Nollywood is never tired of dishing out real life ‘movies’ when it comes
to the issue of sharing the ‘national cake’. If members of the Actors’
Guild of Nigeria (AGN) are not fighting today, maybe some producers
would be somewhere arguing about which group truly represents the
interest of filmmakers in Nigeria.
While the industry is yet to
settle the differences caused by President Jonathan’s N3 billion
intervention fund, another big fight might be presently rearing its ugly
head.
At the Presidential Dinner held for Nollywood
stakeholders in March 2013, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom State
promised the industry the sum of N50 million, which he recently
redeemed.
At the presentation done some days ago, the head of
Association of Movie Producers (AMP) led other guilds in the motion
picture world to the cheque presentation ceremony. Yakubu Abubakar (AGN
Secretary), Andy Amenechi (DGN President), Stephanie Okereke-Linus
(actress) and others, were present at the occasion.
However,
days after the cheque was presented, there are rumour that some members
of the film industry are at loggerheads over the sharing formula for the
largesse. A source in the industry, who spoke with Nigeriafilms.com,
alleged that there are plans to shut out some people out of the
largesse.
“You see, there is a ploy by few people in the
industry to corner this money given to the whole industry by Governor
Akpabio,” the source alleged. "The money was given to everybody in the
movie industry, but we will resist any attempt to play ‘Maradona’ to the
N50 million,” the source added.
However, Zik Zulu, who led
Nollywood to receive the cheque from the governor told Nigeriafilms.com
that it is expected for some people to be making false speculations
about the money. “This is the first time this kind of a thing is
happening in the industry, it is expected to have different rumours
going about on the matter,” Zulu said when contacted on phone.
He
also added that, “the money would be used for what we were told to use
it for.” When asked what the money was meant for, the AMP boss said, “it
is meant for award for excellence in the name of President Jonathan
like a ‘Goodluck Jonathan award for excellence in filmmaking’ and all
that. That is what we would use it for.”
Continuing, Zulu said,
“we would look at the existing awards in the industry or set up a
completely new one jointly agreed by all the bodies in the industry.” He
also revealed that, “we are yet to get the money but we will surely get
it because it has been approved by the Governor. What we had was the
formal presentation.”
In the same vein, the Secretary of AGN,
Abubakar Yakubu, told Nigeriafilms.com that no decision has been reached
yet by the stakeholders as to the sharing formula for the money and
wondered why some people would be causing trouble over the matter.
He
told us when contacted on phone that at the first meeting held by the
stakeholders in the movie industry, deliberations were only made on the
matter. He corroborated Zulu’s stand that the money would be used for
the purpose it was given out for adding that, “we would also look at
endowment for the various members of Nollywood guilds.”
Akpabio
presenting sourvenir to Mr Zik Zulu Okafor, Natinal President,
Association of Movie Producers during a courtesy call at the Governor's
Office, Uyo
Akpabio presenting sourvenir to Mr Zik Zulu Okafor, Natinal
President, Association of Movie Producers during a courtesy call at the
Governor's Office, Uyo
Yvonne Nelson and Akon
Yvonne and Djimon Honsou
