Like many practitioners and stakeholders (mostly producers and directors) currently plying their trades in the Nigerian motion picture industry, globally known as Nollywood, I’m not moved or excited by President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent announcement of N3 billion special grant for Nollywood.
This is not the first time Mr. President will be making such a “political statement,” with the intention of wooing Nollywood practitioners whenever election is approaching.
I remember vividly in 2010, while campaigning for the 2011 presidential election, Mr. President, during a visit to Lagos, as the special guest at the 30th anniversary of Silverbird Group, announced the sum of $200 million special grant for the entertainment and creative industries.
Painfully and shockingly, three years after that promise was made, no known filmmaker or stakeholder in the nation’s entertainment industry has been able to access the now elusive and controversial fund promised by Mr. President.
Most respected names in the industry who tried accessing the fund through NEXIM and Bank of Industry respectively, had unpalatable tales to tell. Yet the grant was specially set aside for them.
With the exception of one Tony Abulu, who resides in the US, I do not think that any of the known names who immensely helped in building Nollywood to its current level, has been able to access or benefit from the jinxed fund.
In fact, several of them that spoke with me out of frustration promised never to apply for the fund again based on the way and manner they were treated by the so-called custodians of the presidential fund. A magical fund aimed at boosting the industry and its many financially incapacitated practitioners.
The fear in some quarters is that the fund at the end of the day might not get to those it was originally meant for, but rather end up in the hands of those who will embezzle it.
I challenge those entrusted with this political fund to publicly tell us ten top names in the industry that have benefited from it, since it was announced by Mr. President in 2010.
Mr. President has further compounded the woes of those still struggling to access the initial fund by announcing over the weekend in Lagos, yet (again), the floating of an additional N3 billion for Nollywood, through a programme tagged Nollywood Project.
Sadly, Nollywood has become one of the several federal government contracts that is now being duplicated so that the boys at the corridors of power can eat and clean mouth. What a shame!
Sincerely, I see this as another political pronouncement ahead of 2015. A pronouncement full of sound and fury, yet signifying nothing.
But for how long will stakeholders in the industry continue to be used as pawns in Mr. President’s chess board?
That ill-conceived announcement from Mr. President at the State House, Marina, on Saturday was deceitful, political and should be taken with a pinch of salt by Nollywood practitioners. One would have expected Mr. President and his always-in-a-hurry advisers to at least consolidate on the earlier promise, which was greeted with so much euphoria when it was announced then, before embarking on this new poorly written drama.
Veterans like late Sam Loco Efe, Enebeli Enebuwa, Justus Esiri, Pete Eneh and several others anxiously waited to be part of Mr. President’s initial announcement of $200 million for the entertainment industry, but painfully, they all died waiting.
Now that Mr. President has gone ahead to make another announcement, without delivering on the first assignment, what makes him think many of the stakeholders will take him serious?
Well, in the words of Theodore Parker: “Magnificent promises are always to be suspected.”
Interestingly, Mr. President is very good at such promises. Let’s not go into details for now.
No serious leader or President treats its people with disdain or contempt, especially by making simple promises and pronouncements that cannot be kept.
It is pertinent to note that the government could not achieve what Nollywood has done for our nation since its inception 20 years ago, especially in the areas of global image laundering, emergence of role models and jobs creation, since independence in 1960.
So treating them with levity and making empty promises ahead of election season is not the best for any serious government, let alone the president of a country.
As big and influential as Obama is, he dare not make an empty promise to Hollywood stakeholders and practitioners, let alone using them to feather his own nest.
Shamefully, here reverse is the case because some out of job Nollywood actors who are desperately seeking for political offices, have disgracefully and ingloriously reduced themselves to Aso Rock’s errand boys, mouth pieces and town criers.
My prayer is that more veterans in Nollywood will not die while waiting for President Goodluck Jonathan’s new financial grant for them.
