12th December, 2023
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Nigerian actor, songwriter, and model Folayemi Olatunji, also known as Yemi Blaq, has said that the advent of social media has changed the structure of the Nigerian movie industry.
The actor, while shedding light on the difference in Nollywood from his early days and now, said actors paid more attention to the craft than now, where fashion and social media following is the order of the day.
In his words: “Way back in the day, things were a lot simpler and less structured. There was money to be made of course, and consumption (of movies) was limited by certain standards that we didn’t have.
“It is a lot different now with the advent of social media and streaming sites. Also, there is a lot of money, competition, and opportunities for anyone serious about the business. It is a world apart from when we started and where things are now.
“Things are a lot better for the business now but I can’t say so about the craft. Back in the day, we paid attention to the craft and paid much attention to acting and it was not all about fashion, or social media following.”
Yemi Blaq started his professional career in Nollywood in 2005. He had registered with the Actors Guild of Nigeria back then in order to be an actor. His first movie that brought him to limelight was Lost of Lust where he acted alongside Mercy Johnson. After his first movie, he was sought out for in the Nigerian movie industry and has since acted several movies.