Oboli argued that a film's predictability does not diminish its quality if the storytelling journey is compelling. "A story can be predictable, but if it’s well told, people will still watch it and enjoy it,” she stated, emphasizing the crucial role of strong narrative and character development in captivating an audience.
The filmmaker passionately defended Nollywood's creative depth, suggesting that its storytelling often surpasses that of its Western counterparts in terms of originality. "Stories have never really been our problem. I feel like in this part of the world, we have actually more original stories than outside of Nigeria. I dare say that Nollywood has more original stories than Hollywood," Oboli declared.
She challenged critics to name Hollywood films that are not predictable, citing common tropes in superhero movies where the protagonist inevitably triumphs, or romantic comedies where the couple always ends up together. According to Oboli, the true essence of cinematic enjoyment lies in the narrative progression, not solely in an unexpected conclusion.
"I hear people say, Oh, these movies are predictable. I’m like, name five or ten Hollywood movies that are not predictable. We all know the superhero is going to win the day. If it’s a romantic comedy, you know the girl is going to get the guy or the guy is going to get the girl. So it’s not about the predictability of a film. What you’re watching is the journey," she explained. "What you’re watching out for is the process. How do they get there? If the journey is not interesting, that’s when you start saying, Oh, so predictable. That is because you didn’t enjoy the journey."
Oboli further highlighted the increasing global appeal of Nollywood, leveraging insights from YouTube analytics. She revealed that viewership extends far beyond Nigerian or African audiences, with people from diverse international backgrounds actively tuning in. "And the truth is the audience are loving it. And I’m not just talking about the Nigerian audience. I’m talking about an audience from all over the world," she noted. "Like, I mean, YouTube is special in a way that it can show you where people are watching from. So your back end will show you where people are watching from. And people are literally watching these movies from all over. Sometimes you see some countries like, really? Do they watch our movies there? People are watching from all over the world. And it’s not even just Nigerians or Africans in those places. It’s literally that people are getting more and more interested."
Oboli's comments serve as a strong affirmation of Nollywood's growing influence and its capacity to tell compelling stories that resonate with a global audience.