Mo Abudu: African Films Need More Spaces to Challenge Underrepresentation

Nigerian media entrepreneur Mo Abudu has said African stories need dedicated platforms to challenge underrepresentation and offer alternative narratives about the continent, as she opens a permanent London cinema focused on African and Black films. In an interview with BBC Africa published on its X page on Friday, Abudu said the venue would provide a lasting home for the continent’s creative works and help address the effects of racism through storytelling. “Racism really is real. And the only way to deal with racism is to deal with racism, and it’s by providing a different narrative,” she said. Abudu explained that the cinema would extend beyond film screenings to celebrate other aspects of African culture, including food and fashion. She said the initiative was not intended to prevent African and Black films from appearing on other platforms but to create a dedicated space where their stories could be shared and appreciated.

Abudu said the cinema would also welcome audiences from outside the African and Black communities, stressing that greater control over how stories are told could help broaden understanding and representation. “And also we want to invite the rest of the world in. And the only way that you can achieve that is by being in charge of that narrative,” she said. Reflecting on her upbringing in England, the media executive recalled feeling that she had to serve as an ambassador for African and Nigerian people, often facing what she described as inappropriate questions and remarks. She said such experiences sometimes left her and others choosing to remain silent rather than challenge the comments. The new cinema is intended to give African and Black creative works a more permanent platform, while providing audiences with opportunities to engage with stories and cultural expressions that Abudu believes remain underrepresented.

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