Nollywood Has More Original Stories Than Hollywood – Omoni Oboli

Actress and filmmaker Omoni Oboli has said that the Nigerian film industry possesses original stories that can stand shoulder to shoulder with those from Hollywood.

In a video shared online, Oboli addressed criticisms of predictability in Nollywood films, noting that the true magic lies in the storytelling journey, not necessarily in an unexpected ending.

“A story can be predictable, but if it’s well told, people will still watch it and enjoy it,” she said, emphasising the power of strong narrative and character development.

Oboli also pointed to the global appeal of Nollywood, revealing that YouTube analytics show diverse international viewership. “It’s not just Nigerians or Africans watching. People from all over the world are tuning in to enjoy our stories,” she added.

Oboli said, “Stories have never really been our problem. I feel like in this part of the world, we have actually more original stories than outside of Nigeria. I dare say that Nollywood has more original stories than Hollywood.

“I hear people say, Oh, these movies are predictable. I’m like, name five or ten Hollywood movies that are not predictable. We all know the superhero is going to win the day.

If it’s a romantic comedy, you know the girl is going to get the guy or the guy is going to get the girl. So it’s not about the predictability of a film. What you’re watching is the journey.

“What you’re watching out for is the process. How do they get there? If the journey is not interesting, that’s when you start saying, Oh, so predictable. That is because you didn’t enjoy the journey.

But if the journey is interesting, you know where it’s going, but the journey is just so interesting. It keeps you glued. It keeps you, you know, staying and watching and loving it, right? So we have a lot of very original stories.