Entertainment
NFVCB Boss, Sam Dede, Highlight Gains Of ION Festival
The Ion film festival has been described as the biggest thing to happen to the Nigerian Movie Industry as it has created opportunities for practitioners in Nollywood to partner with their counterparts in Hollywood, Bollywood and other film industries in the world. Thanks to the Rivers State government for being the first state in Nigeria to host the international event for the first time in the African continent.
Speaking on distribution network as one of the key issues that militate against the growth of the movie industry in Nigeria, The Director General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Mr Emeka Mba noted that the censors board is doing every thing possible to sanitise the movie industry in Nigeria and to put a stop to piracy through their distribution network. He said NFVCB is not film maker or distributor, but trying to regulate the industry to enable it meet with international standards.
The NFVCB boss stressed that the truth of the matter is that distribution derives from content, if the industry and distribution systems are weak, it will manifest itself with piracy, reduced sales among others which is what is happening now in the industry.
He said what the board has done in the past two years is to try and engineer a process that will yield a structure in the industry which is called the new distribution frame work based on the laws on ground to segment the industryal and make room for structure to take place within the industry, not to produce or finance films.
The Director General also noted that piracy manifest when there is weak distribution in the industry. He said movie producers should take advantage of the festival because the gains are enormous. According to him, Nollywood has struggled over the last 15 years and we have gotten to this level. What we need now is to be firmly implanted, create the connections between the other industries. He said Bollywood of India share, the same similarity with Nollywood, they were informal, but now working together with government and industry people coming together as a result, have created an industry that makes Bollywood thrive today.
He said, Nigerians should learn from what Bollywood has done, he maintained that though there is no one module to follow, the foundamental code code is that we must have a structure because it stimulates growth and guarantees sustainable growth as well as standard because when they are lacking you will find fragmentation in the system”.
On the role of government, he said the Nigerian market is commercially oriented, adding that government can give financial incentives, encourage training and making sure that film institutes are supported and help facilitate the easy export of Nigerian movies, but we must be clearly minded on what government should do because if we want government to come in fully, it might not be to the interest of the industry, because it might come to a stage where they will be looking for handouts from government.
Also speaking with The Tide Entertainment, a top Nollywood actor, Sam Dede of the Isakabafame said the ION international film festival is a welcome development, but Nollywood has to gain from it if not there is no justification spending the tax payers money on the event.
He said with the big names in Hollywood, Bollywood, Gollywood etc, Nollywood should be able to learn from them in other to move the industry forward which is the goal of the international event.
Entertainment
BBNaija Season Nine: ‘Dynamic Duos’ Auditions Begin
The organisers of the Big Brother Naija( BBNaija) have announced that season nine of the reality TV show started accepting applications last Wednesday.
Biggie is back for BBNaija Season 9 auditions with a twist! The audition requires two people. “This year, it is a search for Dynamic Duos that love the show and can turn up the heat in Biggie’s house,” the announcement said.
This new twist to application videos, which used to be a single person in the video, candidates will have to apply in pairs. This means that the audition video will feature two candidates each.
Make and upload a three-minute video telling Big Brother why both of you should be in the Big Brother’s House together.
The video can be recorded together or separate, but must be a single video.
You have to audition together.
In the video describe yourselves and where you are from.
Also talk about your personalities, your favourite things, likes, dislikes, unique things about both of you and how it may help you do well on Big Brother Naija Season 9.
Stay natural, do not force it, keep it fun!
Audition is free and has opened on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 8:00pm.
Application is only open to people who are 21 or older with a valid means of identification.
Entertainment
Onyeka Onwenu’s Film To Chronicle Her Music Journey
Renowned Nigerian musician, Onyeka Onwenu, says she is working on producing a film that will delve into her experiences which span decades within the music industry.
Onwenu disclosed this in an interview with the Newsmen, on Tuesday with a career that stretches back to the 1970s, the “elegant stallion” expressed her eagerness to share her firsthand account of the evolution of Nigerian music.
