Iyabo Ojo Speaks on the Use of Black Magic in Nigeria, Claims They Work
- Iyabo Ojo made waves online as she spoke on the importance of black magic in African storytelling
- The actress in a media chat wth BBC 1Xtra discussed the theatrics behind her new movie The Return of Arinzo
- Butressing further on its epic storyline, Iyabo waded into the use of voodoo in Yoruba culture and how it works
- Filmmaker Sunny Okonkwo spoke on why African spirituality remains such a powerful theme in Nollywood storytelling
Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo had the attention of many with her bold remarks on the relevance of black magic in African storytelling.
Speaking in an interview with BBC 1Xtra about her recent movie The Return of Arinzo, Ojo addressed critics who often dismiss Nollywood productions because of their special effects.
Source: Instagram
“What do you say to people who might not take Nollywood seriously because of those special effects?” she was asked.
Responding, Ojo explained that African cinema must remain true to its roots.
“Well, it's Africa, and we have to tell our story the way it is, no matter how much we want to westernise it or modernise it. There are voodoo in Africa, and they work. So whether you like it or not or accept it, it's what we call Ayetta,” she said.
She emphasised that filmmakers cannot shy away from cultural realities, noting that showcasing elements like voodoo reflects the imagination and creativity of Nigerians.
“Sometimes it's comical, but sometimes we're being dead serious. This is what it could be,” she added.
Watch her speak below:
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a fresh update about The Return of Arinzo, a movie by Nollywood actress and filmmaker Iyabo Ojo at the box office, was shared on Monday, April 27, 2026.
According to the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, Iyabo's movie has recorded N311.5 million at the cinemas.
In an appreciation message to fans and supporters, Film One wrote via its social media page,
"The Return of Arinzo grosses 311.5 Million and counting, The Return of Arinzo maintains its spot as the number one film for four consecutive weekends. Thank you, West Africa, for showing up and showing out. Your love is taking this film higher and higher!"
Reacting to her latest achievement at the cinema, Iyabo, who is currently outside the country, shared a video featuring actress Mercy Aigbe and her daughter, Priscilla.
In an appreciation message to fans and supporters, Iyabo revealed she is looking forward to seeing her movie hit half a billion, as she encouraged them to visit the nearest cinema to watch the movie.
Aigbe and Priscilla also called on their fans as well to show support for Iyabo.
Source: Instagram
"Guys let’s vote! Which fanbase will take The Retun of Arinzo to 500M in West Africa," Iyabo added in a caption.
In related news, Legit.ng reported that on April 6, 2026, Iyabo Ojo's movie set records in cinemas less than a week after its release.
Iyabo revealed that her movie emerged as the highest-grossing movie of the Easter weekend at the Nigerian box office.
According to the actress, the Return of Arinzo grossed N104.8m in its opening weekend, breaking multiple records, including the biggest Easter opening, the highest-grossing film of the weekend, and the second-highest opening weekend performance for 2026.
“African spirituality is deeply rooted in our identity and history”: Sunny Okonkwo, filmmaker
Filmmaker Sunny Okonkwo in a chat with Legit.ng, spoke on why African spirituality remains such a powerful theme in Nollywood storytelling
In his words:
“I believe African spirituality remains one of the most powerful themes in Nollywood because it is deeply rooted in our identity, history, emotions, and cultural consciousness. Long before modern cinema, Africans told stories around myths, ancestral beliefs, unseen forces, morality, consequences, and spiritual encounters. Nollywood simply transformed those oral traditions into visual storytelling.
"What many people fail to understand is that spiritual themes in films are not always about promoting black magic or forcing beliefs on audiences. Sometimes they are symbolic explorations of fear, power, greed, destiny, family, trauma, and human choices. That is the beauty of cinema. Stories reflect the society they come from.
“Hollywood constantly explores vampires, exorcism, demons, and supernatural worlds, yet African filmmakers are questioned when we tell stories inspired by our own realities and folklore. African spirituality gives Nollywood originality, suspense, emotional depth, and cultural authenticity that global audiences actually find fascinating. The future challenge is not abandoning these stories. It is elevating them through better writing, stronger acting, cinematic visuals, sound design, and world-class production quality while preserving the soul of African storytelling. It's our thing, and we are owing it.”
Netizens react to Iyabo Ojo's interview
Legit.ng compiled the reactions below:
otimabuse said:
"We love Nollywood."
ifakingfell said:
"We love the effects, when they played in Black Panther 🔥🔥🔥 it works across cinema."
ella_cr1 said:
"Are we asking Indians these questions 👀 just saying 🙃."
alexx.is.king
12h said:
"Correlation in the mud."
Iyabo Ojo sends heartfelt message to Toyin Abraham
Legit.ng also reported that Toyin Abraham and Iyabo Ojo dismissed viral speculations of a feud between them following the viral drama at the latter's premiere for her movie The Return of Arinzo.
As the movie hit the cinema on Friday, April 3, 2026, Abraham was one of the celebrities in the entertainment industry who showed support for Ojo.
Abraham's direct message to her fans also caught Ojo's attention, who expressed her gratitude, referring to the actress as her sister.
Source: Legit.ng
