Veteran Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Ibrahim Chatta, has revealed the inspiration behind his multimillion-naira film village during a special appearance on the Saturday edition of the TVC Breakfast Show.
The celebrated thespian shared details of the long-nurtured vision that led to the establishment of his film village in Oyo State.
Mr Chatta, known for his roles in indigenous and epic Nollywood productions such as Aye Koto, traced the idea back to 1986, when as a young theatre enthusiast, he visited a film set in Ososa, Ogun State. He recalled how the experience planted a dream in his heart to one day create a dedicated space for filmmakers to tell authentic African stories. “I didn’t even think about the monetary part back then,” he said. “I just wanted a place people could come and make their films.”
Addressing the need for preserving traditional narratives, Chatta explained how the rapid urbanisation of many ancestral homes — from thatched roofs to modern buildings — was eroding the natural sets needed for epic films. “I realised that if we’re not careful, we won’t have spaces to tell our traditional stories anymore. That was when I decided I could solve this problem,” he added.
Chatta’s film village, located in Oyo town, is currently designed to support epic productions rooted in Yoruba, Igbo, and broader African traditions. However, the actor-director revealed that plans are underway to expand the facility to accommodate urban settings like those found in Lagos, Lekki, and Ikorodu, and even simulate northern and eastern Nigerian environments. “Sometimes the cost of travelling to different parts of the country for film shoots is huge. With this village, you can bring those regions to Oyo,” he said.
The land for the project was initially acquired during a personal film production effort, but the idea soon evolved into a full-fledged film village. Chatta also hinted at plans to replicate similar developments in his home state of Cross River.
With this ambitious project, Ibrahim Chatta is positioning himself not just as a star on screen but also as a visionary reshaping the future of African storytelling infrastructure.
