By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Veteran Nollywood actor and former President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria AGN, Ejike Asiegbu, has expressed the optimism that Abia State will soon become the new face of the Nigerian Film industry.
This is as he affirmed the readiness and commitment of not a few Abia-born industry icons to place the state at higher pedestrian in the filmmaking and creative industry.
Asiegbu who spoke on Friday, December 19, 2025, at the occasion of the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Abia State International Film Festival ABIFF held in Aba, the commercial hub of the State, insisted that the coast has now become clear for Abia State to become the emerging focal point of the Nollywood movie industry ,after many years of playing a second fiddle owing to what he described as ” 24 years of the locust ”
The Source reports that for over two decades now , Lagos, Asaba, and to an extent, Enugu have remained the dominant faces of the settings, and other production activities of most Nollywood movies.
But the former AGN President believes that with the improved in the security architecture and the creation of an enabling environment by the current administration, Abia state is now poised to assume a pre-eminent position in the Nigerian filmmaking business.
According to him, being a proud son, he has volunteered alongside others to make Abia State not just a filmmaking hub, but also an emerging centre of creative business in Nigeria.
He expressed regret that Abia State, before now, had not leveraged its avalanche of industry stars, particularly their creativity owing to over 24 of unserious governance that left it on the lowest position in the development pecking order in the country.
“There is no gain- saying that what has made majority of us to avoid coming home for movie production is the state of insecurity we have had in the past 24 years .
” I am taking it back to the time when successive Governments paid a lip service to governance issues , especially in the areas of security and infrastructural development.
” I am an Abia son who grew up in Aba ,and I must say that for the past 24 years ,Aba was a no-go-area.
” I grew up here in Aba before the Nigerian Civil war . However, I am glad that the situation has changed and we are all here for this film festival.
“In essence, it is a home coming for those of us in the Film industry who are from Abia State. Perhaps, unknown to some people, we have countless authorities; those with the brain to make this place better as far as the filmmaking business is concerned.
“Our converging here is a kind of authoritative stamp we have given to the ABIFF, and we have already started discussions with our international partners and I can assure you that next year’s edition will certainly be greater than this year’s” the former AGN President stated.
Further speaking, the former Actors Guild President maintained that the time is now ripe for industry players to start film-shooting and production activities in Aba and other major parts of Abia state.
“Bringing film production back to Abia will help the State, and the country at large. It will not only create employment opportunities ,it will improve the quality of players on the screen , because of the avalanche of talents in the state” Asiegbu added.
Earlier ,the Director of Training at the Abia International Film Festival ,Wisdom Nwankwo appreciated Nollywood actors and actresses from the state for their resolve to come home and reengineer the face of the industry in Abia.
While noting that Abia state is one of the states that has the highest number of players in the Nollywood movie industry, he however regretted that most of them have not been home in the last 20 years.
” Without any equivocation and exaggeration, I will tell you that Abia has the highest percentage of filmmakers in Nollywood. But a whole lot of them have stayed away from the State, due to security challenges and other unfavorable variables.
” What you are seeing today is like a homecoming for most of them. They have seen how things are, and how the situation has changed for better. It is my strong conviction that this festival will project us to the world..” Nwankwo noted
The Source further reports that other icons of the Nollywood movie industry including Maureen Solomon Okereke , Florence Owanta ,Uche Elendu , Director and Producer Don Single Ndubuisi ,and Paul Udonsi ,lauded the Abia state Government for creating the enabling environment that has facilitated their homecoming.
This is as they expressed the confidence that the Film Festival will impact hugely on the fortunes of the industry in the state .
“I am happy to be home, and from what I am seeing ,the situation is not different from other cities that have been playing host to activities in the industry ..
“When the Government creates enabling environment for things to thrive, things will definitely move. If the environment is conducive, people will come, and things will thrive”, Uzodinma Okpechi, a Cineaste and Film producer stated.
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