President of the Association of Nigerian Theatre-Arts Practitioners (ANTP), Prince Jide Kosoko, has argued that Yoruba actors are not inferior to their english counterparts.
Speaking on the appointment of nine english actors out of 10, by telecommunications giant, Globacom, as ambassadors, Kosoko, who has just clocked 55 years, said picking just Funke Akindele among the lucky artistes does not mean the Yoruba genre of Nollywood is inferior.
He said , “It’s their company and they are absolutely free to choose whoever they want as their ambassador. But what they have done has just indicated that they are not keen on local languages.
“They need to be commended, but that does not mean they should not encourage local movies. Picking just one Yoruba artiste out of 10, is not an issue of inferiority, but the criteria they used.”
Globacom had picked 10 movie stars as ambassadors, in a contract running into millions of naira. The lucky actors are Rita Dominic, Uche Jombo, Monalisa Chinda, Funke Akindele, Chioma Akpotha, Ramsey Nouah, Desmond Elliot, Jim Iyke, Nonso Diobi and Myke Izuruonye.
By Bayo Adetu
