Why Henry, Iwobi are my favourite players – Filmmaker Nkanga

Photographer, filmmaker and producer, Emily Nkanga, talks about her career path, her love for football, her first football-related job with Thierry Henry, her Arsenal loyalty, and more in this interview with PETER AKINBO

How did you get started in filmmaking and photography?

To be honest, it was a bit of an evolution. At first, I wanted to study psychology, but the university I attended didn’t offer that specific course. My second choice was mass communication because I was an arts student in secondary school, and it felt defeating to choose a non-art-related field. However, that school handled media arts differently—they called it communication and multimedia design and were far more practical in their approach. During my first semester, everything changed. I realised the program wasn’t strictly a traditional journalism pathway; I could choose filmmaking, journalism, design, and other hands-on disciplines. Around that time, I met a photographer who became a mentor to me. Funny enough, I used to take point-and-shoot documentary-style photos of scenery during holidays without viewing it as “real” photography. When she saw those images, she encouraged me to take up photography properly, noting that it would ultimately benefit me if I pursued television and film. That advice changed everything, and I never stopped since.

What was your family’s reaction to your career path?

They were very supportive. My mum used to be an actor when I was younger, and she used to take me along to a few film sets, so I was already familiar with the creative environment. My dad was a military man, and while he might not have fully grasped where it was heading at the very beginning, he was practical and supportive as long as I could prove it was a viable, structured path for my future. As the years went by and they saw my progress, they understood and backed me completely.

What would you say is your favourite part about being a filmmaker, and what is the most challenging part?

I actually have the same answer for both: the process itself. I love the process because every day you get to watch a vision come together piece by piece. Even when others only see the final product, you start with an initial mental picture and guide it to completion. That is deeply fulfilling, and I think that’s precisely why I lean heavily towards the producer side—where you can actively see how elements combine, like seeing how one plus one makes two. Conversely, the challenging part is also the process. There is a constant need for troubleshooting, fixing unexpected problems, and figuring out how to get a project safely over the finish line. Dealing with factors entirely outside your control—whether coordinating with different actors or contributors—can be tough. But once you learn to be resourceful and solve those hurdles, it becomes incredibly rewarding.

You clearly have a deep passion for sports as well. What inspires you to work so much with sports figures and incorporate sports into your filmmaking?

When you look at my career trajectory, my interests have always guided my work.

 Early on, I had a massive passion for music, which led me to work within the music industry for about six or seven years. Later on, my focus shifted toward the broader film industry, leading to projects with platforms like Amazon and Netflix. As for sports, it started because I wanted to improve my social life. When someone asked me what sports I used to play as a kid—where I played football, handball, and volleyball, and was particularly great at handball—I realised football was the one sport that required a larger group, making it an incredible social activity. Even for a casual five-a-side match, you need ten people, which naturally builds a community. Within less than a year of returning to playing football locally, I landed my first major sports-related project—a job with Thierry Henry. Things just aligned naturally because I put myself in positions to be around the things I love.

Let’s talk football. Who are your favourite teams and players?

My favourite team is Arsenal. It’s not about glory hunting; I actually live just about 20 minutes away from the Emirates Stadium, so it is genuinely my local team. My favourite player of all time has to be Thierry Henry, largely because of the incredible personal interactions I’ve had with him. Growing up, players like Kaká, Andriy Shevchenko, Jay-Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Neymar, Luis Suárez, and Lionel Messi were amazing, but having had such a fantastic personal experience with Henry pushes him right to the top of the list.

Do you follow the Nigerian national teams?

Yes, I follow both the men’s and women’s teams closely. On the men’s side, Alex Iwobi is my favourite. I’ve also had a fantastic personal interaction with him, which puts him at the top. He is remarkably consistent for Nigeria, playing through every high and low. I call him the “pre-assist king” because he consistently makes the crucial pass right before the actual assist. On the women’s side, I admire Asisat Oshoala, and I’ve been really impressed by players like Chiamaka Nnadozie and Rinsola Babajide during recent international competitions.

And I understand you still play football yourself?

Yes, I play regularly as a goalkeeper for my local community team, AFC Muswell Hill. We train once a week and play matches regularly. It goes far beyond the pitch—we watch the England women’s team together at Wembley, follow the Euros, and hang out socially. It has become a tight-knit community, and I take my goalkeeping very seriously. I am a really good goalkeeper, and I was the Player’s Player of The Year last season.