Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Misplaced Priorities

credit:en.paperblog.com



I am yet to understand why Nollywood seeks and demands financial government intervention in its affairs- I don't even think the government should regulate it. If government wants to help, it should address issues that inhibit profit-making- piracy! 
Acting and related industries are private businesses meant for entertainment and profit purposes. I do not see the government doling out intervention funds to doctors, teachers, bankers, bakers, caterers, tailors, artisans... you get the drift. Nollywood teaches us little or no morals, as we tend to reject "preachy" films and pick up bad mannerisms. Otherwise Mount Zion Faith Ministry movies, Mainframe movies Oyin Adejobi films would be block busters. I think Nollywood should approach financial institutions to fund movies and survival of the fittest should take its course. Producers like Mainframe and Kunle Afolayan do not produce their high quality movies on government funds.
This is why I was surprised when I read that there is a 3 billion Naira grant for Nollywood "capacity building". First, what capacity is being built? Capacity to act, direct or produce? Second surprise is that the fund has caused a ruckus in Nollywood.  Our art practitioners are fighting over who has access to the fund! This fund shows how misplaced our priorities are. In 2010, there was a $200 million dollar grant to Nollywood. The only visible outcome of that grant is unsuccessful "Dr Bello". Yet the government has in its wisdom deemed it fit to add another 3 billion Naira ($18, 520, 800) 
As much as we love Nollywood movies, this 3 billion can be used to renovate 60 barracks (at 50 million naira each), build 300 block of four flats housing units (at 10,000 million naira each), declare an intervention in Accidents and Emergency units in Government hospitals across the nation or fix the roads leading to the East. 
Misplaced priorities. 
I rest my case



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