Taiwo Egunjobi, the Nigerian filmmaker behind ‘The Fire and The Moth’ (screened at the 2024 NollywoodWeek Paris Film Festival), has carved a unique path from screenwriting to directing. In this candid interview with TheCable Lifestyle, Egunjobi reflects on his artistic evolution, the tension between commerce and creativity, and why he believes Nollywood is shying away from telling civil war stories.
TheCable Lifestyle: Your shift from writing to directing wasn’t overnight. What finally pushed you behind the camera?
Taiwo Egunjobi: I think that journey began in 2010. I was at university, and I suddenly realised I wasn’t enjoying what I was studying at school as much as I was enjoying writing dramas and thinking about stories. From that point, I started learning and teaching myself to write screenplays until I was able to produce a short film with a couple of friends back in the University, we made a film called Blades of Ennui and while I didn’t direct it; producing it gave me all the impetus to want to dip my hands in directing.
From 2014, I started making short films, shooting and editing them myself at times, acting in sketches, and the rest. Everything I had been doing leading up to that moment prepared me to be a director. At the time, I was already writing professionally in Nollywood. I got tired at some point and wanted to do my own thing, so I decided to make my first feature film in 2019, a little film called In Ibadan.
TheCable Lifestyle: Nollywood often forces a choice: artistic vision or commercial success. Have you faced that compromise?
Taiwo Egunjobi: That question goes in two ways. Firstly, it’s to the studios or film executives that provide the budgets, and with them. I don’t think I’ve had to compromise yet generally; I think I’ve been lucky to work with people who actually let me do the things I want to do broadly, and we are able to agree on most things.
I think the question can also be asked from the perspective of my relationship with the audience, and the way I see it is that, mentally, I want to be able to do things that are creatively fun and still be commercially appealing. I’m not interested in making stuff that doesn’t move people, so I guess that process is continuous.
TheCable Lifestyle: What’s the biggest misconception about a director’s role in Nollywood?
Taiwo Egunjobi: This is a fascinating question. I think a lot of people, including directors themselves, misunderstand the depth of creative authorship and control they need to have. Many assume the director’s job is mostly about telling actors where to stand and when to speak or just “calling the shots” on set.
But in truth, a great director shapes thematic tone, rhythm, visual storytelling, and performance modulation of a film from development through post-production.
In Nollywood, maybe because of tight budgets, rushed schedules, and producer-led structures, the director is often excluded from script development, casting decisions, and even editing and final cut decisions. This limits the director’s ability to create a coherent and elevated artistic vision. And maybe people have taken it for granted.
TheCable Lifestyle: What are the challenges of being a Nollywood director?
Taiwo Egunjobi: I think it starts with inadequate film education and training. Many filmmakers, including directors, are self-taught or learned on the job, which creates a huge gap in technical consistency and storytelling discipline.
Very few institutions in Nigeria offer proper, structured film education that blends theory with practice, especially at a high level. So we’re often working with crew and collaborators who are learning as they go, which puts incredible pressure on the director to carry everything.
Then there’s the issue of visual credibility. Nigeria’s infrastructure limits our ability to create believable cinematic worlds. You might want to set your story in a modern urban environment, but access to realistic locations, well-lit streets, functional skyscrapers, and polished office spaces is extremely limited. So, directors have to constantly adapt their stories to available and affordable environments, which sometimes weakens the vision.
Performance control is another big one. We have good actors, but they’re often stretched thin across multiple projects, with very little time for rehearsal. Add to that a culture of miscasting, where celebrity takes priority over suitability and it becomes difficult to get consistent, layered performances. The nuance that elevates a performance usually comes from preparation and focus, which are often luxuries here.
We also don’t have a strong culture of testing and reshoots. In many parts of the world, test screenings and pickups are part of the process, it’s how films get better. But here, once the film wraps, it’s basically final. There’s often no budget or time left to fix or refine things based on feedback.
Then there’s the lack of technical specialisation. Our crews work hard, but many are generalists. A cinematographer might shoot a romantic comedy today and a thriller tomorrow with the same visual approach. However, each genre uses a different visual language. Without specialised teams, directors often have to micromanage departments to maintain tone and coherence.
Also, story development is not taken seriously enough. It should be iterative and collaborative, involving script editors, departmental heads, and actors in development readings. Instead, the writer and director often try to solve everything in isolation, which leads to blind spots.
And finally, there’s a real shortage of creative producers, people who understand story, pacing, audience, and can give meaningful notes. We have many financial producers who can raise money, but few who can sit with a director and elevate the creative work.
So, the challenge isn’t just one thing; it’s a system. As a director, you often find yourself plugging multiple holes at once just to keep the vision intact.
TheCable Lifestyle: Nollywood churns out films relentlessly. Is quantity overshadowing quality?
Taiwo Egunjobi: Nollywood has different sub-markets in the sense that it is not a single thing but a combination of different things. Still, in most Nollywood sub-markets, quantity is the game and the strategy.
TheCable Lifestyle: What’s one trend in Nigerian cinema you believe is overrated and needs to die — or overdue for revival?
Taiwo Egunjobi: I think we’ve underestimated the Nigerian audience’s appetite for variety. There’s this persistent belief, especially among decision-makers and marketers, that only a certain type of film works here: glossy wedding comedies, ensemble dramas packed with every star you can think of, the so-called “jamboree films.” These projects get the biggest push in terms of distribution and marketing, so they naturally keep succeeding. But that success has become a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.
What I believe, and I know not everyone will agree, is that the Nigerian audience is far more diverse and curious than we give them credit for. A well-made film can connect deeply even if it doesn’t follow the usual formula. It just needs the same kind of visibility and belief behind it. Maybe someone needs to test that theory more deliberately, but I think it’s overdue.
TheCable Lifestyle: Are there stories Nollywood still avoids? Would you tackle them?
Taiwo Egunjobi: Yes, definitely. In recent years, there’s been a slow, sometimes uncomfortable push toward telling more difficult and confronting stories about our society. Some attempts feel genuine, others a bit performative or aesthetically driven, but the effort is there. That said, I think there’s still a deep hesitation around stories from the Nigerian civil war, for example. It’s almost like there’s a national silence; something we don’t know how to confront properly, and maybe we can’t afford to get wrong. I’ve been developing a project around that period for a while. It doesn’t necessarily require massive budgets but demands care, clarity, and time. And yes, I’d absolutely take that risk. I think someone has to.
TheCable Lifestyle: Your films have screened globally. What does that recognition feel like?
Taiwo Egunjobi: It feels really good to be back. I was at the Nollywood Film Festival in 2021, albeit virtually with ‘All Na Vibes’, and it was such a memorable experience, great energy, thoughtful conversations, and a genuine appreciation for our films.
So returning now, alongside so many amazing films, in such a beautiful cinema setting, and being part of all the events around the festival, it’s a real joy. It’s great to see Nigerian stories connecting with international audiences like this.
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