Yoruba Movies Are Not Universally Accepted – Femi Adebayo

Femi Adebayo has expressed his unflinching love for being a popular actor featuring mostly in Nollywood movies rendered in Yoruba language.

In a chat with Punch, the actor says he has no regret being addressed as a Yoruba actor because it has exposed him more to the culture and race.

“Given another chance, I would still prefer to come into the industry as a Yoruba actor because it has made me know my culture,” the actor said.

Continuing, Adebayo said, “The only difference between an English and Yoruba movie is the language but the reaction as well as interpretation, most times, are the same. All my days in school, I was taught a foreign culture and language. Later, I had the opportunity of learning about my culture, which I would not have learnt if I had started as an English actor. Majority of the people who started with English movies don’t have the opportunity I have had.”

However, the ‘Gbewiri’ actor said many Yoruba actors are very comfortable and better appreciated outside their environment.

He said, “English is a general language and it is universally accepted, unlike the Yoruba language. We cannot expect a Yoruba movie to have the same audience as an English movie. The majority of Yoruba movies’ fans are Yoruba people. Based on this, English movies make more money because it has a wider market. But I don’t regret being a Yoruba actor. We have many Yoruba actors who are very comfortable and Yoruba actors are better appreciated outside their environment than English actors. We get more accolades from our fans.”