Despite criticisms of high level of immorality and promiscuous activities in Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry is worth NGN853.9 billion (US$ 5.1 billion) as at 2014 and produces hundreds of home videos and films per annum. It is Africa’s largest movie industry in terms of value and the number of movies produced per year.
In the last three years, Nollywood, as the Nigerian movie industry is otherwise known has witnessed a huge evolution worthy of commendation. The fact that Nollywood films are successful at local cinemas is an indication that the industry has up the ante in its quality of production. The revolution brought about by Kunle Afolayan’s flick, The Figurine in terms of production quality and the success of ‘IJE: The Journey’ a film by Chineze Anyaene, at the cinemas show that it’s the dawn of a new era in Nollywood.
The success of recent films like ‘The Meeting’ by Mildred Okwo at the cinema attests to the fact that the time has come to formally declare the arrival of the new Nollywood one that is clearly becoming a movie industry in the real sense of the word.
Going a bit back to history, before the coming of home movies like ‘Rattle Snake’ and ‘Living in Bondage, Nigerians were exposed to interesting soap operas like Checkmate and Ripples, that have all evolved into what is today known and accepted globally as Nollywood. ‘Checkmate’ and ‘Ripples’ directed by Amaka Igwe and Zeb Ejiro, respectively, signalled the new age of Nigerian television and produced fresh new crops of actors and actresses. Checkmate and Ripples were natural and modern evolutions from staples like The Village Headmaster and Cock Crow at Dawn, which ran in the 1970s and 1980s. There were other sitcoms; The Adio Family, Masquerade, Iche Oku, Samanja and Ken Saro Wiwa’s ‘Basi and Company’.
When Amaka Igwe and Zeb Ejiro are mentioned, we cannot ignore the woman who changed the game, who brought a new edge to the soap opera genre in Nigeria, the woman who upped the ante in terms of storyline, technical quality, talent and glamour; Lola Fani Kayode. Her long running soap, ‘Mirror in the Sun’ changed the way film and soap operas are produced in the country. She charted the way which the likes of Amaka Igwe followed. She gave direction to subsequent soaps like Checkmate, Ripples, Behind the Clouds, Palace and even Tinsel.
Be that as it may, as Nollywood continues to grow in terms of output, it was rated the third most valuable movie industry in the world behind Hollywood and Bollywood, the junk level also grew apace. But the new crops of films in Nollywood are repositioning the industry in terms of quality.
New crops of film makers have started bringing professionalism into the industry. Those who fall into this group are Tunde Kelani with movies like ‘Thunderbolt’ (‘Magun’), Tade Ogidan with’ Dangerous Twins’, RMD with ‘Out of Bounds’, Ego Boyo with ‘30 Days’, the Amstel Malta Box Office Series and a few others. Films are even getting better with the release of ‘The Figurine’, the second movie of Kunle Afolayan, scion of the Ade love dynasty. The storyline was good, the cast was excellent, acting was above par and the technical quality was good. ‘The Figurine’ became the first Nigerian box office hit, making over N30 million in the cinemas. The success of Stephanie Okereke’s movie, ‘Through the Glass’ is also worthy of mention. The movie made over N10 million in the box office.
These figures are no child’s play in an industry that is the fastest growing and provides employment for more than 200 people per production.
Thus, there is certainly no doubt that the output of the industry has become an incredible global phenomenon, and even a source of pride, and a point of inspiration to many Nigerians. The industry has become really a global brand expression, in a world where brands have become an increasingly important currency; hence, we implore the government to provide the enabling environment to take Nollywood to the next level by enforcing copyright laws in the country and fighting piracy so that investors in the creative industry can get returns on their investments.
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