Nigerian media mogul and EbonyLife Group CEO Mo Abudu has denied allegations that a secret group within Nollywood is working with cinema owners to favour some films and block others from screening, saying movie scheduling is driven by business, not personal interests.
Abudu made the comments during an interview on ARISE Television, responding to widespread complaints from filmmakers and moviegoers that cinemas sometimes remove scheduled titles or push audiences toward other films.
“I can’t speak for all the cinemas, but I can certainly speak for EbonyLife Cinemas. It’s not true. We run a professional business,” she said.
She explained that cinema operators focus on filling seats and earning returns, not on protecting careers or personal alliances.
“Our return on investment depends very heavily on making sure that we have people sitting in every single cinema,” Abudu said, noting that her chain runs about 30 screenings a day across five locations.
Abudu addressed audience demand and scheduling decisions, saying they change when films do not draw crowds.
“When your film is in our cinema and it has no audience… that time slot can no longer really work,” she said, adding that operational costs like electricity and staffing must be considered.
Veteran actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, who joined the discussion, acknowledged that many people have raised such concerns, but did not directly confirm the cabal claims.
“I have heard these things… actors themselves have come out to say this has happened to them,” she said, reflecting industry frustrations.
Abudu also cited an example involving a film produced by her daughter that was reduced in screenings because of low turnout, emphasising that “there is no sentiment to anybody being in the cinema space.”
Her remarks come amid ongoing debate in the Nigerian film industry about fairness, screening opportunities and how movies are sold and scheduled in cinemas nationwide.
