The spread of Nollywood is surprising to many critics and non-critics alike. As one writer Justine Atkinson writes, “Over the past two decades, Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry has become a cultural phenomenon attracting millions of viewers across Africa and the African Diaspora” (Atkinson). One Nigerian journalist called Ekerete Udoh was shocked to see the many people that turned to Nollywood films for entertainment while traveling. He wrote an article about his journey titled From Mexico, The Bahamas to Jamaica: Nollywood is rebranding Nigeria. This is an excerpt from the article that was published in a popular Nigerian newspaper called ThisDayLive. “As I stated in the opening line of this piece, in the summer that just passed, I visited Cancun, Mexico, Ochio-Rios in Jamaica and Nassau, in The Bahamas. In all these countries that I visited, the majesty of the Nigerian pop culture was evident-from the man on the street of Run- Away Bay, Montego Bay to the woman in Cable Beach, Nassau, or the Mexican in Chit Itzen-Itza- in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, I was bombarded with questions about Nollywood and its star actors and actresses. In Jamaica, I was told over 90 percent of the population is hooked on Nollywood and that it is almost a religion, and I can testify to that. My newspaper-The Diasporan Star which has a huge dose of Nollywood content has thousands of readers from the Island of Jamaica. My last port of call was Nassau-the capital of the tourist haven-The Bahamas. As I went to the casino at the hotel I stayed in Cable Beach section of the city, most people I encountered, spoke glowingly about Nigeria and the power of its pop culture, especially Nollywood” (Udoh , 2012).
Many observers of Nollywood have written articles on why Nollywood is such a popular way of entertainment in the Caribbean. Phillip Cartlli, a freelance writer explored this subject in his article titled Nollywood comes to the Caribbean. This is an excerpt from the article. “Aside from their racial identities, Nigerians and the inhabitants of Anglophone Caribbean Islands share important religious and cultural similarities that derive from their common heritage and experience of slavery and British colonialism that, in the case of the latter, left them with a common language. In the rural Caribbean, traditional values frequently prevail in a way often similar to those in West Africa.” He concludes his article with, “Their popularity among people of African descent is recent and surprising and indicates the potential for this film genre to grow beyond its Nigerian and African base” (Cartelli, 2007).
Many observers of Nollywood have written articles on why Nollywood is such a popular way of entertainment in the Caribbean. Phillip Cartlli, a freelance writer explored this subject in his article titled Nollywood comes to the Caribbean. This is an excerpt from the article. “Aside from their racial identities, Nigerians and the inhabitants of Anglophone Caribbean Islands share important religious and cultural similarities that derive from their common heritage and experience of slavery and British colonialism that, in the case of the latter, left them with a common language. In the rural Caribbean, traditional values frequently prevail in a way often similar to those in West Africa.” He concludes his article with, “Their popularity among people of African descent is recent and surprising and indicates the potential for this film genre to grow beyond its Nigerian and African base” (Cartelli, 2007).