Idris Elba reveal im plan to move to Africa

British actor Idris Elba don tell BBC say e go relocate to Africa within di next decade as part of im plans to support di continent movie industry.

Di 52-year-old star of di hit series The Wire dey behind some projects to build one film studio on di Tanzanian island of Zanzibar as well as one for di Ghanaian capital, Accra.

Born in London, Elba, wey im mama na from Ghana and papa from Sierra Leone, get one strong attachment to Africa.

E wan use im star power to back di growing film business as e say e dey key say Africans get to tell dia own stories.

"I go certainly consider to settle down hia; no even consider, say e go happun," e tok for one interview for di sidelines of one cinema industry meeting for Accra.

"I think [I go move] for di next five, 10 years, God willing. I dey hia to support di film industry - dat na 10-year process - I no go dey able to do dat from overseas. I need to dey di kontri, on di continent."

But in di spirit of Pan-Africanism e no go commit to live for one specific place.

"I dey go live for Accra, I dey go live for Freetown [Sierra Leone capital], I dey go to live for Zanzibar. I dey go to try and go wia dem dey tell stories - dat one really dey important."

Elba, wey bin play South African anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela for di 2013 biopic Long Walk to Freedom, believe say e dey key for Africans to dey centre-stage for di entire film-making process. Dat na for front of camera, behind di camera and also for financing, distribution, marketing and showing di final product.

E dey imagine say just as movie audiences around di world sabi di differences between di US cities of New York and Los Angeles without say e go really need to visit dem, dey go one day get more understanding of di continent.

"Dis sector na one soft power, no be just across Ghana but across Africa.

"If you watch any feem or anytin wey need do wit Africa, all you go see na trauma, how we be slaves, how we bin dey colonised, how e be just war and wen you come to Africa, you go realise say no be true.

"So, e dey really important say we own those stories of our tradition, of our culture, of our languages, of di differences between one language and anoda. Di world no sabi dat."

Wit Nigeria Nollywood wey dey produce hundreds of movies per year, films be arguably one of di kontri most successful exports. E also get one tradition, especially for parts of Francophone Africa, of making high-quality films.

For di past, Elba don recognise di talent for Africa film industry, but say di facilities dey "lack".

One 2022 report from Unesco back up di actor.

Di UN cultural agency tok say despite "significant growth in production", industries across di continent dey affected by issues like piracy, not enough training opportunities and lack of official film institutions.

Elba believe say wit di right encouragement and involvement of governments wey dey willing to create di right environment, one virtuous circle fit dey established.

"We need to invest in our story-telling sake of say wen you see me, you see one little version of yourself and dat dey encourage us."

Wetin Africans think about Idris Elba move back to di continent?

Some Africans dey react to di news about Idris Elba move back to di continent within di next ten years as part of im plans to support di movie industry dia.

Dis na some of di tins wey pipo dey tok on top dis mata on BBC social media page.

Positive: ‘Pipo go get work’

Dis na some of di positive tins pipo dey tok.

Muhehe James: Dat means pipo go get work.. Good news.

Umar Abdullahi: Ghana best Actor.

Murphy J Godson Olayode: Akon come back and im never regret am, first few years of adapting to di system fit dey tough but di strong in heart go survive.

Umar Abdullahi: Ghana best Actor.

Negative: ‘No come back’

Some of di not so good takes.

Musa Bukar: Brother no try to risk your life, live wia you fit do anytin you dream of.

Legit Young Presido: Na Lie. Im dey come back to Africa becos money dey hia and less competition compared to US.

Abdullahi Mohammed: No come back, Africa na graveyard.

Mixed: ‘What about Sierra Leone’

And di odas...

Mary Bangura Mbayo say: What about Sierra Leone? Too much drama and corruption O God, why good tins no dey come and last.