Actress Joke Silva has called on the Cross River State Government to revive the abandoned Tinapa Film Village, describing it as a wasted opportunity for Nigeria’s film industry.
Speaking in Abuja, the Chief Daddy actress lamented the state of the once-promising facility.
She said, “Tinapa was built to be Nigeria’s Hollywood. It had world-class studios, sound stages and accommodations for filmmakers. But today, it’s a ghost of its promise.”
Joke added, “It breaks my heart because that place had the potential to transform our film industry and create jobs for thousands of young Nigerians.”
According to her, the revival of the project must go beyond renovating structures. “If we can breathe life into Tinapa again, we can revive the heartbeat of Nollywood in the South-South region. It could attract global investors, filmmakers and tourists. But it requires vision, political will and public-private collaboration,” she said.
Joke Silva’s appeal comes ahead of the Cross River International Investment Summit scheduled to hold in London from November 17 to 19, themed “Unlocking Opportunities and Driving Sustainable Growth with the People’s First Agenda.”
The Tinapa Film Village, located in Calabar, was launched in 2007 by the then governor Donald Duke as part of the Tinapa Resort project. The complex included film studios, shopping centres, a hotel and an entertainment zone aimed at boosting tourism and the creative sector.
However, years of neglect and management challenges have left the facility underutilised. Reports show that infrastructure like the Calabar Monorail, built to link the city to Tinapa, has also been abandoned.
