Nollywood stars in town
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Three Nollywood stars, on Tuesday, arrived in The Gambia for a mega concert to be held at the Seaview Garden Hotel in Kololi.
The visiting actors and actress are Nkem Owoh (alias Ozofia), Patient Ozokwo fondly call Mama Gii and Francis Duru.
The team of actors and actress were received at the Banjul International Airport by their Gambian representatives Dr Wilcok and Saul Jagne, president of the up-coming Association of Gambian Artists (Actors).
Shortly after landing, Nkem Owoh expressed delight at the warm welcome accorded to them.
He added that they are fully committed to expanding the movie industry to other parts of Africa and that they are trying to form a network of actors and actress so that they can branch off to other African countries.
According to him, they have started with Nollywood. “This is part of the things that have brought us to The Gambia to see how we can bring up the movie industry to the country and am glad that Gambians are coming up and have shown interest in the industry,” said NKem.
The famous Nigerian actor expressed his desire to help uplift the movie industry in The Gambia noting that they are willing to listen to those interested in the film industry during their stay in the country. He added; “creativity is not something that academics can bring. We want to see Gambians also excelling in the film industry, let them come up with plans and we come in to help them.
Mama Gii, another actor said Nigeria's film industry is very advanced now. “So let Gambians show us the way, we will give them the necessary support. I have come to put life into our women, and I want to tell you, my colleagues in The Gambia, that no African country is small, you don't measure the country by the number of people living there, but what they are capable of.
The most important thing in the movie industry is the heart or desire to learn and the ability to know what your capabilities are,” said Mama Gii.
For Francis Duru, the visit is geared towards strengthening the incredible relationship between the two countries. “It is only when we have this kind of bilateral relation that we can exhange ideas and lot of things can come in that,” he said.
by Musa Ndow