The consummate filmmaker, Tolu Ajayi, in this interview, discusses the emergence of African cinema, the role of representation and how a generation of creatives found his voice and audience through Multichouize. Rotimi Ige has extracts.
Looking back in his career so far, what would he say that it has been the greatest turning point?
My career has covered a great trip. I started in advertising, working as a producer. One of my first proud moments was to produce work for Guinness. My friend, Baba Blue and I handle many heavy physics concepts in that campaign. But the real turning point came in 2008 when I started directing in Tensel. That was the beginning of a new chapter. He had been producing for years, but the transition to the address, especially for television series, marked a significant change. That trip is still developing today.
The Nigerian film and television industry has grown significantly in the last decade. What changes have you observed that they excite you or challenge you as a filmmaker?
For me, one of the most exciting things is the rhythm to which the narrative is evolving here. Now we are participating at a global scale. Our films travel beyond Nigeria and Africa. There is a great interest in the types of stories that we are telling, which speaks of the validity and wealth of our narratives. Initially, the global audience promised to the Nigerian stories mainly through our literature. But now, the film is promoting that commitment. We are touching people not only through the actors, but also through the complete creative process: producers, directors, writers. And most importantly, we have created a film industry that emerged from television. That is a large part of what has allowed us to generate this level of global interest.
You have had projects appeared on the main platforms and networks. How much of a role does the distribution play in the scope and voice configuration of a filmmaker?
The distribution is crucial. It is what makes your work in front of the public. In my experience, we have been lucky with great distribution partners. My debut function, 'Over The Bridge', actually had its first distribution interest in the United Kingdom. And my series Prisoners of the Hill was commissioned by Showmax, so the distribution was guaranteed from the beginning. Over The Bridge was collected by Picturehouse Cinemas in the United Kingdom, which helped take him to broader festivals and projections. The ability to reach people comes largely from the sharp eye and the support of these partners. So yes, the distribution plays a very important role.
You mentioned showmax. How have you influenced the scale or type of stories you can tell influenced the scale or type of stories you can tell?
It has been incredible. My trip with Multichouize began when I became one of the first four indigenous Nigerian directors in tinsel. They had a South African director for the first season, but we joined in the second season. The ambition of that network was and remains impressive. Not only wanted African stories, they wanted great and authentic African stories. Years later, when my company, Sagassity Source Studios, associated with Bloom Studios, we worked on a program on a powerful man who hires a woman to be his corporate agent and cause all kinds of mischief. It is the type of story you normally expected from HBO or a first -level Netflix drama. But he was commissioned and financed here. That is not something you take for granted. Platforms such as Showmax and Africa Magic have made it possible for these stories to be believed and seen throughout the continent.
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As a narrator, what does it mean for you to create content that reflects culture, identity and Nigerian nuances?
That is exactly why I do this. I spent many years telling brand stories, so true joy for me now is to tell human stories, especially African stories. There is so much wealth here. Our daily life is full of stories that matter, and I think we should stop escaping. I tell my students all the time: instead of trying to escape the worlds of other people, why not base their history on something real, something local? Tell that romantic story, but turn it into African, rooted in our economy, our customs, our reality. It is not about anger or struggle. Even hopeful, humorous or warning stories can reflect our world honestly. That is the type of narration with which I am committed now.
What role has Multichouize played not only in helping Nigerians see themselves more clearly on the screen, but also in the growth of the creative economy?
Without a doubt, the role that Multiche has played is difficult to quantify. Since 2008, they have helped grow a generation of producers, directors and narrators. Its structure, its openness to collaboration and its commitment to the narration of quality stories have helped to raise the industry. They have given access to people. The guy that allows you to enter an office, present an idea and obtain support. Events such as AMVCA provide a space for the community to meet, network and celebrate. They have filled a mass vacuum. The need for Africans to see themselves. That is powerful.
I remember a moment of my advertising days in South Africa. I was in Pretoria lodging in a mostly white hotel, and ran down to buy a toothbrush. The black woman who worked in the store asked where she was from. When I said Nigeria, his face lit up. She began to name Nollywood actors and said: “You, the Nigerians, are so rich. We love how you dress.” This was in the early 2000s, when Nollywood's stories were not exactly polished, but they were emotionally powerful. She lived in the municipality, and those films were shaping her perception of the Nigerians. That is soft power. That is the narrative influence. That is the type of emotional impact that we sometimes underestimate.
How does it feel to know that your work not only resonates with the Nigerians, but travel through Africa and beyond?
It is an incredible feeling. Last week, I was in Nairobi for the theatrical launch of 'Over The Bridge'. He also showed in Kigali. Seeing the movie with the public there, listening to their reactions, having real conversations later, that was something special. The narration of stories throughout Africa feels easier because we share similar emotional codes. Our pain, our joy, our love stories, exist in the same wavelength. That connection is deeply rewarding. You don't need to explain too much. Whether it is weddings, funerals or daily joys, we have each other. And when you realize that your work is connecting people that way, it is deeply satisfactory.