”I am currently working on a film that will chronicle my experiences in the music industry from the 70s to the present day. Having been a part of this narrative for decades, I have a wealth of stories to share,” she said.
In addition to the film project, Onwenu discussed her efforts to release her classic songs through collaboration with emerging artistes, promising fans a compilation of rebranded tracks later in the year.
“I am rebranding my old songs and collaborating with new talents. My aim is to offer listeners a fresh perspective on timeless classics,” she explained.
Onwenu’s creative pursuits extend beyond the realm of music, as she recently released a single, titled Abu Otito (Songs of Praise) and dedicated proceeds from its streaming to support widows through the Rose of Sharon Foundation.
“I am passionate about using music to address social issues. From supporting widows to promoting education among rural children, I strive to make a positive impact through my art.”
Reflecting on her philanthropic endeavours, Onwenu shared her commitment to providing educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Abia and disclosed the plan to expand her initiatives to Imo.
“We not only pay school fees directly to schools but also offer civic education to instill a sense of cultural identity. These efforts represent my dedication to empowering future generations,” the musician noted.
Offering advice to fellow artistes amidst economic challenges, Onwenu emphasised the importance of resilience and self-initiative.
“Hang in there and create opportunities for yourselves,” she urged, highlighting the need for proactive approaches in navigating the ever-evolving music industry landscape.
Onwenu’s multifaceted contributions to music and society underscore her enduring legacy as a trailblazing artiste and philanthropist, inspiring generations to come.
“I have been part of the story right from time, and I am still moving forward, so I have a lot of stories to tell,” she remarked.
The Tide Entertainment reports that aside from the cinematic venture, Onwenu unveiled plans to breathe new life into her classic hits by collaborating with contemporary artistes. According to her, she aims to compile a collection of rebranded songs, promising Nigerian audiences an eagerly anticipated release later in the year..
Onwenu has used her music and its timeless messages to promote Nigeria’s culture. Her music duet with King Sunny Ade, titled Wait for Me, has remained evergreen. It is remembered always as a song with deep lyrical message which was put together to help the government of that era fight seriously against the outburst of population explosion while also regulating it with the different family planning programmes put together by the government.
Her song, African Woman, helped greatly in projecting the innate exquisiteness of the African woman giving them a sense of pride and belonging amidst poverty, widowhood, rape, lack of care, hatred, humiliation, abandonment, among others.
Her evergreen classic, Sodom and Gomorrah, is a biblical narrative of the popular story of the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, a city destroyed by God due to their heedlessness and high level of immorality.
Some of her other evergreen songs include Iyogogo, One Love, Dancing in the Sun, and Choices, among others.
Entertainment
Osita Iheme Reacts To Pawpaw Memes
Legendary Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme, fondly known as Pawpaw, has revealed that he is happy with the way his memes are used on social media as a means of expression.
In a recent interview with newsmen, the actor expressed pleasure with the use of the clips from his films, stating that it shows his old films still have value.
“It’s good to see that your works are doing well out there and people are appreciating what you are doing,” he said.
“Even though it has been so many years, people are still valuing it years later. It’s good and it shows that you have an asset that you can always back up and bank with. Because when you look at 20 years ago, the works you’ve done and you see that people are using it to express themselves, you’d feel happy. I feel happy,” he continued.
The Tide Entertainment reports that over the past few years, hilarious stickers and memes of the star from his old films have been used widely across social media platforms to add a comic flair to conversations. His funny memes were not only used by Nigerians, but also in foreign media, especially during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown era.
It is worthy of note that Iheme is one half of the dynamic Aki and Paw Paw duo, the other half being his partner-in-crime, Chinedu Ikedieze.
The pair starred in numerous movies in their prime like ‘Aki Na Ukwa’, Village Rats, and Double Wahala, amongst many other iconic films.
More than 20 years later, they have remained Nollywood household names, hilarious memes, and pop culture icons.
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