Cinema finds an unswerving partner in Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, writes BAMIDELE JOHNSON
T.H.E.S.E, acronym for Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment and Sporting Excellence, as explained by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode during his campaign for the position he now occupies, was conceived to grow the Lagos economy by creating thousands of employment opportunities for the youthful population.
For a people used to big-sounding election campaign promises condensed into catchy acronyms and initialisms, Mr. Ambode’s promise to make Lagos State the country’s tourism and entertainment hub, if elected governor, probably, was one that aroused the least conviction, among others made.
This is somewhat justifiable, with politicians routinely treating many of their campaign promises as the equivalent of pillow talk to seduce voters. Thus, Mr. Ambode’s pledge to make entertainment an alternative job-creation platform for the youths of the state was drowned out by others, especially those related to road construction, and so did not register as a campaign promise many felt they could hold him accountable for. In fact, the overwhelming expectation was that it would soonest recede from Mr. Ambode’s mind as on theirs. That, however, has not happened.
Whatever doubts existed about his commitment to making T.H.E.S.E work have since evaporated on account of Governor Ambode’s demonstrated commitment to fulfil this campaign promise, in words and deeds.
In less than two years of being in office, cinema, a major part of the entertainment component has been a beneficiary of considerable support from the Ambode administration. The result is uncommon creativity in the entertainment industry and appreciable increase in corporate partnership with the industry.
Key amongst the signs of this commendable evolvement was the honour and privilege accorded the state at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Canada. TIFF is the world’s largest film (distribution) festival. The 2016 edition of the festival witnessed the screening of eight Nigerian films – The Wedding Party, 93 Days, ’76, Okafor’s Law, The Arbitration, Just Not Married, Oko Ashewo and Green White Green; and the celebration of Lagos State as the capital of African cinema in the TIFF City to City programme. In the festival’s 41-year history, no African city has ever been so recognised.
Prior to 2016, the National Film Corporation (NFC) made a dismal attempt to stamp Nollywood on the global map at TIFF. The Nigeria Stand boasted the presence of a sole representative in the person of the NFC’s then Managing Director, Mr. Afolabi Adesanya.
In 2016, TIFF experienced Nollywood as never before. Under the umbrella of the generosity and able support of the Lagos State Government, 20 people including film producers, media practitioners and Nollywood professional guild heads were physically present and fully participated at TIFF.
In addition, provision was made for a Lagos Stand where Nigerian delegates related and networked with other movie professionals consisting of both Nigerians in diaspora and foreigners. They and numerous others are living witnesses of the first such major honorary celebration and recognition of the African city of Lagos and the Nigerian film industry.
Equally of note is the drive to promote and protect the interests of the practitioners and investors in the movie industry from the wiles of unscrupulous persons. The applicable copyright laws in Nigeria are outdated and of no commercial benefit to the development of the Nigerian movie industry. Lagos State is however taking proactive steps to reverse this. Through the office of the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, the state is prodding the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to call for a revision of the extant copyright laws to make them sturdier and more in tune with those obtainable in the international arena.
Not to be left out is intra-state safety. Convinced that security is fundamental to the growth of economic activities, the Ambode administration has gifted the state with a higher assurance of safety. With a laudable procurement of security equipment and gadgets worth 4.8 billion naira courtesy of the state government, the Nigerian Police in Lagos State has been better placed to combat crime and provide security in the state. This, in return, has impacted positively on the stability and commercial viability of business investments in the movie industry.
Further proof of the Ambode administration’s support of the Nigerian movie industry is his endorsement of the essence of the graphic representation of real life issues on reel.
The governor made this known early in his administration in September 2015 while hosting the cast and crew of 93 Days. The movie tells the compelling story of the late Dr. Stella Adadevoh and her colleagues’ encounter with Patrick Sawyer, the US-Liberian citizen and first medically diagnosed Ebola Virus Disease patient in Lagos, Nigeria. It relays the sharp-eyed diagnosis, extraordinary bravery and spirit of sacrifice demonstrated by Dr. Adadevoh, a Lagosian, in preventing the disease from infecting thousands.
While hosting the cast and crew of the movie, including legendary American actor, Danny Glover, Governor Ambode promised that his government would offer the necessary support to project the ideals of excellence, extraordinary courage and spirit of sacrifice, which the film espouses.
“Clearly, what you have done…is to celebrate one of the major successes of Lagos State. Our government will support this project. No story can be told better than in graphic form, and once you are turning this story to a movie, apart from the fact that it is showing the way government has been able to respond to issues that relate to the society, we are also showcasing what Lagos stands for,” said Governor Ambode.
Another industry beneficiary of the Ambode administration’s endorsement is Fifty, a production of EbonyLife Films, which was the only Nigerian film and one of the five from Africa to be screened at the 59th BFI in London. Fifty, starring Ireti Doyle, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Omoni Oboli and Dakore Egbuson-Akande, was directed by Biyi Bandele of the Half of a Yellow Sun fame.
In furtherance of his campaign promise to drive the growth of entertainment in Lagos, Governor Ambode has made a commitment to collaborate with the Federal Government in a bid to fix the decrepit National Theatre, at Iganmu in Lagos. While on a visit to the squalid national monument in the company of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Governor Ambode said his government will undertake the rehabilitation of the 3,500-capacity main bowl of the facility, its two cinema halls, each with a capacity of 580, the exhibition lobby as well as the banquet hall of the theatre, in collaboration with the federal government.
In addition, the governor in December 2016 unveiled plans to build new art theatres across the state as part of efforts to socially engage the youths and promote tourism through the arts and entertainment.
“…before the end of next year, we are going to have five new theatres in Lagos,” he declared after the stage performance of Heartbeat the Musical…A New Beginning, directed by cinema icons, Olu Jacobs and his wife Joke Silva. “We are already engaging Terra Kulture and we are speaking to another consultant…we want to have the theatres in Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Alimosho and on the Mainland.”
An equally huge part of the support for the industry is the decision of the government to build cinemas in every local government area of the state, an initiative that will deliver over 40 cinemas and thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities.
The proposed cinemas will also eliminate the distribution problems, which have constituted an incubus to the industry.
It is imperative to state that the laudable efforts of the Ambode administration to make Lagos the movie capital of Nigeria have not gone unnoticed on the local scene. Industry heavyweight and President, Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), Ms. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, last year called on other state governments and institutions such as the NFC and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to emulate Lagos State. “If others did half of what Lagos has done, we would be a lot better off by now,” she said.
Anyiam-Osigwe’s self-evident assessment is shared by ace filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, who lauded the Ambode administration’s decision to provide training to boost the capacity of movie industry professionals. In addition to the training, the Lagos State Government also made a commitment to provide grants to produce three movies at $100,000 each. “…we are heading for improvement in that area. I will encourage the federal and state governments to adopt the same model instead of building a film village,” said Afolayan.
Though arguable that the state is not yet in the penthouse of the movie industry, it has undoubtedly jumped many floors from the basement. And there is an assurance of more success stories to tell with Ambode at the helm of affairs.
- Culled from Cinema in Lagos, a publication by Mighty Media Plus Network Limited for the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy
