Entertainment
Genevieve Nnaji Slams Film One Over Lion Heart
Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji has slammed Nigeria’s top movie distributor, Film One Production for refusing to show her movie, ‘Lion Heart’ at their cinema chains across the country because the company has no stake in the movie acquired by Netflix few weeks ago.
This is what her representative Ugoma Adegoke said on behalf of the actress over the issue that reportedly delayed her directorial debut from showing in cinemas.
“It is sad to discover that the very people who pose as Nollywood supporters and promoters of their content are the very same people frustrating the efforts of film makers. They have currently invested in a couple of movies showing in the cinemas and want to protect their assets at all cost.
“Monopolising the market this season is their strategy to recouping their investment, it’s like 2004 all over again when we were all banned from the industry, except this is not 2004. This is 2018, the sheer audacity.
“It is clear to me that the interest of the consumers is not of utmost priority as advertised. These cinema chains are only here to make money off of struggling artistes, while protecting their investments in the films they are affiliated with” the major reason cinema chains globally do not produce their own movies is to avoid bias.
“Competing with the very people you are supposedly a distributor for a down right ridiculous and shameful to say the least. It is not enough that they buy out their own tickets and manipulate the members and time slots to keep up this false imagery of making box office hits. They prevent film makers from releasing their products to manipulate foot traffic as well. Thereby forcing consumers to watch only that which is available to them not what they actually want to see.
“It seekens me to think that if this could be done to me (twin if I mangadd), then I am only imagine what many struggling independent film makers must be passing through in the hands of these industry vultures.”
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.