Rich People Trades
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing

Rich People Trades

World News

‘Be bold and do it anyway’: Mo Abudu on her vision for African cinema

by admin May 2, 2025
May 2, 2025
‘Be bold and do it anyway’: Mo Abudu on her vision for African cinema

Mo Abudu has a vision for Africa’s creative economy, and the next stage will start in an old lecture hall in South London. The Nigerian media mogul plans to turn the building into a hub for Nigerian food, culture and cinema.

Abudu first found fame in 2006 as the host of the Nigerian talk show “Moments with Mo,” before starting pan-African network EbonyLife TV in 2013, and EbonyLife Films in 2014. In 2019, she launched EbonyLife Place in Lagos, Nigeria, the twin of her new cultural hub, EbonyLife Place London.

Setting up in London was an obvious step for Abudu, who was born there and moved to Nigeria when she was seven to live with her grandmother. Her father died when she was 11, and she returned to the UK, moving back to Nigeria when she was 30.

Abudu had a successful career in HR, but, as she entered her fifth decade, she realized she wanted something different. “I woke up at age 40 and I said, ‘I’m done,’” recalled Abudu.

Her friends thought she was having a midlife crisis, but Abudu says that she had just been too scared to switch careers earlier. The fear is still with her now with her London venture, she says, but her attitude has changed.

“You may be scared and afraid of doing it, but you’re going to have to just be bold and do it anyway.”

A film fund for African storytellers

Now, Abudu sees opportunity for Nigerian films in the UK – but only if they are given the right opportunities.

“Our films are traveling across the continent but they’re not really traveling to the UK for theatrical releases simply because we don’t have the cinemas here that are ready to take those films on,” Abudu said.

She is intent on making African cinema a business that can deliver returns, and says capacity building is central to that vision. Abudu developed the $50 million Afro Film Fund alongside actor Idris Elba. It will open at the end of 2025 and Abudu believes it can fill some of the gaps in the African creative economy, part of her vision of “completing the value chain” of African cinema.

“We’re training, you’re getting funding, your film is getting distributed, you’re monetizing,” she said.

Monetization is the ultimate aim in Abudu’s development of the media ecosystem. “If we don’t build it, we can’t scale the industry,” she said. “If we can’t scale the industry, we can’t monetize.”

Mo Abudu, pictured here as a young girl, was born in London.
Mo Abudu/EbonyLife Media

Abudu’s portrait for the 2025 TIME100 list of most influential people.
Felix Crown

Abudu turned 60 last year and, by all measures, seems to be only speeding up. By the end of this year EbonyLife Place London, the streaming platform EbonyLife ON, and the Afro Film Fund will all have launched. She was named as one of TIME’s 100 most influential people this year.

Related video Why the COO of one of the world’s foremost AI companies spent 50 hours interviewing for her job

Elba, who worked with Abudu worked on the short film “Dust to Dreams” and is currently developing a feature film with her, penned her biography for TIME, writing: “She wastes no time. She has an infectious, can-do attitude and the tenacity to overcome any obstacle in her way.”

Despite her focus on the business of media, Abudu believes deeply in the need for more African representation in films and television outside of the continent. “It is time for us to wake up and realize that we need to push out,” she said.

“We have to tell our own stories,” she added. “We have that responsibility to tell them and, as we tell them, they must travel.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

previous post
Next US national security advisor? Here’s who Trump might pick to replace Waltz
next post
Counter terror police investigate band Kneecap over controversial videos, as more gigs canceled

Related Posts

Sharks drew crowds to this Israeli beach for...

April 23, 2025

Hamas and Israel trade blame over deal violations....

January 26, 2025

They fled repression in Venezuela. They may migrate...

February 13, 2025

Zelensky says Trump’s backing is ‘crucial’ after US...

March 2, 2025

Volcano eruption in Guatemala forces hundreds to evacuate

March 11, 2025

Deadly attack rocks Pakistan military base

March 5, 2025

Trump and Zelensky’s fiery exchange underlines US pivot...

March 3, 2025

Belgian teens arrested with 5,000 smuggled ants as...

April 17, 2025

Conor McGregor announces run for Irish presidency on...

March 21, 2025

El Salvador says it shares gang intel with...

April 10, 2025

    Join our mailing list to get access to special deals, promotions, and insider information. Your exclusive benefits await! Enjoy personalized recommendations, first dibs on sales, and members-only content that makes you feel like a true VIP. Sign up now and start saving!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Editors’ Picks

    • 1

      First lady Melania Trump’s new official portrait revealed

      January 28, 2025
    • 2

      Health experts prep Dem lawmakers on anti-vaccine arguments ahead of RFK Jr’s confirmation hearings

      January 28, 2025
    • 3

      Vale Launches Strategic Review of Thompson Nickel Operations Amid Market Challenges

      January 28, 2025
    • 4

      ECOWAS pledges to ‘keep door open’ after 3 coup-hit West African nations exit regional bloc

      January 30, 2025
    • 5

      American fighters are dying in Ukraine in growing numbers. Bringing their bodies home is a complex task

      January 30, 2025
    • 6

      Scorched-earth Shanahan: RFK Jr’s former running mate threatens political war against confirmation opponents

      January 30, 2025
    • 7

      Coral bleaching on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef reaches ‘catastrophic’ levels, study finds

      January 23, 2025
    • About us
    • Contacts
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Email Whitelisting

    Disclaimer: richpeopletrades.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2025 richpeopletrades.com | All Rights Reserved