Mo Abudu Makes History In London As She Opens Permanent Cinema For African Films

Nigerian media entrepreneur Mo Abudu has launched a permanent cinema in London dedicated to African and Black films, describing the initiative as a major step towards changing global perceptions of the communities and their cultures.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Abudu said the project was inspired by the need to give underrepresented communities greater control over how their stories are told and understood. She also reflected on her experiences growing up in England, where she often found herself explaining African and Nigerian identity in response to questions she considered inappropriate.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Africa, which was shared on X on Friday, the media executive stressed that storytelling plays an important role in challenging racial prejudice and correcting misconceptions about African and Black communities.

Abudu maintained that addressing racism requires efforts to change the narratives surrounding affected communities and provide audiences with more accurate and diverse perspectives.

“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.

The entrepreneur explained that the new cinema would offer filmmakers and creatives a dedicated platform to showcase their work, culture and experiences without relying entirely on spaces where their stories may receive limited attention.

According to her, the facility would serve as a permanent home for African films and other cultural expressions, including food and fashion.

“This just gives a permanent 24-7 home to our films, to our food, to our fashion,” Abudu stated.

She clarified that the initiative was not intended to restrict African and Black filmmakers from distributing their productions through mainstream cinemas or other entertainment platforms. Instead, she believes establishing a dedicated space would help address the underrepresentation of their work while creating an environment where audiences could connect with stories that reflect their experiences.

“It’s not to say that Black and African films can’t sit on other platforms, but I think predominantly because we’re so underrepresented, we need to create spaces where we feel safe and where our content can be shared amongst us,” she said.

Abudu added that the cinema would also welcome audiences from other backgrounds, allowing them to learn more about African history, culture and contemporary experiences through film.

She emphasised that communities must have a meaningful role in shaping their own narratives if they hope to influence how the rest of the world perceives them.

“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 added.

Reflecting on her childhood and upbringing in England, Abudu recalled that she frequently found herself acting as an informal ambassador for Africa and Nigeria, particularly when people asked questions that revealed limited understanding of the continent.

“So being brought up in England, I found myself for the longest time literally being an ambassador for everything that was African or Nigerian. You will be asked the most pathetic questions,” she said.

She further explained that people sometimes made uncomfortable remarks about her background, which she and others would choose to tolerate rather than challenge directly.

“People would sometimes say pathetic things to you, and you kind of just like swallow it and move on,” she added.

Abudu’s new London cinema is intended to create more opportunities for African and Black films to reach wider audiences while giving filmmakers greater influence over how their communities and cultures are represented. The initiative also seeks to encourage cultural exchange by inviting international audiences to experience African stories from the perspectives of the people who tell them.