Mount Zion films don’t demonise Yoruba culture, says Joshua Bamiloye

Joshua Bamiloye, son of Mount Zion Films founder Mike Bamiloye, has refuted claims that the faith-based film ministry demonizes Yoruba culture and spirituality. His defense comes as the ministry prepares to re-release its popular film "Agbara Nla" in cinemas 34 years after its original debut.

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Here we go again, and yet you couldn’t get through one paragraph without misrepresenting what Mount Zion actually does.

Criticism arose from an X user who accused Mount Zion Films of perpetuating "stupid, tired propaganda" by portraying Yoruba spirituality as inherently evil while promoting Christianity. The user argued that this narrative has been a long-standing formula for the ministry, suggesting it profits from such portrayals. They also noted a growing public willingness to question these narratives.

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MZ doesn’t demonize Yoruba culture. It celebrates it; the colors, the language, the proverbs, the royalty.

Joshua Bamiloye countered these accusations, asserting that Mount Zion Films "celebrates" Yoruba culture, citing its use of language, proverbs, and respect for royalty in its productions. He used the character Abejoye as an example, highlighting how the character embraced Christianity while retaining his Yoruba identity and proverbs. Bamiloye also rejected the framing of the conflict as "Yoruba spirituality vs foreign religion," stating that Mount Zion's films depict "Light vs Darkness," a struggle independent of nationality. He added that this conflict is addressed in various settings, from boardrooms to villages.

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Abejoye became a born-again Christian while still speaking deep Yoruba, bowing before his king, and dropping proverbs that’ll make your grandfather nod. Nobody took his culture. The Gospel just took the throne in his heart.