Film market better than trade fair

The small portion in the heart of Idumota comprising a fraction of Nnamdi Azikiwe street with such adjoining lanes as Edidi, Ebinpejo and Ereko could be terrible on such days that new films are launched into the market . This area of course is the popular major distribution depot or centre of the Nigerian movies covering the south western states and environs.

With some marketers having spacious shops, some use passages as shops not even enough to contain their wares, others sell on counters and use roads as part of their shops. In this situation, the buyers therefore block the remaining walk way thereby not giving room for easy thoroughfare. How convenient or conducive is then this place for film business? As some buyers moan openly 'Why won't this people go to a more spacious place like Trade fair complex? Upon the stress one will have to face the harassment and molestation by touts and 'area boys.'

In a chat with some marketers who pleaded anonymity said that Idumota is not conducive for business as trade fair complex would have been a lot more better considering where it is located and the building plan. Stating that apart from this place not being spacious, the harassment of touts and area boys is worse as they know each marketer's worth and that determines what they collect. '' But, we cannot go to trade fair complex because of the greediness of some marketers who have made it virtually impossible for movie marketers to move. A situation where some are yet to get a shop, some have many shops for themselves. One person even has a plaza''.

Speaking in their Nnamdi Azikiwe street Marketers Association Office, the secretary of the Association Mr Donatus Chikezie argued that there is no marketer that does not have a big and spacious shop and that those who have small shops and sell on counters are retailers. He stressed that the harassment by touts and area boys have greatly reduced with the intervention of the new Oba of Lagos Oba Akiolu.

Mr Donatus agreeing to Idumota not being conducive for business said that their movement to trade fair will gradual as they are making effort for everybody to get a shop but then ''We are not going to trade fair en mass like the spare part dealers but we will make it an outlet like Alaba International Market and we will still be here” But maintained that ''We are hoping that the government will intervene and give us a place to build Film Market as Trade Fair complex might not be the best for us afterall”.