Chude Jideonwo Urges African Filmmakers to Refine Their Voice and Stop Seeking Western Validation

Media entrepreneur and storyteller Chude Jideonwo has shared a thought-provoking message to African filmmakers, urging them to stop seeking Western validation and instead refine their unique storytelling voice.

In a new Instagram post, Jideonwo wrote, “We don’t need to copy the West. We just need to refine our voice and build on what already works. Don’t sneer, train. Don’t erase, elevate. It’s time to stop waiting for validation. Let’s bet on ourselves, on our continent. Overtaking is allowed.”

He signed off with a nod to Bucci Franklin’s character Oboz da Boss in Kemi Adetiba’s To Kill A Monkey, writing: “Oboz TV. Expand your view.”

His carousel slides deepened the conversation, reminding creators to embrace cultural honesty in their work.

“Stop criticising how Sola Sobowale screams in movies when that’s exactly how our mothers scream at home. Tell African stories to Africans. Tell them so well, so consistently, that the world has to subtitle us. Borrow from the West what works—maths, measurement, logistics, standards. Offer what we have mastered—community, restorative justice, warmth, oral history, spiritual intuition, rawness. Combine them. That is civilization.”

He added that African filmmakers must train algorithms to find them, not the other way around.

“Stop apologising for being loud, vivid, dramatic. We don’t bend our voice to the global algorithm. We train the algorithm to find us. The way forward is not to replace our voice or mimic the West; it’s to refine our voice. Let’s bet on our continent. Overtaking is allowed.”

The post, tagged #WithChude and #OvertakingIsAllowed, drew passionate reactions from filmmakers, creatives, and fans alike, many echoing the same call for authenticity.

@tomtomiwa wrote, “Authenticity is the currency, our originality is rooted in our self-identity. We exude confidence when we embrace it.” while Niyi Akinmolayan the director known for The House of Secret, My Mother is a Witch and the upcoming movie Colours of Fire added, “Every slide is a hit back to back.”

Some comments reflected the humour and relatability of Chude’s message. @ozeiza said, “If she doesn’t scream, the movie can never be interesting. Sola please scream o ❤️.” while @diaryofa_s3xeducator shared, “I was on a call and my friend asked who was fighting in the background. I said, ‘That’s just my mom’s voice — she’s not fighting, she’s talking.’”

Others appreciated how deeply the post resonated with them. @matsecooks wrote, “You made me reflect deeply, and I’m now going back to the drawing board.” @cognitherapist commented, “It just inspired me to keep telling mental health stories the African way.”

Filmmaker godwinharrisond offered a thoughtful take: “We have too many films winning awards internationally but failing to connect with the woman by the roadside selling akara. Our stories have become too westernized. Take me back to the early 2000s — those films didn’t just win awards; they spoke deeply to the everyday Nigerian.”

For many commenters, it was more than a post, it was a rallying cry. @thisisugonna wrote, “I picked up a lot of knowledge from your keynote today and I’m implementing every word into the brand we’re building. My Africa story is for Africans across the globe with intentionality.”

Others simply celebrated the message with emojis, applause, and fire icons, proof that Jideonwo’s call for cultural confidence struck a chord. As one user summed it up, @moyoolalekan — “Overtaking is allowed!!”