Key Takeaways

• Majid Michel’s position: The Ghanaian actor described comparisons between Ghana’s film industry and Nollywood as unfair.
• Population difference: He cited the difference between Ghana’s and Nigeria’s populations as a key reason for his argument.
• Filmmaking numbers: Michel argued that Nigeria’s larger population could explain why it has more filmmakers.
• Wider perspective: He extended his argument to comparisons between Ghana and other established nations, referring to leadership experience and developed systems.
• The central point: His comments represent his argument about how the two countries should be compared, rather than independent proof of which film industry is better.

Ghanaian actor Majid Michel has criticised comparisons between Ghana’s movie industry and Nigeria’s Nollywood, describing them as unfair because of the significant difference in the two countries’ populations.

Speaking during an interview with Y1079 FM Accra, the veteran actor argued that Nigeria’s much larger population gives it a greater pool of people who could become actors, filmmakers and professionals in other fields.

Majid Michel Questions the Comparison Between Both Industries

Michel believes comparisons between Ghana’s film industry and Nollywood should take population differences into account. He used an analogy involving two groups of children to explain why a country with a larger population could naturally have more people in different professions.

He described the comparison between Ghana and Nigeria as unreasonable, arguing that the likelihood of finding more professionals in a country with a much larger population would be higher.

“The comparison between us and Nigeria is such a stupid comparison to me. If you have 50 children and I have 5 children, the possibility that you will have more criminals, doctors, good children and filmmakers than me is very high.

The actor’s argument centres on population size as a factor when assessing the number of people working in different professions, including filmmaking.

His Argument About Nigeria’s Population

Michel also cited the population sizes of Ghana and Nigeria to support his position. He said Ghana has fewer than 40 million people, while Nigeria has a population exceeding 200 million, which he argued makes a direct comparison between their film industries unfair.

“We are less than 40 million in Ghana. Nigeria is over 200 million, almost 300 million. So how on earth would you compare?

He further applied the same reasoning to the number of doctors and filmmakers in both countries, arguing that a larger population could account for a greater number of professionals.

“Why do they have more doctors than us? Mathematically, you should know why. So if Nigeria has more filmmakers than us, it only makes sense because they are way more than us.

His remarks suggest that population size should be considered when comparing the scale of professional industries across countries.

Michel Extends His Argument Beyond Nollywood

Beyond the comparison with Nigeria, Michel argued that Ghana should also be cautious about comparing itself with other established nations.

He connected his position to differences in leadership experience and the development of national systems, suggesting that countries with longer histories of established leadership may have advantages over Ghana.

“It is also unfair for us to compare ourselves with any other established nation in the world. When it comes to leadership, we are adolescent.

He continued by pointing to the length of time some countries have spent developing their systems.

“There are countries that have been in leadership for over 300 years. They have built systems. We are way behind. So it is an unfair comparison.”

These comments broadened his argument from the film industry to his views on national development and institutional experience.

What His Comments Mean for the Nollywood-Ghana Film Industry Debate

Michel’s position is that population differences are an important consideration when comparing the number of professionals working in Nigeria and Ghana. His remarks do not, by themselves, establish which country produces better films or has more talented filmmakers.

Instead, the actor’s central argument is that comparisons between the two industries should account for the different sizes of their potential talent pools.

His comments provide his perspective on the debate over Nollywood and Ghana’s movie industry, with population and national development forming the basis of his explanation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What did Majid Michel say about comparing Nollywood with Ghana’s movie industry?

Majid Michel described the comparison as “stupid” and argued that Nigeria’s much larger population makes a direct comparison unfair.

2. Where did Majid Michel make the comments?

According to the source report, he made the remarks during an interview with Y1079 FM Accra.

3. Why does Majid Michel believe the comparison is unfair?

He believes population size matters because a country with more people has a larger potential pool of actors, filmmakers and professionals.

4. What population figures did Majid Michel mention?

He said Ghana had fewer than 40 million people and described Nigeria’s population as exceeding 200 million, approaching 300 million. These figures are presented as his quoted remarks, not independently verified statistics in this article.

5. Did Majid Michel discuss countries beyond Ghana and Nigeria?

Yes. He also argued that Ghana’s comparisons with other established nations should consider differences in leadership experience and the development of national systems.

6. Did Majid Michel establish that Nollywood is better than Ghana’s film industry?

No. His argument focused on population size and the number of professionals. The comments provided do not independently establish which industry produces better films or has more talented filmmakers.