From Piracy to a house divided against itself, from lack of umbrella
association to lack of quality control, check out factors hindering the
growth of Nollywood.
Read the speech delivered by Wale Adenuga at a press conference held at Protea Hotel Ikeja on the Nigerian Film Industry.
The renowned filmmaker spoke on challenges militating against the appropriate positioning for filmmaking in Nigeria.
He also made some recomendations. Check out excerpts from speech.
Seemingly,
these are the best of times for Nollywood as the filmmaking business in
Nigeria has come to be known. When the national economy was rebased in
April last year, Nollywood was said to have contributed 1.2% to the new
GDP of N80.2 trillion( US$509.9 billion). This means that Nollywood
added about N1.72trillion to the revised GDP for 2013. The business of
filmmaking in Nigeria, which is amongst the first three in the world has
also become a major source of employment for our teeming youths, a
reason for which we believe that we have a lot to celebrate.
However,
a keener assessment of the situation in the industry would show that we
just have a lot of glittering without substance. While this industry
has enormous potential that could benefit our nation and her people,
there are a couple of challenges militating against the appropriate
positioning for filmmaking in Nigeria. Some of these I will presently
highlight.
1. History of Filmmaking in Nigeria
The
first and most important issue that we have to contend with, in my
opinion, is the silent war that is going on amongst producers of the
Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups over the history of filmmaking in Nigeria.
I imagine that this is at the root of all other problems as a house
divided against itself cannot stand much less make progress.
2. A house Divided Against Itself
A
corollary to foregoing is the unhealthy situation in which we now have
Igbos, Yorubas and Hausas operating separately under the aegis of
Nollywood, Yorubawood and Kannywood respectively. Even within these
groups, we still have infightings and misunderstandings over leadership.
In spite of these lack of cohesion however, each of the woods has her
own guilds where separatism is very apparent in their dealings
especially casting.
3. Lack of Umbrella Association
Although
the average Nigerian may find this shocking but I am confident that
you, gentlemen of the press know that it is true. Our industry is the
only one in Nigeria where you do not have a national body or
association.
This country cannot speak
of a national association of filmmakers, the way that doctors talk about
the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), lawyers talk about the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA) and you gentlemen of the press have the Nigerian
Union of Journalists (NUJ). It is true that we have all manners of
guilds but these are all based on the sentiments that I described
earlier.
I am persuaded to believe that
our inability to come together under an umbrella is one of the reasons
why we have some of the problems that detract from the development of
the business in Nigeria.
4. Lack of Quality Control
The
all- comers nature of the business of filmmaking in Nigeria is the
reason for the low quality of a lot of our films. We do not have any
quality control mechanism. This has resulted in loss of confidence by
patrons over and over again.
5. Piracy
The
inability to fight the hydra-headed monster of piracy with one voice. A
survey by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said that 9 out of
10 copies of Nigerian films are pirated.
This
has frustrated so many practitioners to the extent that many have
jumped out of the boat to join politics or take up some other form of
employment.
Real passion for acting is
fast becoming a thing of the past as a lot of our actors move on to big
spenders the moment they become popular. The truth is that less than 10%
of practitioners make money from filmmaking. Majority of the Lekki
houses and posh cars that we see are acquired from other sources other
than filmmaking.
6. Long Standing Lack of Governmental Support
Governments,
both national and state have done little or nothing to assist the
Nigerian film industry until the administration of President Goodluck
Jonathan initiated a N3billion intervention. It is true that some state
governments have, over the years, supported individual practitioners but
there is no widespread impact of such support on the industry.
Having
identified some of the most urgent problems plaguing the industry, I
want to humbly make the following suggestions on the way forward
Recommendations
1. History of Filmmaking in Nigeria
It
is true that the Nigerian film industry has gone through a process of
evolution over the past five decades or so, but I do not think the issue
of who started what and when should be our priority currently. Just
like doctors don’t haggle over who started the practice of medicine, I
think what should concern all practitioners is harnessing all the
resources available to us toward becoming the best that we can be as
people with a common destiny.
