I'm feeling a lot more reflective and less fashionable these days, so I'll have to ask you to bear with my thoughts, as random as they might be.
For my international readers, Nollywood is Nigeria's extremely vibrant movie industry. It's been rated the 3rd best in the world after Hollywood and Bollywood. It's completely non-government funded and I like to say that if the industry workers have any sense, it's best they keep it that way. Has anyone noticed that these two areas where the government has no input - our music and movies - is beyond thriving and a veritable goldmine?
For my international readers, Nollywood is Nigeria's extremely vibrant movie industry. It's been rated the 3rd best in the world after Hollywood and Bollywood. It's completely non-government funded and I like to say that if the industry workers have any sense, it's best they keep it that way. Has anyone noticed that these two areas where the government has no input - our music and movies - is beyond thriving and a veritable goldmine?
My earliest memories of movies before Nollywood became Nollywood include, 'Living in Bondage', (1992) featuring Kenneth Okonkwo, Rita Nzelu, Kanayo .O. Kanayo and Francis Agu. There was also 'Glamour Girls' , (1994) whose cast included Liz Benson, Eucharia Anunobi, Dolly Unachukwu. Other favourites include Violated, Nneka, the Pretty Serpent, Domitila.
Nollywood has been known to churn out some exceptionally good movies - and some with some really questionable plots. Questionable to me, that is. Thanks to the magnanimity of Multichoice, I really do not have a choice these days with African Magic Plus, African Magic Yoruba, African Magic Hausa and all the other 'Afmags' I can't be bothered with. Whatwith half of my household addicted to one or the other, I feel odd that I don't get the craze.
The other day, one of my brothers remarked 'You never can tell what you learn from these movies.' I rolled my eyes. What do I learn from Nkem Owoh's acting? Fine, an adage or two but his incessant bickerings and yammerings give me a headache. Oh Lord! And then there's Patience Ozokwor or the other lady that confessed to a demonic possession. Geez! Je réserve mon commentaire. Some I genuinely like - Ini Edo, Stella Damascus and Mercy Johnson.
I sat thinking this morning, despite the headspinning and fantastical plots of Nollywood movies, the reality is that we do live Nollywood lives. The stories that Nigerian scriptwriters try to convey which hold us spellbound for hours touch us one way or the other no matter how educated, enlightened or in my case, scornful we are.
There's the story of the childless couple, or the orphaned girl who has to keep a string of sugar daddies to put herself through school, the terrible stepmother, the mother-in-law from hell, the family who hates a son's girlfriend or wife, the ridiculous long distance relationship that eventually comes to nought, the backstabbing friend who sleeps with her best friend's boyfriend, the woman who deals with an abusive husband or boyfriend, the son that terrorises his parents, the dirt poor family whose redemption comes when the son of the elite fall in-love with their daughter, the 'óga' that impregnates the housemaid... Nollywood Lives.
Now check out this Nollywood story... You're a poor orphaned girl who gets exployment as a sales girl for an upcoming businessman. He falls head in-love with you when he sees how industrious and accountable you are. You love him as well. His family on the other hand are not having it! They give you hell! Infact, they give you a public beating or two! Their days are spent cooking up how to humiliate and assault you. Other moments cooking up plots gauranteed to alienate you from son/ brother. This perverse hatred for you is not because you're a shameless trollop, never-do-well gold-digger or an irresponsible baby(ies) mama. Nope! The World War Three that this family has decided to wage against you is due to a vow by the family's late patriach; that no child of his will have anything to do with people from a particular region, because he had a tenant from that region who owed him rent for years! Ookay! Someone say R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S.
Seriously! I'm beginning to scoff less at Ngerian movies, we indeed do live Nollywood lives!
I sat thinking this morning, despite the headspinning and fantastical plots of Nollywood movies, the reality is that we do live Nollywood lives. The stories that Nigerian scriptwriters try to convey which hold us spellbound for hours touch us one way or the other no matter how educated, enlightened or in my case, scornful we are.
There's the story of the childless couple, or the orphaned girl who has to keep a string of sugar daddies to put herself through school, the terrible stepmother, the mother-in-law from hell, the family who hates a son's girlfriend or wife, the ridiculous long distance relationship that eventually comes to nought, the backstabbing friend who sleeps with her best friend's boyfriend, the woman who deals with an abusive husband or boyfriend, the son that terrorises his parents, the dirt poor family whose redemption comes when the son of the elite fall in-love with their daughter, the 'óga' that impregnates the housemaid... Nollywood Lives.
Now check out this Nollywood story... You're a poor orphaned girl who gets exployment as a sales girl for an upcoming businessman. He falls head in-love with you when he sees how industrious and accountable you are. You love him as well. His family on the other hand are not having it! They give you hell! Infact, they give you a public beating or two! Their days are spent cooking up how to humiliate and assault you. Other moments cooking up plots gauranteed to alienate you from son/ brother. This perverse hatred for you is not because you're a shameless trollop, never-do-well gold-digger or an irresponsible baby(ies) mama. Nope! The World War Three that this family has decided to wage against you is due to a vow by the family's late patriach; that no child of his will have anything to do with people from a particular region, because he had a tenant from that region who owed him rent for years! Ookay! Someone say R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S.
Seriously! I'm beginning to scoff less at Ngerian movies, we indeed do live Nollywood lives!
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