The MC of goofs, gaffs and a lotta mumbo-jumbo Alhaji Lai Mohammed in
one of his numerous jokes, probably scripted this time by Tony Okoroji,
announced that the federal government is set to stop production of
Nigerian movies and music videos abroad. This revelation was made
recently on Saturday, July 15, 2017, at the headquarters of the
copyright society of Nigeria (COSON).
This is one of the many
laughable utterances of our minister, who is fast becoming a full blown
comic considering his track records.
Imagine our Culture and
Information Minister admitting the superiority of
Senegalese’s Jollof over Naija jollof rice; even Ghana that is
considered our archenemy on that front did not come close – You could
tell how stunned Richard Quest was from the look on his face that night.
Remember
when he suggested that one masquerade could create a thousand jobs per
week for Nigerian men, masquerades ooo. His advice to graduates was to
venture into the enterprise of dressing masquerades? Kai.
Fact
is, most Nigerians don’t count our ministers’ pronouncements as serious
these days. Many see him as a clueless and overly excited Minister who
makes a lot of funny declarations without due consultations. You won’t
be wrong if you call him irrational, or if you like, a bigmouth; you may
also want to consider him a fabulist, or if you are trying to be
modest like me, just call him the King of spoofs. Haha…a joke called
minister.
Anyway, let’s leave the jokes to LIAR Mohammed and go back to the real issue here.
Shey una know say entertainment in Nigeria was not always this glamorous?
Once
upon a time, hardly was any Nigerian song played in our night clubs.
Then, Nigerian songs rarely enjoyed quality air play – Some persons
laboured to change the status quo.
Once upon a time, Corporate Bodies
budgeted fat cheques for foreign artists while they rewarded indigenous
artists with popcorn. Foreign artists were treated as demigods while
Nigerian entertainers no matter how hardworking, no matter how
successful were treated as juveniles. Some people fought to eradicate
this kinda disrespect to our celebrities.
Even Nollywood has had
its fair share. Remember when multichoice came to Nigeria; NTA were
leaking/selling indigenous contents to multichoice without paying a dime
to the producers – somebody resisted that evil, and today the story is
all shades of colourful. Things have no doubt evolved, thanks to the
creativity and hardwork of a few good men.
Just recently, I
learned that Nigerian entertainers are going to be taxed and sanctioned
for evasion. Well, in as much as I believe paying taxes is our civic
responsibility, the bunch of criminals in government devising daily
means to further strengthen their criminality remains a great worry for
me.
And I find it really petty for a serious government battling
with serious issues of national interest to begin to dictate where to
shoot videos and where to make movies. Our movies and music videos
should be a potpourri of dynamism, tourism, african and international
beauty, cultural heritage, aesthetic sensation, and ultimately, an
embodiment of seamless artistic expression. To achieve these details and
peculiarities, one cannot limit the production of what should be a
classic and enchanting artistic expression to a grossly looted and
underdeveloped state like Nigeria.
Abegii, let our government be
reasonable joor. However, if they want to tread that path, they should
first withdraw their kids from schools abroad, declare that no
politician should go for medical treatment abroad, bring our president
back to Aso Rock, after all, billions of Naira has been spent on the
Abuja clinic – another national fraud by the pack of criminals occupying
positions of power. Ohh… They should also make sure they provide
uninterrupted power supply, fix our bad roads and build monuments that
would attract tourists across the world. Because, patronizing made in
Nigeria products must be a head to bottom policy.
Nonetheless,
our entertainers must see themselves as role models. They wield the
sword of public opinion. They must help in reshaping the Nigerian
society – just like hip-hop was used as a tool in fighting the
government in Senegal. Nigerians won’t forget the role of Fela Anikulapo
Kuti, Sonny Okosun, etc., in advocating for a better life for the
common man.
Entertainers must unanimously speak up. Not just now
but always. They’ve come for us, we must cut these charlatans to size,
we must not just defend our art, we must begin to use our platforms to
condemn all forms of insanity in our political corridors.
This is
a call to service, we must rescue our nation from these abusers, every
entertainer must see himself as either chosen or called to be
evangelists of the much needed social reform. Entertainers must begin to
address societal ills especially through music, movies and arts in
general.
The revolution must begin from entertainers and we must
kick start the healing process by creating our ideal society through our
works. Our imaginations must revolve around the utopian possibilities.
This
is to activate the indifferent, misguided and unconcerned youth in our
entertainment industry, let’s all stand up to wrestle our nation back
from these criminals. The time to act is now.
The labour of our heroes past shall not be in vain.
OUR MUMU DON DO.