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Nigerian, Ghanian Or African Movies-What Would You Say?
A Critical Look
Part 2
By Thomas Kai Toteh
Senior Staff Writer
There is a big
confusion over categorizing the Movie industry, Nollywood, which is
based in Nigeria. This confusion is mainly amongst Africans at home and
abroad. Some Africans say Nigerian movies or Ghanaian movies, but
Nigerian movies is common because of the large production in Nigeria.
Still other Africans say African movies. Within the media, it is very
common and confusing. Some media carry both African movies and Nigerian
movies at the same time in a given article. But outsiders say African
movies or African movie industry. One barely hears of South African
Movies, Egyptian movies, Ivorian movies, and so on.
Nigerian movies and Nigerian
Films, African movies and African films: Nigerian movies. You can now
buy African movies and entertainment online! Africanmoviesdirect.com
gives the ability to buy videos from countries like Nigeria, Ghana,
Mali, and Cameroun. An ad by
africanmoviesdirect.com
During
our research we found out the confusion is mainly within in the media
and distributors of Nollywood movies. An online distributor is called
Africvideos, but its advertisement is about Nigerian movies. Here it
says, “Our commitment to support the actors/actresses and producers to
improve your viewing pleasure is demonstrated by our reputation of
distributing NIGERIAN MOVIES and offering the best customers
service available.” Africvideos continues, “The
African culture is very rich and our goal is to showcase the fantastic
talent exhibited in these African Brothers & Sisters as well as to bring
you movie entertainment in your home that is candid, pure, emotional,
thrilling, down-right hilarious & real. So the question is why
Africvideos doesn’t talk about other African countries’ movies if there
are any and why it called itself Africvideos in the first place?
Furthermore, there are others who
call Nollywood, West African movie industry. The Nollywood Project
research initiative based at the Global Media Research Center, College
of Mass Communications and Media Arts, Southern Illinois University,
Carbondale, USA, refers to the so-called Nigerian movies as West African
video movie industry centered in Nigeria commonly known as "Nollywood."
Ninety percent of
African viewers interviewed agreed that movies produced anywhere in
Africa should be called African movies instead being named
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Some African Movies
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after an
individual country. “This is a sign of division,” one interviewee said.
“Although, it is Nigeria that is significantly benefiting from the
industry now, let the entire continent share the credit,” another
interviewee said. “In a nutshell, I would refer to all movies industries
in different parts of Africa as African Movie industry,” Sampson
Tajelleh, a construction worker in Jacksonville, Florida said.
Hollywood,
California
is the primary nexus of the U.S. film industry; so is Nollywood
in Nigeria as the primary nexus of African film industry. This
comparison can only hold if we agreed that though Africa is politically
and economically divided, but is culturally knotted and indeed the
movies portray nothing but African way of life.
In
November 2003 Steven Gray, Washington Post Staff Writer wrote: These
English-language Nigerian movies are gaining popularity among the
nation's fast-growing African immigrant population, offering their very
Americanized children a glimpse of African life, particularly the clash
of modernity and traditionalism and the battle between fundamentalist
Christian, Islamic and tribal religions that is sweeping the African
continent. Quoting Ziebono Nagabe, 26, originally of Ivory Coast, Steven
wrote, “"They remind you of everyday life back home."
Alleged Ban on Nigerian Movies in
Ghana: What’s the rationale?
Reacting to speculations in an
editorial posted in an online magazine,
africantheaterusa.com, Oliver O.
Mbamara writes:
Recently, it was reported that
Nigerian movies have been banned in Ghana. We have not been able to
confirm the position with any of the authorities in Ghana. However,
since there is a saying that “in every amount of rumor, there is an atom
of truth,” we will leave some reminders for the attention of those who
may be concerned.
He continues: In the spirit of African development, unity, and
brotherhood as we so often profess under such bodies as ECOWAS, African
Union, etc., we ought to realize that Governments should encourage the
spread of such emerging industries as the film Industry rather than
attempt to stifle them. Such a move will only come back to hurt the
perpetrators sooner or later. The government agencies involved with
films (movies) in African countries should also appreciate the fact that
the movie industry could be such powerful instrument for economic
sustenance as well as a viable means of exporting our culture to the
world.
The industry must be encouraged and not discouraged. Countries should
seek ways of working together and helping each other rather than seeing
the growth of the film industry in another African country as a threat.
Let us reiterate that we have not confirmed this news from any Ghana
government official hence we cannot conclude. But assuming this is the
truth, this piece must then appeal to the government of Ghana to review
its position. It is not necessary for the government of Ghana to ban
Nigerian movies when it has not banned movies from western countries.
This raises the question; should we always strike against our kind in
Africa instead of help one another.
Though this is a speculation, the
saying goes that where there is a smoke there must be a fire. The
speculation must have stemmed from the belief that other Africans are
jealous of Nigeria’s fame as the only or larger producer of movies in
Africa. According to one African student studying at Norfolk State
University in Virginia, “Other African countries don’t have the
capabilities as Nigeria to produce films, though they have numerous
talented people,” noting that these talented artists are co-staring
along with their Nigerian counterparts in Nigeria.
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