Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Rubbin’ Minds on Sunday, the former musician—who first rose to fame in the UK as a co-founder of Big Brovaz and later JJC & the 419 Squad—recalled the turning point that led him to Nollywood.
“As far back as I can remember, I have been shooting music videos for years. Even my We Are Africans video, I shot that myself,” he said. “But after doing African Gang in 2011, I realised I was getting too old for the young scene, so I knew it was time to evolve. I packed my bags and moved into Nollywood. I was very passionate about telling stories.”
Starting Over in Nigeria
Despite his success abroad, JJC admitted that breaking into Nollywood was anything but smooth. Returning to Nigeria in the early 2010s, he found himself treated as an outsider.
“I was a JJC [a newbie]. I didn’t grow up with most of the filmmakers in Nigeria, so it was like, ‘You want to enter our space?’ Some doors were closed. There are gatekeepers at all levels,” he explained.
The filmmaker credited actor Deyemi Okanlawon and actress-turned-director Funke Akindele for supporting his journey when others were hesitant. According to him, their belief in his talent gave him the confidence to keep going.
On Nollywood’s Cinema Dilemma
Turning to the state of Nigeria’s cinema culture, JJC painted a bleak picture of revenue sharing, which he described as deeply unfair to filmmakers.
“We put in a lot of work, but sometimes the cinemas take 70 per cent, other times 60 per cent, and after paying 22 per cent tax, we’re left with nothing. It’s a situation of monkey dey work, baboon dey chop,” he lamented.
He added that filmmakers are often forced to double as their own marketers since distribution companies do little to push their projects. To prove his commitment to audiences, he once marketed a film with a money-back guarantee for dissatisfied viewers.
Streaming Hope and Uncertainty
For a while, streaming platforms offered a glimmer of hope, opening new avenues for Nigerian filmmakers to reach global audiences. But with several major players pulling back from the local market, JJC fears the industry may be drifting backwards.
“The hope for a better day was with streaming companies, but they’ve left. So now we’re back to asking, ‘If we put our money into it, will we get it back?’ At the end of the day, it’s a business, and creativity is getting killed,” he said.
From Music Pioneer to Nollywood Storyteller
Before Nollywood, JJC Skillz had an accomplished career in music. With Big Brovaz and later JJC & the 419 Squad, he delivered hits like We Are Africans and won several accolades, including the KORA Award for Best African Group and the NEA Best International Artist.
His filmmaking journey has since been marked by several standout projects. He co-created the music-themed series Industreet, directed episodes of the popular Jenifa’s Diary, co-directed the blockbuster Omo Ghetto: The Saga, and recently helmed Amazon Prime’s She Must Be Obeyed. Earlier this month, he released Hakeem: Seeking Justice, a film praised for its Hollywood-style action sequences and scale.
Now at 48, JJC Skillz embodies a rare crossover story—an artist who traded the microphone for the camera lens, driven by the same passion for storytelling but tempered by the realities of Nigeria’s creative economy.