Entertainment
Nollywood Not Structured To Feed Practitioners – Sam Dede
Nollywood star, Dr Sam Dede, has called for workable policy that will enable all practitioners in the creative industry to have full benefits of their intellectual input.
Dede made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of a one-day workshop organised for Theatre Art students of University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Choba.
The workshop had the theme: “Legal Perspective to Management of Creative Industry.”
According to him, the Nollywood industry is not well organised to enable the practitioners to reap the full benefits of their works.
“The creative industry in Nigeria is still probably not structured in a way that puts money in the pocket of the practitioners.
“There is a need for restructuring of the industry to ensure that all the crew members involved in film production benefit from their intellectual input in every project.
“We need to rejig the system in such a manner that practitioners, including those crew members that we overlook and ignore, get something reasonable from a movie project.
Dede, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Art, UNIPORT, called on industry players and stakeholders to come together and see how they could improve remuneration in the industry.
He lamented that the nation’s poor economy had had adverse effects on the film industry.
“Consequently, there is a big drop in the number of productions; even the low budget ones are also finding it difficult to survive.
“We are hopeful however that government will steer the economy to growth, so that young people (theatre art students) can be part of the production process when they graduate.
“The energy and creativity of the students is huge.
“Now imagine when they leave school and cannot find a place to expand all that creativity; that becomes a loss to the country,” he said.
Addressing the students earlier, Mr Rockson Igelige, a legal practitioner, called on government to ensure enforcement of the Copyright Act, to enable art creators benefit from their work.
The industry, Igelige said, had potential to generate huge revenue for government as well as create job opportunity for millions of Nigerians.
“So, the industry cannot be fixed alone by the producers, Government’s encouragement from go through the Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) is needed.
“NCC, which is the regulatory body that is supposed to police the industry to prevent copyright infringements, is underfunded.
“Aside this, there are lots of international treaties that Nigeria has not domesticated when it comes to intellectual property matters, such as trademark, among others,” he noted.
Igelige advised that the proposed Nigerian Copyright Bill before the National Assembly should be updated to meet global standards.
According to him, crude oil would someday dry up but creative art would remain, hence the need for government to pay more attention to the entertainment industry.
The legal practitioner further urged government to come up with more suitable policies and programmes to improve the sector.
“We need to improve Nigerian music and movies because that is the only aspect that has given the country a good name,” he said.
The Lennox K. Black International Prize for Excellence in Medicine is a prestigious accolade awarded by Thomas Jefferson University, recognising outstanding individuals.
The actress was honoured with the Lennox K. Black International Prize for Excellence in Medicine by Thomas Jefferson University in America in recognition of her outstanding contributions to social activism and impact through her work.
This remarkable achievement, they said, highlights her dedication to societal well-being and marks her as the first Black recipient of this distinguished award.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the Lennox K. Black International Prize for Excellence in Medicine is a prestigious accolade awarded by Thomas Jefferson University, recognising individuals who have made significant contributions to the medical field, promoting scientific discovery and advancements.
Named after Lennox K. Black, a Canadian manufacturing executive known for his philanthropic efforts and service on various boards, including Thomas Jefferson University, the prize celebrates excellence in medical innovation and global contribution to health and medicine.
The actress is renowned for her activism and impactful work in areas concerning women’s health and rights, including her efforts to combat issues like fistula and gender-based violence.
According to the award organisers she has been instrumental in bringing about social change through her films and campaigns. They added that her work extends beyond borders, affecting lives and policies internationally, embodying the spirit of the Lennox K. Black International Prize.
On receiving the award, Stephanie expressed her gratitude and reaffirmed her commitment to using her platform for social good.
“This recognition goes beyond me; it is for all the women and girls fighting for a healthier, safer world. It amplifies our message and our work. It strengthens my resolve to continue advocating for gender equality, social justice, and improved maternal and reproductive health in Africa,” she said
Susan Aldunge, Interim President of Thomas Jefferson University, admired the actress, saying, ‘‘Your ability to educate while humbly addressing the cultural obstacles impeding progress for young women is commendable. Your intelligent, personal take on the necessary human rights changes has deeply impacted all lucky to encounter you. Congratulations once more on this well-deserved award and the acknowledgement of your efforts.’”
Ms Aldunge further said that Thomas Jefferson University, a leader in medical education and research, hosts the award to underscore its mission of improving lives through innovation in health care.
‘‘The university is proud to honour Stephanie Linus, whose work aligns with Jefferson’s values of creativity, collaboration, and compassion in pursuing excellence in medicine and beyond.
“Awarding the Lennox K. Black International Prize to Stephanie Linus celebrates her achievements and signals a broader recognition of the importance of social activism in medicine and health,” she added.
“Her pioneering efforts continue to inspire and effect change, paving the way for a healthier, more equitable world’’.
Stephanie, who was named Chairperson of the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) for the Best International Feature Film (IFF) category of the Oscars in August 2023, is best known for her 2015 advocacy movie ‘Dry’, which tells the story of a 13-year-old girl whose parents marry her off to a 60-year-old man, with devastating consequences.
Ilebaye’s revelation came just after Phyna had publicly called out the organizers for withholding some of her prizes.
Phyna, who revealed this to Newsmen insinuated that Ilebaye broke the gender code by announcing that she got her full prize money.
She also stressed that she would continue to demand for her balance, stating that she worked hard for the money during the show’s 72-day duration.
“I believe I should at least get what I worked so hard for 72 days. You all suddenly remembered your alert screenshots and IG Live………… Common……one among others is 1BTC which is over 80m in today’s market.
“To those who got their money in full
I’m happy for you. As a poor man’s child, let me ask for my money and other items remaining.,” She added.
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