BETTER TOGETHER
Today, I am sure of one thing and it is that most of my colleagues in nollywood will go to church. Some to hear the word of God, some to fulfill all righteousness, some to hook up with friends and some to just show a new dress. If you find yourself in church today, you are consciously or subconsciously aligning with the message of love. That is the principal message of Christ and the reason we even know of Christ. My hope is that as we align ourselves with the message of love, ain't it about time we got rid of hate?
The internal rancor in the industry is completely repulsive. At every given opportunity, we overtly express that animosity deep within. There seems to always be this unconscious divide and a festering wound of inequality amongst practitioners. While I like many others can manage to tolerate the stench of oversize egos rubbing against one another, do we not deem it right to try not to allow it distort the true picture of our main issues?
This “one day one trouble” nollywood is reducing the public worth of the practitioners and obviously, it rubs off on the industry. At the IDF workshop a few weeks ago, after the show of shame that took place. Norbert Ajaegbu (Esq.) said something very interesting. He said “look, the same people that were quarreling a few moments ago are now eating together but the outsiders will not see that we always can find a way to resolve our issues within”. We cannot continue to not care about public perception.
At a gathering last week, a senior colleague walked up to me and threatened fire and brim stone. Right there in public. Completely, shameless. I was very surprised. He didn't care that other colleagues were present and of course people from other entertainment sector. He kept telling me how he will show me he was the number one cult person in school and how he will deal with me. All for what? Nothing!! I asked him severally, what is the problem was because in all honesty I didn't know what he was talking about and I genuinely believed that whatever problem he had with me could be settled in a civil and mature way. But he couldn't care less about how the public would read his childish behavior.
Monday greeted us with a not too pleasant news, at least judging from the majority's reaction. I refer to the court judgment concerning the Actors' Guild of Nigeria. Sadly, a few practitioners took to face book to make inciting comments without even reading the judgment. Instantly, they began to condemn the President of the Actors' Guild and making little of her achievements. A particular director that could not win one vote when he ran for office, went as far as calling actors, hawks in the political arena. To what purpose?
I believe that just as the sky is big enough for all the stars, nollywood is big enough for all of us. Veterans and greenhorns, creative people and business people. The land is green and big and there is enough to go round. We must stop this attitude of lack and scavenging because it only reduces our innate value and positions us to be mere tools to be used and dumped by whomever can afford. We must start to think again and start creating and seeking new ways to enrich ourselves. If the baby outgrows an old garment, you don't get frustrated with the baby, you make a new cloth for the baby. Nollywood has outgrown the space we made for it, it is time for expansion. We can do this if I do my part and you do yours. And just if by chance, I find how to do your thing better than how you have been doing yours, there is no need to fight because no one has the monopoly of creativity. Think and outshine me on my own tuff or simply ask for help.
We can resolve all our issues within. Let us forgive ourselves and work as one. Let us support our leaders and reach out to them personally first, when we think they are going wrong not going to the press or social media. Such media should only be a matter of last resort. I believe in the leaders of our guilds, I believe in you my colleagues and I believe in the love the world has for nollywood and I believe we can come together and do greater things than we have done. We are better together.
Ekine Stronghold
Media Coordinator
IFCO