Actress and filmmaker Bukunmi Oluwasina has labelled the popular phrase “women supporting women” as a facade in the Nigerian film industry. 

In an interview with BBC Pidgin, the mother of one expressed skepticism about the authenticity of female solidarity, asserting that such support is often fleeting or insincere.

She said: “You know say women supporting women for Nollywood na scam. “E no dey always long. Even if they support each other, we know how e dey, but we dey see the men and dem dey do am. Everybody know say woman enemy na fellow woman.

“No be only for Nollywood. Women supporting women at some point, you go just see am. Even if dem talk say e dey happen, you go feel am say na scam.

“E no dey happen, and even if e happen, sometimes e no dey genuine”.

Oluwasina highlighted a troubling trend in Nollywood, where women are more likely to offer financial or professional assistance to men than to their female counterparts. 

“If you follow one woman talk, you go hear them talk say dem fit borrow man money make e start business, but to borrow fellow woman money make she start business e dey always hard. I no know how the thing dey like that. I no fault anybody, but e just dey,” she said.

She noted that while many women achieve success through hard work and talent, their efforts are often overshadowed by stereotypes implying that every successful woman relies on a sponsor. 

“Women dey industry wey no get sponsor, dem dey do the work, the work dey show, we know dem, we see dem and their work. But na other people wey dey under their shadow dey use am run their thing, dey water down those women effort, making it look like everybody get sponsor,” she added.