Joseph Benjamin is a multi-talented Nigerian Nollywood actor, with skills in modeling, singing, voice-over work, and television presenting.
He is well known for his role as a co-host on the popular talent reality show, MTN's Project Fame. The actor has showcased his acting abilities in films such as Tango With Me, Mr. and Mrs., and Murder at Prime Suites.
Recently the Kogi state born actor raised alarm over the direction Nollywood film captioning is going; tagging it "tribal trajectory".
He shared this observation via his X:
"My dear Nollywood,
We are slowly pivoting towards a tribal trajectory.
As I skim through, all the amazing language based titles, coming out of the industry.
I cannot help, but see a subtle race, to showcase whose culture is best.
As much as we desire to tell our stories ourselves.
The competitive lines are becoming less blurry.
When South Africans make films, they have one goal.
Which is quite evident in their final work.
The big picture is South Africa as a brand.
How do we sell South Africa to the world.
Not Afrikaans, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sesotho, Swazi, Setswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu.
However, reverse is the case with us.
We are all about, how do I sell the Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa culture.
Well, as much as some might be of the opinion that, if they see these tribes, and the beauty of our diversity. They will be attracted to our culture at large.
Let me ask this question to you dear filmmaker. Please look in the mirror, and honestly tell yourself the truth.
When you make your language based films. Do you have a mindset of communalism? Or individualism?
Until we start seeing this whole process as a “ WE ” focused movement and not “ I”, then and only then can we boldly say we are ready to scale up".
My dear Nollywood,
— Joseph Benjamin (@iamjbenjamin) March 24, 2024
We are slowly pivoting towards a tribal trajectory.
As I skim through, all the amazing language based titles, coming out of the industry.
I cannot help, but see a subtle race, to showcase whose culture is best.
As much as we desire to tell our stories…
Joseph observation seem not to have gone down well with some netizens:
True but our culture is our heritage. What's the beauty of making movies only to emulate the westerners? For every movie produced, there's a story, then there's history. We are telling stories more about our tradition and culture, that is why we don't have too many action movies.
— Oluwakay🔴⚪ (@Anikingsley3) March 24, 2024
Well said! Yes our culture is our heritage. The operative word is “Our” hence my grouse for inclusivity. Let us sell our culture not a specific culture. Communalism not individualism. No ethnicity is better than the other. No ethnicity is a major custodian of our history. We are…
— Joseph Benjamin (@iamjbenjamin) March 24, 2024
Oga talk true… na jealousy dey worry una
— {MĪSS Ĥ♡ŔƐY} (@HONEYEDCROWN) March 25, 2024
But this was you in 2019 😂😂😂😂😂 nawa ooooo🤣 https://t.co/sgebtqUimM
— Big T 🦅💙 (@Tunmise01) March 25, 2024
The Yorubas should stop displaying their historical richness and stop copying "village boy migrated to Lagos" story cos you are sad? 🤣 🤣 🤣
— £ngr 'Demola 🚧 🌁 (@ExquisiteDemola) March 25, 2024
Our movie industry was built on tribalism.
— Oga Boss Tweets (@OgaBossTweets) March 25, 2024
It's only becoming more liberal now.
Plus, what is the Nigerian culture?
Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Ibibio, Urhobo cultures I know. What is Nigeria culture?
Did you tweet this? Now we know where this tweet stems from. It stems from your jealousy towards your colleagues from a particular tribe doing very well. Tell your tribe actors to act better & write better & sensible scripts. pic.twitter.com/Y2khM1oJTK
— Adetutu Osun's Daughter 🥀🌷🏵️ (@Asakemijimi) March 25, 2024
Nothing like Nigeria
— chuchuwdi nnamdi okpara nyamiri lyncher⛓️ (@chuchwudiokpara) March 25, 2024
Lol pic.twitter.com/Q5i0yIfsgv
— TundeUIUX (@Tunde724NG) March 25, 2024
Your intention is well drafted but know this and be free; right from time immemorial, the Yoruba filmmakers has been showcasing their culture and little less of western ideology. The huge popularity of the Yoruba culture in the global world is here to stay and we have artists who…
— Jimoh Haadi Oluwaseyi, MBA (@HaadiJimoh) March 25, 2024
The clap back from the yoruba is massive and the stray bullet hits them harder , now they are all crying bitterly.
