US Consulate General honours 8 Nigerian creatives

THE U.S. Consulate General in Lagos honoured eight Nigerian filmmakers, actors, and creatives for strengthening commercial ties between Hollywood and Nollywood.

The creatives, including the recently departed Uncle Olu Jacobs, were honoured at an event tagged ‘Reel Connections from Hollywood to Nollywood.’

The other honourees were founder and Executive Director of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Chioma Ude; actor Richard Mofe-Damijo; and filmmakers Kunle Afolayan and Bolanle Austen-Peters.

Other recipients included Inkblot Productions co-founder Zulu Oyibo, producer Josh Olaoluwa, and Emmy Award-winning visual development artist Uzoma Dunkwu.

U.S. Consul General Brandon Hudspeth lauded Nollywood’s growth at the event, which was attended by film and television industry players, government officials, creative industry ecosystem supporters, and alumni of U.S. government exchange programs.

He said Nollywood is a growing source of content, talent, and investment opportunities for U.S. companies looking to engage with African markets.

He added that Nigerian stories and talent are reaching audiences in the United States and globally through U.S. streaming services and digital platforms, from Netflix and Amazon Prime to Apple TV+ and YouTube, among others, creating new opportunities for collaboration, investment, and market access.

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Hudspeth noted that U.S. Government exchange programs have had a lasting impact in building professional networks and strengthening collaboration between Nigerian and American creative communities.

He said that through programs including the American Film Showcase, Global Media Makers, and the International Visitor Leadership Program, Nigerian creatives have connected with American filmmakers, producers, institutions, and other industry leaders, building relationships that extend well beyond the exchange programs.

“U.S. government exchange programs are not simply about what happens during the exchange,” the Consul General said.

“Their real impact is what happens when participants return home — the relationships they bring with them, the ideas they put into action, the creative collaborations they build, and the next generation they inspire,” he added.

While presenting a posthumous Creative Industry Legend Award to the late Olu Jacobs, received on behalf of his family by his sons, Hudspeth described him as one of Nigeria’s most celebrated actors whose career helped define Nigerian cinema and lay the foundation for ‘reel’ connections between the film and television industries in Nigeria and the United States.

“Olu Jacobs’ life embodied the kind of creative exchange that continues to connect Nigeria’s film industry with the United States and the world,” he said.

Damijo is an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumnus, while Afolayan and Austen-Peters are alumni of the American Film Showcase’s African Film & TV Leadership Initiative. Oyibo is also an IVLP alumnus, while Olaoluwa is a Global Media Makers alumnus.