Nigerians Online Protest as Lupita Nyong’o Assumes Role of Nigerian Character in New Series
Nigerians on social media are up in arms over the decision by American film company HBO Max to pick Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o to play the role of a Nigerian character.
Lupita will star on a limited series ‘Americanah’, which is based on Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s best-selling novel of the same name.
In the 10-episode series, Lupita will act as Ifemelu (Lupita), a young, beautiful, self-assured woman raised in Nigeria, who as a teenager falls in love with her classmate Obinze.
Living in a military-ruled country, they each depart for the west, with Ifemelu moving to the US, where, despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with racism.
On the other hand, Obinze, a son of a professor, hoped to join her in the US, but with post-9/11 in America, he is denied a visa. He relocates to the UK and becomes an undocumented immigrant after the expiry of his visa.
Nigerians online protested the move to give Lupita the role, arguing that there are many talented actresses in the West African nation who perfectly fit the character.
“Why tf is Lupita in this if she’s not Igbo or Nigerian? This is literally like having a Japanese person play a Korean person..makes no sense, ” Halimee said.
“The whole point is that there are a lot of Nigerian actors who would have PERFECTLY executed the role and Lupita being cast just shows that the story isn’t respected enough bc they just gave the role to their go-to “African” girl.”
She added: “The story is of Nigeria and a Nigerian, was written by a Nigerian and it’s only right to honor the author by portraying the story the closest they can to the book.”
Another user suggested: “How about Yvonne Orji? Since she’s actually Igbo and Nigerian why can’t she play it? SMH”
Donis noted: “Seriously? Use an Igbo actress dammit I can’t deal,I feel the forced Igbo accent already.”
Nena said: “But we have a whole Nigerian actress who speaks the Igbo language and has the actual accent. We LOVE Lupita, but please give @GenevieveNnaji1 this role. Thank you.”
Kenyans online, however, hit back at Nigerians, saying that Lupita was chosen due to her prowess.
“Someone needs some schooling. An actor can play any role. Moreover, @Lupita_Nyongo is the best there is out there. Shouldn’t you be proud that it’s even a real African who has gotten that role? In most cases it’s African American who finds it hard getting the accent right,” Peet Home said.
Dave noted: “If your Naija actors in Hollywood who have had a 20-year career can’t do better to earn themselves an oscar let @Lupita_Nyongo do it,,,,just sit down and be humble.”
Comments
This uproar is awaste of…
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This uproar is awaste of time. It has already been decided by the producers that lupita is the"chosen one".Naijas can amass some naira and make their own version of Americana,and use all naija characters.
This clamoring of just one actress show how africa is starved of international actors.
In the Movie SELMA,I believe that the character representing Martin Luther King,the civil rights icon was given to a Britton-Naija.If their was any uproar, I missed it.The point being,let the movie makers ,backed by their financial muscle pick whomever they want for any roll.And ifyou dont like the movie or acharacter in it,simply just dont waste your penny and time watching it.
And for your information to those naija talking of lutipa not being igbo..., to the larger movie consummers, what's is important is that the actor or actress acted"african" In other words amovie goer in Bangladesh,or Berlin will not care if Lupita is an Igbo or a dinka,and for that matter,they may even to be likely to discern the difference.So naijas here are crying sour grapes
She was chosen for her track…
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She was chosen for her track record, period. Wameze wembe.
The only thing Africans have…
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The only thing Africans have in common is stupidity
At the end of the day they…
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At the end of the day they pick whoever can make them some money 💰 and Lupita has proven she can deliver.
Why didn't they complain…
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Why didn't they complain when Thandie Newton (a Briton) acted in Chimamanda's "Half a yellow sun or was it moon'. Nigerians cannot act. Uzo tried in Netflix...but yoh!
wamjomba, I AGREE, I SEE…
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wamjomba, I AGREE, I SEE ALOT OF STUPIDITY WITH YOUR POSTS.
you're a tribalist moron.
You are back to mwakilishi??…
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In reply to wamjomba, I AGREE, I SEE… by ken motley (not verified)
You are back to mwakilishi?? Looks like you didn’t get my very last response to you, alright, it’s sunday night let me be nice to you for a second.I know the white slave master named KEN MOTLEY might be rolling over in his grave!!
Yes , i am a tribalistic moron, what’s your tribe?
