Tuesday, June 18, 2013 marked the beginning of a new dawn in the annals
of the movie industry in Nigeria. It was a day that representatives of
the Nigerian film industry set aside other activities to analyze issues
affecting the movie industry at the National Theater, Iganmu Lagos.
To
underscore the seriousness attached to the assembly, they deliberated
all day on the state of the industry but with particular emphasis on the
N3billion Presidential Intervention Fund, which for them is inadequate.
For
them, “The release of the guidelines for accessing the
capacity-building fund has no input from the industry and its elected
leaders, contrary to the agreement reached with the Coordinating
Minister for the Economy and Minister for Finance Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala.
The Nollywood Summit, which is expected to become a
regular event, was convened by Nigerian Motion Picture Experts Group
(NMPEG) a Nollywood Think Thank, hosted by Film & Video Producers
and Marketers Association of Nigeria.
The Summit, anchored by Paul
Obazele (producer) and Zack Orji (actor), was attended by regulators
and other stakeholder with over 600 delegates from all over the country
participating. With the success of attendance, the Nollywood Summit has a
bragging right as the first single largest gathering of practitioners
since 1904 when a Briton Mr. Stanley, showed the first film at Glover
Hall, Lagos.
Notable among those who bared their minds on the
state of the industry and the way forward were veteran film maker, Chief
Eddy Ugbomah (OFR), Mrs. Bola Athar, Deputy Zonal coordinator, South
West, National Film and Video Censorship Board; Mrs. Bukola Agbaminoja,
Head, Film office, Lagos State Film and Video Censorship Board; Fathia
Ansah Plange, Chief Operating Officer, African Film and Entertainment
Investment summit, and Mr. Bond Emeruwa of the Coalition of Nollywood
Guilds and Associations among others.
At the end of the historic
day, they resolved that the orderly growth and development of the
industry is not possible without input and direction from the
stakeholders and owners of Project Nollywood, but that “N3b (less than
USD $13m) is grossly inadequate to reposition the industry. They also
faulted the appointment of members of the ministerial committee (on the
grant) as undemocratic and not reflective of the wishes and aspirations
of the industry.
“The guidelines are unprofessional and
inconsistent with global best practice. It is an abnormality for
assessors to be anonymous as it denies applicants the opportunity to
assess their assessors and where necessary, challenge the decision of
the board. Additionally, some members of the committee have vested
interest in training. There is therefore a conflict of interest.
“Consequently
the Summit rejects the guidelines on accessing the three hundred
million naira capacity building tranche of the N3b Presidential
Intervention fund. The scope of the fund has to be expanded; membership
of a guild /association must be a mandatory precondition for accessing
the fund. Such guilds must have been existing and functional before
January 1, 2013.
“The Summit hereby establishes a committee to
work out modalities for constructive engagement with the government. The
members of the committee whose mandate is to report back to the
industry within two working days are: Mr Bond Emeruwa (Coalition of
Nollywood Guilds and Associations), Mr Norbert Ajaegbu (Film & Video
Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria), Mr Perekeme Odion
(Creative Designers Guild of Nigeria) and Mr Chima Okereke (Directors
Guild of Nigeria).”
Others are Ms. Ibrahim (Association of
Nigerian Theatre Practitioners), High Chief Aina Kusoro (Yoruba Film
Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria), Representative of
Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria, and Representative
of Association of Movie Practitioners. Also included in the committee
are Mr. Tony Anih (Screenwriters Guild of Nigeria, Representative of the
Convener, Nigerian Motion Picture Experts Group (NIMPEG 1), and Mr.
Theodore Anyaji (Association of Movie Producers).
