Entertainment
‘Nigeria’s Cultural Diversity, Blessing To Nollywood’
Nigeria is a multi-ethnic
country. This status has brought the country different chaos at different times of its history, but for the entertainment industry, the diversity for the ethnicity in the giant of Africa nation, is a colossal blessing. The Nigerians move industry is endowed with talents from all the geo-cultural regions of the country. The beauty of this assortment has not only made our entertainment industry unique, but it has also made Nollywood movies more interesting than it’d have been if Nigeria had no cultural differences. Sitting down to watch a Bishop Okon with his ‘calabarness’ can make one temporarily forget the recession rocking the country.
An ‘Akpos’ character often played by comedian, Ayo Makun could relieve stress. That is not a talk of the local Yoruba girl character (Jenifa), played by Funke Akindele in her Jenifa’s Diary. A doctor won’t lose his medical licence if he/she prescribes a dose of Jenifa’s Diary every evening, to a patient about to lose his/her life to depression. Away from the prophylactic effect that the infusion of the different Nigerian cultures in Nollywood movies has on consumers, this same factor is also the reason why the industry can attain the height of being the third largest movie industry in the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also confirmed that Nollywood is the second biggest employer in Nigeria.
According to a post in the social media on the 24th of May 2016, “Theindustry currently accounts for N853.9 billion ($7.2 billion), or 1.42 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. It employs more than a million people directly or indirectly.
It is being touted as the country’s second biggest source of jobs after agriculture”. All these exciting news can be said of the Nigerian film industry because of Nigeria’s multi-ethnicity amongst other factors. Well, it’s often said that ‘variety is the spice of life’, the variety in the cultural background of Nigerians could be that spice that has made Nollywood films more acceptable across the globe and thereby, making it grow in leaps and bounds.
R&B star, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has recounted the early-career challenges she faced, revealing that she was once booed out of the stage while performing at a school event.
Speaking in an interview with Newsmen, the Crazy Tings crooner shared that she wasn’t only booed but was also harassed with plastic bottles.
“I remember one time I was going to perform at my school as an up-and-coming singer and I thought I was going to receiving a standing ovation.
“But I got booed. They even threw plastic bottles at me,” she recalled.
Tems explained that despite the embarrassing incident and other such rejections, she remained determined to pursue a career in music.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Tems admitted that some of the initial rejections she faced could be due to her conviction to stick to her originality instead of doing covers or familiar sounds like most of her peers.
The Grammy-winning singer said looking back now, she is glad that she didn’t compromise her style despite the initial pressures.
A close associate of late singer Mohbad, Primeboy, has appealed for the artiste’s burial nearly three years after his death.
According to him, Mohbad’s body remains in the mortuary since September 12, 2023, pending burial arrangements.
The Tide Entertainment reports that in a statement Primeboy urged the family, public, and government to permit the burial, stating, “It’s been almost three years since Mohbad left us. His body is still in the mortuary. I’m begging the family, I’m begging the public, I’m begging the government, please let’s bury our brother. He deserves a befitting burial.”
It would be recalled that Mohbad’s death sparked public outrage, protests, and investigations. Ongoing autopsy examinations, police inquiries, and legal proceedings have delayed burial arrangements amid family disagreements and public scrutiny.