Steven Anu' Adesemoye: Yoruba film stars shouldn't see language as a barrier

Steven Anu’ Adesemoye: Yoruba film stars shouldn’t see language as a barrier

By Gbenga Bada

 

A theatre practitioner and scholar, Steven Anu’ Adesemoye has urged film stars from movies with Yoruba as its language of expression not to see the medium as a barrier to a greater height.

Advocating for the propagation of Yoruba culture and language through the film industry, the Senior Lecturer at the Lagos State Polytechnic made this known while speaking at the Dallas International Yoruba Movies Awards, DIYMA, official presentation.

Adesemoye bemoaned the backstage role which the culture is subjected to by the film industry saying, “The Yoruba film industry should not see its language of expression as a barrier to a greater height. Instead, they should improve on their skill set in filmmaking to project the language and compete with other indigenous films across the globe.”

He stated that the film industry has a cogent role to play in the preservation of Yoruba culture as it transcends geographical limitations. As a result, the language must be used appropriately to protect the originality of the culture.

In his words, “The only hope for the Yoruba nation in preserving the language is Yoruba film both home and abroad. People now learn how to speak the Yoruba language through what they see in films across the globe.”

It will be recalled that the DIYMA Awards were previously held virtually on March 6 in Dallas and was hosted by popular sitcom couple, Mr. & Mrs. Kogberegbe. The award ceremony recognised the contribution of over 18 screen stars across different categories in the industry.

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