— Aneex 🌍 (@GENUINEANEEX) March 25, 2024
A normal person can see they just realized they can make money from historical stories and they want to cash out.
— Wisdom for Today (@PhronesisToday) March 25, 2024
But YOU see tribe. Why e pain YOU? You no get tribe story wey u too fit exploit to cash out? Maybe get closer to ur historians & bring out an epic story. We'll watch.
What is the “Nigerian” culture, seeing the country is made up of over 200 ethnic groups with different languages, cultures, ancestry, values, beliefs, and traditions. You want the unique cultural identity of each tribe to be sacrificed on the altar of one Nigeria?
— joys (@joyces1717) March 25, 2024
Once its YORUBA una go dey get headaches 🤣🤣🤣🤣.
— Tee90papi90 (@tee90papi90) March 25, 2024
You go explain explain explain explain
— Dean of Ile-Ife ♈ 🐏 (@hypafinix) March 25, 2024
Keep crying. What makes us beautiful & unique as Nigerians is our beautiful cultures & languages. That's what makes us stand out to the world. And that's how we will keep projecting Nigeria.A country with 371 unique tribes & languages. If you don't love your tribe,we love ours.
— Adetutu Osun's Daughter 🥀🌷🏵️ (@Asakemijimi) March 25, 2024
You just can’t stand Yoruba glory. We know😂 https://t.co/N8F3eQinbb
— Ọlá-Bọ́lá (@theolabola) March 25, 2024
When you see this, know that Igbo culture is losing. And losing the race so fast and will be left behind. That's the main reason for this alarming tweet.
— Joseph Olarewaju 💪🏻 XPLUS (@iamjosephola4) March 25, 2024
This man didn't ask or has he forgot all the ethnic gibberish of Peter Edochie, stereotyping Yoruba and other ethics?
There was no”We” n there can never be we, that’s the sad truth.
— Arẹwà AKINKANJU💪🏽 Ọmọlúàbí (@leoleoqueen) March 25, 2024
There’s nothing like Nigeria culture,except there’s a dominating 1,ethnicity within Nigeria makes that difficult.
We are largely diff culturally n in language.
How do you infuse 300 ethnicities in 1?
Nigeria is not South Africa.
— Ade Omojola (@AdeJesuRe) March 25, 2024
Our unique factors and history, governs the artistic expression.
Nollywood remains the 3rd largest movie industry, because we are not looking to copy and paste South Africa into our artistry.
Copy and paste is lazy.
Remind me the definition of BIGOTRY again please pic.twitter.com/8RTSQjjc6L
— Adesoji Abdghaniy (@AdesojiAbd79463) March 25, 2024
Tell you and your people's stories, we will watch it.
— _score (@marcaronified) March 25, 2024
We kee you there.
You don't have a culture to tell the story?
Why are you we-eing Yorubas?
Hope everything is alright with you?
What do you think of Joseph's X post.
Source X
#JosephBenjamine
#Nollywoodfims
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To start with , he bears english names which shows identity crisis or worse still a lost identity and he wants to extend that identity crisis to Nollywood by clamouring for ethnic neutrality. He must be living in cloud nine. He was unaware that a lot of people read between the lines and see beyond the smoke screen and subtle idea he is trying to push through. He thought
ReplyDeletepeople have forgotten about his past derogatory tweets. Pronto his inglorious and daunting antecedent in the cesspool of tribal bigotry and ethnic supremacy has come home to haunt him. Let him bear the brunt of the unfolding reality staring him in the face like a bill board. His complaints won't have a singed or bent on the unfolding reality that has come to stay.