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Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Odega has sparked conversation in the entertainment industry after lamenting what he described as the decline in the quality of Nigerian films compared to the early years of the industry.
Speaking in the latest episode of the Where Is The Lie podcast hosted by Theo Ezenwa, Odega reflected on his decades-long career and the evolution of Nollywood. The actor, who is widely known for his comic timing and memorable performances, describes himself as part of the pioneer generation who helped shape the industry into a continental powerhouse.
According to Odega, films produced during what many call the “golden era” of Nollywood are more memorable, more structured and emotionally impactful.
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“In the past, one script would give us one unforgettable film. But now, one script can give you seven bad films, and that’s not right. Nollywood back then, was much better than Nollywood today,” he said.
“I was one of the people who created Nollywood. When we started, Nollywood was just a phenomenon. Our organization used to be called the Nigerian Actors Guild, NAG, before we changed it to the Actors’ Guild Of Nigeria, AGN,” he explained.
His remarks quickly gained traction online, sparking mixed reactions from Nigerians. While many social media users agreed with his assessment—nostalgically praising the classic films that depicted their childhoods and teens—there were others who defended the current generation of filmmakers, pointing to improved production quality, global distribution via streaming platforms, and broader thematic exploration.
