“Some executives avoid Igbo talents for fear of creating rivals” — Zubby Michael alleges lack of support for upcoming talents in entertainment industry

• Zubby Michael alleges that some executives avoid mentoring Igbo talents because they fear creating future competitors.

• The actor said Igbo people are “fast learners” and may master skills in a fraction of the time it took established professionals to learn them.

• Michael also claimed that some Igbo executives are reluctant to support younger Igbo talents because they fear being outshone by their mentees.

• His comments come amid a wider conversation about Igbo representation, investment, mentorship and cultural storytelling in Nollywood.

Nollywood actor Zubby Michael has alleged that some industry executives deliberately avoid supporting or mentoring Igbo talents because they fear the younger professionals could eventually become their rivals.

Michael made the claim while discussing the challenges faced by Igbo talents in the Nigerian entertainment industry, arguing that some established professionals are reluctant to transfer their knowledge to upcoming talents because of what could happen once those talents become successful.

According to the actor, some executives believe that mentoring an Igbo talent could eventually create a competitor who uses the knowledge gained to establish an independent career or business.

“Igbo people are fast learners and they are capable of making it big with just a little,” Michael said during an interview with Broadway TV, as reported by The Punch.

He explained that an executive could spend years acquiring a particular skill, only for someone they mentor to learn the same skill in a much shorter period.

“You might decide to mentor an Igbo person and what took you 10 years to learn, he will learn it in one year and six months,” he said.

Michael said this fear could make some people reluctant to give younger Igbo professionals the opportunity to learn from them.

He added that the concern becomes greater when the mentee eventually leaves to establish an independent venture, potentially turning into a competitor.

“And if you don’t treat him well, he will leave you and start doing the same business you taught him and become your competition. So, people are scared of that,” the actor said.

Michael also claimed that the situation is not limited to executives from other ethnic groups, alleging that some Igbo executives themselves are reluctant to support younger Igbo talents because they fear being surpassed by those they mentor.

“Industry executives, including some Igbos, don’t like supporting Igbos because they feel like they will get betrayed by their mentee outshining them,” he said.

The actor's comments come amid an ongoing conversation about the visibility of Igbo talent, culture and stories in Nollywood and the wider Nigerian entertainment industry.

Veteran actor Francis Duru recently weighed in on the subject, arguing that Igbo filmmakers and investors could learn from the Yoruba film industry’s approach to promoting its culture and stories.

Duru had called for greater investment in Igbo-language productions and cultural storytelling, while pointing to the success of Yoruba filmmakers in taking their stories to cinemas and streaming platforms.

Michael's comments add another perspective to the discussion, focusing specifically on mentorship and the relationship between established industry players and emerging talent.

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His position is that the reluctance of some established professionals to share knowledge or create opportunities for upcoming talents can limit the growth of those talents and, by extension, the industry.

However, Michael's comments are an allegation and his personal assessment of the situation, rather than evidence that executives across Nollywood systematically avoid Igbo talents.

The actor has built a significant career in Nollywood, particularly through his roles in action-oriented films and his involvement in film production.

His remarks have consequently drawn attention to a broader question within the entertainment industry: whether established professionals should view successful mentees as competitors or as part of the next generation capable of strengthening the industry.