to Ghana, the rest of Africa, and global audiences.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, Ojo discussed the creative direction behind the film, its tongue-in-cheek title, and the challenges of bringing together a diverse cast of actors and comedians. He said the project was designed to celebrate Nollywood’s evolution while poking gentle fun at its quirks.
“The title is very much tongue-in-cheek,” Ojo said. “I can’t tell you much more because if I do, I will tell you everything that happens in the film. I would describe the film as zany, completely mad, off-ball comedy. Think Baba Suwe meets Mr. Bean. It’s off-the-wall comedy.”
The movie follows a failed Igbo director, Okechukwu Adilu, played by Ojo, as he navigates Lagos attempting to make a huge film but repeatedly fails, revealing that assembling the cast which includes Brother Shaggy, Ghanaian comedian Shatta Bandle, and Nollywood veteran Hanks Anuku was one of the most demanding parts of production. “I couldn’t. Absolutely impossible to manage that. I mean, look who we have. We had Brother Shaggy, all the way from Ghana, Shatta Bandle, and Hanks Anuku. The list just kept going, and at the end of the film, I lost weight,” he said, laughing.
He praised Anuku’s professionalism and dismissing rumors about his reliability and credited the producer, Boma Akpore on set for bringing the cast together, “We flew all the way to Abu Dhabi, and I was so impressed with Hank. He took the script, he read it, he was so professional. When we were filming, he was the most professional actor on the set. I actually love Hank, I won’t lie,” Ojo said.
Ojo described the film as both a satire and a love letter to Nollywood and a humorous critique of the industry. “You know, I personally, I’m in love with Nollywood. If you like old Nollywood, new Nollywood, I’m just in love with Nollywood, I’m in love with cinema. Over the years, this idea kept rolling around in my head. I thought, I’ve got to shoot this movie that actually celebrates Nollywood. I didn’t want to do it in a very kind of, oh, wow, this is a flag, waving a flag. I wanted to do it in a very funny and very engaging way. And yeah, sometimes it can be a bit of a critique, but it’s a very funny and crazy critique.”
Ojo emphasised the film’s international appeal and production value. “No budget’s the big deal. But it was a massive budget for this film because you’re dealing with a lot of very big actors. I didn’t want to have any kind of stones unturned. I think if you put the correct budget into a film, I do sincerely believe that you will make it back, especially within Nigerian cinema format. I also wanted to do a film that can travel internationally. I believe this film will travel internationally.”
Beyond the humor, Ojo emphasized the importance of original music in the film, revealing that all songs were created by emerging Afrobeats artists. “All the music in the movie’s original. I was working with a lot of up-and-coming original Afrobeats musicians. We produced this incredible piece of music,” Ojo said.
Reflecting on his career, Ojo described directing his first feature as a defining moment in his four-decade journey. “This project is, for me, like a coming of age. I’ve been doing this for like 40 years now, and for me to be able to direct my own film, I think it’s just wonderful. Nigerian cinema is truly taking over the globe, and I’m so proud of Afrobeats. Hollywood can get the same attention and global recognition. We’re very close.”
Ojo also shared that This Is Not a Nollywood Movie will debut in Lagos before screening across Africa and internationally. “We’re going to kick off in Lagos, then we go to Ghana, then we go to the rest of Africa, and then we go global,” he confirmed.
Looking ahead to the premiere, Ojo said he simply wants audiences to laugh and enjoy themselves. “I just want everyone to laugh and have a great time. This is the Yuletide season. It’s the time to smile, the time to love, and the time to collapse with laughter. Watching This Is Not a Nollywood Movie is not watching an old movie.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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