2. A House Divided Against Itself
The
Yoruba say you cannot carry your luggage with only one hand. To put
your bag on your head, you need to bring both hands together or possibly
seek the extra hand of your neighbour. I suggest that practitioners
find a way to work together as one, no matter where we come from. This,
for me is the only way we can move our industry forward. Surely, there
is power in unity.
3. Lack of Umbrella Association
I
think the urgent formation of a national body of filmmakers is one
thing that we cannot avoid if we are serious about making the best out
of the industry. My suggestion is that we start with the formation of
truly national guilds for all the professions that form the industry.
These include producers, directors, makeup artistes, editors, actors,
production managers, set designers, location managers, cameramen,
continuity men, costumiers, lights men, sound recordists and marketers
among others. All these guilds will elect their individual president and
these presidents of guilds will come together to elect the president of
the overall association of filmmakers. The association can then have a
secretariat in Abuja where all the guilds would have offices.
The
national executive of the association will then be able to work with
government at all levels and corporate bodies on issues affecting the
industry like piracy and funding. Such a body would be in a position to
lobby for the review of laws guiding piracy and ensure that government
funding gets into the right hands through the state or zonal offices.
4. Lack of Quality Control
The
formation of a national body would take care of all the problems that
have been identified earlier and more. For example, it would ensure that
all guilds sanitise and organise themselves in such a way that
practitioners are of the highest possible qualification. This would
invariably enhance the quality of our films and engender public
confidence.
As an extension of the above,
it would be impossible for people who do not belong to the appropriate
guilds to produce movies as no one would collaborate with them.
5. Piracy
I
am of the opinion that a major reason for the level of piracy is the
direct to home video format. Government should therefore ensure that the
cinema culture is promoted by the three tiers of government all over
the country. I suggest the establishment of cinemas in all the 774 local
councils in the country. If producers have the opportunity to screen
their films all over the country, before releasing on home video, piracy
would be greatly reduced.
It is also
important that we have a review of the Copyright Law in line with modern
realities. This will ensure that pirates receive punishments
commensurate with their crime.
6. Long Standing Lack of Governmental Support
I
also think that government needs to institutionalize any funding plan
that it may have for the industry. There should be a film fund where
every legitimate filmmaker would be able to access loans, grants or
other forms of financial aid the government makes available.
Winds Against Unity.
I
have a feeling that I am not the only one thinking about the urgent
need for us to have a national body for filmmakers but this has not
worked because of the interest of people who exploit the poorly
constituted guilds for their personal needs. Such individuals nurse the
fear that they will lose out in a democratic environment and will
continue to do everything to resist change.
Some
people will also not support this initiative unless they are sure that
they would emerge as leaders. They consider the leadership of any such
association their birthright and would not support its establishment
unless they are assured of the opportunity to lead.
This
is the time for everyone to put all their personal ambitions aside and
let us all work together for an industry which would be a befitting
legacy for our children.
Let me end by
saying that I have no personal aspirations. I have only addressed this
issue as a concerned practitioner who is convinced that we are only
scratching the surface of the potential that the filmmaking industry has
in Nigeria. My hope is that we would work together to see that we
attain the heights possible, take our rightful position in the comity of
filmmakers globally and stop our beggarly disposition when we have
every opportunity to glow like princes and princesses.
With
the talents that God has endowed the industry with and the inspiring
population that Nigeria is blessed with, nothing will be able to hold us
back from shaking the world if only we are able to harness our
resources.
At the moment, we need what I
would describe as the broom and umbrella philosophy. We need the broom
to sweep away all the issues militating against the industry and an
umbrella to accommodate us all.
Source:
Chidumga Izuzu: pulse.ng, re-posted by Abdulgafar Esho (www.econsforumnews.blogspot.com)
Posts
