Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu has played down claims of a so-called Nollywood cabal, rejecting allegations that some producers work with cinema owners to deliberately shut out competing films from cinema screens.
In recent times, some Nigerian filmmakers have taken to social media to accuse colleagues of conspiring with cinema operators to prevent movies that were already scheduled from being screened. Fans have also alleged that cinema staff sometimes redirect them to other films, claiming their preferred movie is no longer showing.
Speaking on ARISE Television on Saturday, Abudu explained that cinema scheduling is driven strictly by business considerations, stressing that films with strong ticket sales naturally receive more screen time and priority.
According to the media executive, cinema owners and investors make decisions based on returns, not personal bias or favoritism.
She explained that there is no cabal involved, stressing that cinema decisions are not driven by sentiment or favoritism but by return on investment. According to her, any film that fails to attract enough viewers will be replaced, regardless of who produced it, noting that a cinema cannot sustain operations such as air-conditioning and staff costs when only a few people are seated in a 100-capacity hall. She maintained that the process is strictly business.
