written by Ekine Stronghold.
What happens when there is erosion? Almost always there is a
resultant gully. Wide and ever widening, unless something is done. The chasm
expands whether in arithmetic or geometric proportions. Ordinarily, there is
this misconception that a coin only has two sides. Not so I must say, there is
a third side, that is the circumference and since it is continuous, it has many
sides. So is the gully I speak of, the nollywood gully.
When it started (of course I count from “living in bondage”,
if you don’t agree kiss the closest step-up transformer to you), it was guerrilla
style and the practitioners of then are not really the movers of today. They were
mostly those that I would refer to as the NTA
immigrants or the hustlers (I
don’t mean it in an insulting way). It was an era of “trial and error”. And
whether by serendipity or articulated drive they trudged on not as completely
sound film-makers but as hustlers with a genuine passion. We must respect that.
Overtime technology and new knowledge came to the rescue and
some of the old lot had been too fixated, they could not adapt to new trends.
Some were already too comfortable basking in the glory of yesterday; some were
just frustrated out and searched for another means of survival. Some others just moved on. Others carved another
niche for themselves, guild politics or should I say politricks.
That was the nature
of the erosion and the resultant effect? Many divides like the old school and the new school. The Alaba guys
and the cinema guys. The filmmakers and the oga nollywood. The politicians
and the practitioners. Just many
divides that has given rise to many issues, guilds and associations tussle,
government recognized practitioners and those not recognized. Those chopping the money and those hearing of the money. The big guilds and
the small guilds. Accusations and counter-accusations, all doing one
obvious thing; smearing the image of nollywood.
Should the question be the way forward or a critical look
backward to understand the true nature of the erosion? Should there be a debate
or an argument? In the first place do we agree there was an erosion or a simple
transition from before to now? Is there a need to have things fixed or should
we just let things fixed themselves? Is there a real need to re-address issues
and create a central channel through which the government can genuinely deal
with the industry or do we leave the industry's moi-moi to the highest yansh peddlers? Is there a need to
prevail on Mr.bond emeruwa to re-awaken CONGA or do we just allow the
individuality of the industry destroy everything that has been built by
collective effort? Whatever the course of action, we must bear in mind that the
chasm is already wide and ever widening, unless something is done, That is my
honest opinion.
No comments:
Post a Comment