Lastly, Mr. President should know that: “Promises are like crying babies in the church-they should be carried out immediately.”
This is not the first time Mr. President will be making such a “political statement,” with the intention of wooing Nollywood practitioners whenever election is approaching.
I remember vividly in 2010, while campaigning for the 2011 presidential election, Mr. President, during a visit to Lagos, as the special guest at the 30th anniversary of Silverbird Group, announced the sum of $200 million special grant for the entertainment and creative industries.
Painfully and shockingly, three years after that promise was made, no known filmmaker or stakeholder in the nation’s entertainment industry has been able to access the now elusive and controversial fund promised by Mr. President.
Most respected names in the industry who tried accessing the fund through NEXIM and Bank of Industry respectively, had unpalatable tales to tell. Yet the grant was specially set aside for them.
With the exception of one Tony Abulu, who resides in the US, I do not think that any of the known names who immensely helped in building Nollywood to its current level, has been able to access or benefit from the jinxed fund.
In fact, several of them that spoke with me out of frustration promised never to apply for the fund again based on the way and manner they were treated by the so-called custodians of the presidential fund. A magical fund aimed at boosting the industry and its many financially incapacitated practitioners.
The fear in some quarters is that the fund at the end of the day might not get to those it was originally meant for, but rather end up in the hands of those who will embezzle it.
I challenge those entrusted with this political fund to publicly tell us ten top names in the industry that have benefited from it, since it was announced by Mr. President in 2010.
Mr. President has further compounded the woes of those still struggling to access the initial fund by announcing over the weekend in Lagos, yet (again), the floating of an additional N3 billion for Nollywood, through a programme tagged Nollywood Project.
Sadly, Nollywood has become one of the several federal government contracts that is now being duplicated so that the boys at the corridors of power can eat and clean mouth. What a shame!
Sincerely, I see this as another political pronouncement ahead of 2015. A pronouncement full of sound and fury, yet signifying nothing.
But for how long will stakeholders in the industry continue to be used as pawns in Mr. President’s chess board?
That ill-conceived announcement from Mr. President at the State House, Marina, on Saturday was deceitful, political and should be taken with a pinch of salt by Nollywood practitioners. One would have expected Mr. President and his always-in-a-hurry advisers to at least consolidate on the earlier promise, which was greeted with so much euphoria when it was announced then, before embarking on this new poorly written drama.
Veterans like late Sam Loco Efe, Enebeli Enebuwa, Justus Esiri, Pete Eneh and several others anxiously waited to be part of Mr. President’s initial announcement of $200 million for the entertainment industry, but painfully, they all died waiting.
Now that Mr. President has gone ahead to make another announcement, without delivering on the first assignment, what makes him think many of the stakeholders will take him serious?
Well, in the words of Theodore Parker: “Magnificent promises are always to be suspected.”
Interestingly, Mr. President is very good at such promises. Let’s not go into details for now.
No serious leader or President treats its people with disdain or contempt, especially by making simple promises and pronouncements that cannot be kept.
It is pertinent to note that the government could not achieve what Nollywood has done for our nation since its inception 20 years ago, especially in the areas of global image laundering, emergence of role models and jobs creation, since independence in 1960.
So treating them with levity and making empty promises ahead of election season is not the best for any serious government, let alone the president of a country.
As big and influential as Obama is, he dare not make an empty promise to Hollywood stakeholders and practitioners, let alone using them to feather his own nest.
Shamefully, here reverse is the case because some out of job Nollywood actors who are desperately seeking for political offices, have disgracefully and ingloriously reduced themselves to Aso Rock’s errand boys, mouth pieces and town criers.
My prayer is that more veterans in Nollywood will not die while waiting for President Goodluck Jonathan’s new financial grant for them.
Lastly, Mr. President should know that: “Promises are like crying babies in the church-they should be carried out immediately.”
1 comment:
It focuses very much on the family relationships, on the jealousies, very little reference to a divine perspective.
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