A new cultural front has opened in Nigeria’s creative space as the Igbowood Film Industry formally launches in the Federal Capital Territory, promising to use film as a powerful tool to preserve and promote the Igbo language and heritage.
At an inauguration ceremony in Abuja over the weekend, the industry’s newly installed FCT leadership laid out an ambitious roadmap anchored on storytelling, youth engagement, and a proposed multi-billion naira film village designed to transform production capacity across Nigeria.
Representing the National President, the National Vice-President, Edward Ifeanyi Nnaso, described the initiative as a deliberate response to what he called a growing threat to the survival of the Igbo language and identity.
“The organization has come to stay,” he declared, “and is meant to establish the war against the survival of the Igbo language and culture across the whole world through the exportation of film materials.”
Nnaso framed the project within a global context, noting how countries such as India, China, and Japan have successfully revived and projected their cultures through language-driven content. According to him, Igbowood aims to follow a similar path by producing films rooted in authentic Igbo storytelling.
“Today, we want to make our own contributions in erasing the stigma that Igbos can no longer speak their language. We want to revive it by telling our own stories and ensuring that the next generation learns without tears,” he said.
“It has been proven that teaching a child in their mother language is the best way to learn.”
A cornerstone of the vision is the planned construction of an Igbowood Film Village in the FCT, with similar facilities proposed across the 36 states. The project is expected to provide a centralized hub for filmmakers, actors, and production crews—eliminating the constant search for suitable locations.
“We have Hollywood studios in America well built for script writers, actors, and every worker in the industry. So you don’t need to search for plots or film locations that are suitable for your script,” Nnaso explained. “We are calling for the first sponsorship to make that possible and we are hoping that the industry will be great.”
He added that the industry is targeting international relevance within a few years, with planned collaborations involving major global players.
Also speaking, the newly inaugurated FCT Igbowood Mayor, Maureen Ebele Gilbert, struck a determined tone, pledging results-driven leadership and a fresh creative direction.
“We have just been inaugurated and the ball is now on our court to deliver. The next step is to roll out our agenda, so that people will start feeling the pace of Igbowood through its new productions,” she said. “Our films… will certainly be different from what you used to see… the message of storytelling that no one can tell except the Igbos will be top-notch.”
Gilbert also called on investors and stakeholders, particularly those of Igbo descent, to back the initiative as a cultural and economic imperative.
Adding an international dimension, Assistant Mayor Linda Obasi, who is based in the United States, emphasized youth development as central to the mission.
“This is what I am bringing to the table as an executive,” she said. “Sustaining the culture must start from the youth imbibing the culture of their ancestors… including mastery of their mother tongues.”
The newly inaugurated team also includes Ralph Okechukwu Edu as Task Force Chairman, Chukwudi Peter Eze as Assistant Task Officer, Obiamaka Jenifer as Treasurer, Grace Ngozi Ozoemena as Assistant Treasurer, Nwangere Reginald as Director of Communication, Nneka Edward as Chief Welfare Officer, Chiamaka Nwakamma as Director of Guild Services, and Barrister Bryan Ukaegbu as Legal Adviser.
With its blend of cultural urgency and cinematic ambition, Igbowood is positioning itself as both a creative industry and a cultural rescue mission—one film at a time.
Credit: The Sun