Please, don’t skip your medications otherwise you might collapse one day ( you sound diabetic).
Watch National Felons League ( NFL) the Antonio Brown stuff or the Aaron Hernandez ( the late murderer), it’s sunday anyway, if you can’t , just go join terror groups like black lives matter (BLM) otherwise I made it clear in my last response and seems you don’t get it because of your low IQ with massive brain damage.
Now once again stay away from me, you mess with me it’s like touching cobras tail.
You are back to mwakilishi??…
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In reply to wamjomba, I AGREE, I SEE… by ken motley (not verified)
You are back to mwakilishi?? Looks like you didn’t get my very last response to you, alright, it’s sunday night let me be nice to you for a second.I know the white slave master named KEN MOTLEY might be rolling over in his grave!!
Yes , i am a tribalistic moron, what’s your tribe?
Please, don’t skip your medications otherwise you might collapse one day ( you sound diabetic).
Watch National Felons League ( NFL) the Antonio Brown stuff or the Aaron Hernandez ( the late murderer), it’s sunday anyway, if you can’t , just go join terror groups like black lives matter (BLM) otherwise I made it clear in my last response and seems you don’t get it because of your low IQ with massive brain damage.
Now once again stay away from me, you mess with me it’s like touching cobras tail.
kikuyu majomba, I make more…
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In reply to You are back to mwakilishi??… by Kikuyu Wamjomba (not verified)
kikuyu majomba, I make more than you and you Kikuyu wife together along with your village buddies. BELIEVE THAT! my low IQ is way more than yours, I live a very comfortable life punkass
Again in mwakilishi?? For…
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In reply to kikuyu majomba, I make more… by ken motley (not verified)
Again in mwakilishi?? For real something wrong with you!! You couldn’t answer a simple question what brought your Negro ass to mwakilishi?? Looks like you are a negro loner swinging his vasectomized ass in African community. Don’t skip your diabetes meds otherwise the more you drop your Negro stupidity here the lesser you will live, let’s hope hypertension wipes you faster, ooh wait, hope one day a cop gets rid of you save taxpayers money,
Ok Go to hell Negro
Hey Negro KEN MOTLEY, hope…
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In reply to kikuyu majomba, I make more… by ken motley (not verified)
Hey Negro KEN MOTLEY, hope one day your fellow negro blows out your rotten brain, you are a piece of waste here cannot figure out even a user name here in mwakilishi you came out with your entire fucken name, Maybe you need a special noose to be hanged ( actually Jim Crow must be shaking his head). There is karma waiting you soon
HBO Max is an American…
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HBO Max is an American company and has right to hire whoever it choses to do the job. This is America not Nigeria and whether Nigerians likes it or not HBO Max has chosen Lupita to act as Ifemelu and for the reason that she is the right person to do the job. Hollywood and Nollywood are not compertable. Film makers in Nollywood place too much emphasis on the portrayal of negatives, part of which is witchcraft, juju, ritual, fetishisms and occultism etc. This portrayal has giving Nigeria a
bad image Worldwide and do dissuade international film makers from contracting them to act in their films. Nigerian voodooist is characterized by sorcery and spirit possession and in order for them to play roles in western films they(Nigerians) have to be deprogrammed and purified back to sanity and that takes a long time and hence the choice of Lupita
She bought the movie rights…
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She bought the movie rights from the author five years ago with intent to produce and star in! She has the author’s blessings.
kikuyu wamjomba is a punk…
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kikuyu wamjomba is a punk. you're dissing the same people that make you not suffer in America. you sound like a tribalist fool from Gitwamba sub location. it is fools like you who come to America and think umefika, dude, you're still a village fool. know your history and peleka this village crap back to Kenya. useless Mf. you said you have two kids and your kikuyu wife? please don't make them think like you, you're a waste of air.
It is just a simple question…
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It is just a simple question; who is going to bring the big $$$, there is no other argument sijui she can act (I have about over 10 black women who are great actresses but they didn't kiss the big ring:-).
Lets face it! Nigerians,…
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Lets face it! Nigerians, apart from being fraudsters, scammers and dishonest people, like their newly-found Kenyan counterparts, "ARE TOO NOISY, LOUD-MOUTHED, AND BELIEVES IN WITCHES...and watching their own movies, Americans can stomach that. So no money. Wakimie. The choice of any character in movie-making is determined by so many things. Sio kiuduso.
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