I dont have anything against it – Bob Manuel speaks on Idris Alba playing Okonkwo in ‘Things Fall Apart’

A Nollywood veteran actor, Bob Manuel  has reacted to the report that Hollywood actor, Idris Elba will star as the lead character, “Okonkwo” in a television adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s novel ‘Things Fall Apart.’

Things Fall Apart’ is the first in Achebe’s celebrated African Trilogy, followed by No ‘Longer at Ease’ and ‘Arrow of God’.

Previous adaptations have included a film and a miniseries, the latter starring Pete Edochie as Okonkwo.

It was recently reported that the series is currently in development at A24, with Elba Elba and Gina Carter serving as executive producers under their 22Summers banner.

Bob Manuel Reacting in an interview with Channels TV said he has nothing against Elba playing the lead role but insisted that Nigeria has good and top class actors who can play the role better.

He explained, “There’s this conversation about Idris Elba being cast as Okonkwo in the Hollywood make of Things Fall Apart and I don’t have anything against that as an actor but I think that we have people who are top-class actors in Nigeria who can play that role better knowing where that story is coming from but that’s another story for another day.”

Udoku emphasised the need for collaboration across the film industries, highlighting that it is already beginning to take shape.

“What Nollywood needs now is collaboration and it’s beginning to happen. I happen to be part of another production that involves to major actors in India and another Hollywood-based actress. We need to have more collaborations with our counterparts in Europe and north America and it’s happening gradually. The bundle of talents we have in Nigeria is awesome,” he concluded.