Domitilla: When I Made Domitilla, I Didn’t Have Money, I Just Said “Let Me Make Something” -Ejiro

Veteran filmmaker Zeb Ejiro, widely celebrated as the “Father of Nollywood,” has revealed that his iconic 1996 film Domitilla was produced on the smallest budget of his career, despite later becoming one of the most successful movies in Nigeria’s film industry.

Ejiro made the disclosure during an interview on The Legacy Series, where he reflected on the circumstances surrounding the production of the classic movie. The renowned director explained that financial constraints forced him to work with very limited resources, but his determination to keep creating films motivated him to move forward with the project.

Speaking about the production, Ejiro said: “Domitilla was the lowest budgeted movie I ever made. When I made Domitilla I didn’t have money I just said ‘let me just do something’.”

According to the veteran filmmaker, the decision to produce the movie was driven more by passion than financial strength. Rather than waiting until he had enough funding, he chose to make the best use of the little resources available, believing that telling a compelling story was more important than having a large production budget.

The gamble proved to be a remarkable success. Domitilla, which explored themes of survival, prostitution and the social pressures facing young women, went on to become one of Nollywood’s most memorable productions. The film received widespread acclaim and remains a reference point in conversations about the evolution of the Nigerian movie industry…....