LEADERSHIP AND MENTORSHIP IN HISTORICAL REFERENCE

LKJ- THE NEEDED COMPASS 

The Nigerian nation is tensed. Our hopes seem dashed because of our compromises. As a people, we have compromised almost everything except the hope we have looking towards the year 2023, as if the world may be renewed against the wreck we have allowed on ourselves, our nation and consequently, on our future. We are afraid of everything in the nation including our shadows… it’s really a sorry state where we have led ourselves. 

I shudder all the time I hear the argument about how politicians ruined and still ruining the nation because of their greed for everything including power. Then I ask, what about when the military were in power; were they politicians too? The Nigerian might and gift of bravery is forever consolatory. We give reasons for everything just so to feel good, often not necessarily to solve our cancerous laxity on astuteness where leadership ethos is concerned.

The manifesting problem of the nation is becoming obvious. Where our teeming youth are seemingly bereft of what leadership ethos are all about; how then do we expect any sensible follower-ship spirit from such gathering? Or the adult generation, who, even though understood the meaning and place of leadership in nation building, but are complacent about impartation. 

The corners are almost turned, all politicians are permutating to assume lofty positions in the coming “new dawn”. I believe it is yet another opportunity for the common man to make things right if we care. “Things are hard”, that’s the noise all over the country, and the problems are squarely rested on the table of Buhari (The President) and the ruling party- Action Party Congress (APC). To make matters worse for the ruling party, election to usher in new President is right in front of us- 2023. 

This is where our play BABA KEKERE becomes a veritable tool to question and point the nation in the direction on the above subject matter- LEADERSHIP. The example is not farfetched, late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande- LKJ (the first civilian governor of Lagos state) is our greatest example! So if LKJ did it, it then means there are still people among us who should be able to perform the same feat. After all LKJ didn’t drop from space. He was a man like every politician who are parading themselves as leaders now. LKJ promised and delivered to the last letter under 4 years. 

BABA KEKERE is serving as a dramatic compass to navigate our way in searching for a compassionate leader in the coming election. If we fail, it may be difficult to find a path back to the track. 

Enjoy the show! 

MA.

Lanke Omuti: the drunkenness of a Nation.

Bariga brings its own shade of coloration against this backdrop of a cosmopolitan city, where all the seeming identity of everything ‘jolly’ about a nation would first peep at every intending or actual tourists. Yes, the mishmash against an Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki or Alausa Ikeja etc. is what places like Bariga often provides in this cosmopolitan agenda… this shanty (as often referred to) is where the boom, and unapologetic so, the truth about a people of a city or a nation resides! But like the Vulturethat constantly picks on the flesh of a dead body, soon, the carcass will show face and the mealtime will be over. So it is with the drunkenness in the head of the Nigerian ruling class!

Lanke Omuti is one of Nigeria’s indigenous Yoruba language classical drama piece written by late Kola Ogunmola, which in turn was translated, from Amos Tutuola’s “The PalmwineDrunkard”. The Bariga Art Forum- BAF decided that her voice will be heard through that drama piece in a week long Bariga Open Air Theatre- BOAT Festival 2019, staged at the downtown Ilaje area inside Bariga. The street was agog! Some of the unrelenting bariga crowds, most of them, residents, were in splinters cheering or jeering in joy just before the drama began. If you read their faces, you’d almost forget that the show was going to be in the open. You’d think we were all waiting to be ushered into a lush performing venue. Though the lush but abandonedLagos state government newly opened jetty that compulsorily became the backdrop for the performance created an understandable setting for the musical piece, prison. Yes, that’s what it feels like being around here in this time and season in the nation’s life!

So, it was apt for BAF in collaboration with Mainframe Television and Films Production to have thrown this proverb upfront at this period. Aside this reality, BAF and Segun Adefila(artistic director) equally want to “revive a robust theatre consciousness that hopes to fill the gap left by the AlarinjoTheatre tradition which became prominent in the sixteen century through the twentieth century”. A tradition, which has helped through the centuries to articulate and critique the unruly leadership that has become a riveting Abiku causing the masses a frigid stare, A tradition that has helped to educate ‘laureates’through the years of Mbari and Ulli Beier, the tradition that has educated some of today’s thoroughbred theatre artistes both in leadership and sacrifice, and I dear say, that the Alarinjo Theatre forms one of the elements that triggered the study of theatre arts as a course in the faculty of social sciences across Nigerian universities. So when the Lagos Theatre Festival- LTF, berthed by the British Council in Nigeria claims it brought experts in theatre to teach Nigerian theatre practitioners site specific, I wondered what Alarinjo concept was teaching all these centuries.

Near sundown, Lanke Omuti opened knowing that the thickevening would soon happen on us, just like the Nigerian socio-economic mess that kept depressing the populace as our time ticks out. Yet, we’ve seen/are still seeing several opportunities. 

“Were it not for drunkenness/ I would have been more responsible…/ every bit and pieces of opportunities that came my way/ I squandered…/ I would have been more responsible/ if not for this my drunkenness…/”

That was the yoruba song Adefila’s mishmash of western and African percussion band opened the play with. Lanke Omu (Femi Akinde) appeared resplendent both in voicing and carriage; his dexterity at delivering the role was obvious from the very start of the drama piece.  Lanke’s friends are on visit, drunk and they are sure to have another good taste of palm wine before they proceed to another joint. This ensemble was practical in cohesion as they help convey Adefila’s love for symbols through. It was obvious that Adefila was bent on making the audience laugh their hearts out despite the depressing symbols he represented on stage. Lankeloves palmwine so much and he enjoys the company of his fair-weather friends to maintain his jolly-life, so he summons Alaba(Kingsley Okorie) his tapster, to get them the usual.

The decision to drink more wine on drunkenness speaks volume of the situation in our national life. We cannot build democracy in such confused state of mind. Education is in shambles, morals are falling, and security is in distrait… yet we are bent on more! Of course Alaba the tapster fell from the palm tree and died. 

The unfolding scenes tell a lot about the director’s intention at deliberately throwing some jabs at the political class especially during their fanfare of electioneering campaign. It’s insane the kind of promises we take in from politicians without scrutinizing right from the start. Maybe for our individual gains just likeLanke’s friends. Only in a drunken stupor would anybody make or believe that a living man will go and fetch another from the “Land of the dead”, knowing that we are yet to see mortal being who dies and return to planet earth to live again! Yet the friends of Lanke Omu, just like the masses, believe him when Lanke says he would go to the Land of the dead to bring Alaba the tapsterback to earth. So Lanke and his friends believe the drunkenness in their foolishness just the way we suddenly become gullible during electioneering campaigns.

Very didactic! Lanke Omu’ti is designed to inculcate some delicate Yoruba morals even at this contemporary age. The ensemble and Mr. Adefila’s symbolist approach to unraveling the scenery through the journey of Lanke to the Land of the dead is replete with so much creativity, especially with the human props adapted to achieve the sceneries. From forest to forest, wisdom for foolishness, Lanke fought his way for an onward journey. The movement through the scenes illustrates the crypt into which we often fell and our institutions derelict/abuse when the human race deliberately alter the equation with which democracy(collectivism) functions truthfully. Through almost 10 scenes, we see how effort upon effort from Lanke Omu fails, safe only for his self aggrandizement plots. He never adds anything to all the kingdoms (institutions) he came through! The plotting of this well improvised musical drama narrates this ageless classic with the utmost simplistic approach for layman understanding.

Just before the Land of the Dead, Lanke arrives at Ilu Ika (land of the wicked) where the king’s title is Oba Ilu-Ika, King of the Wicked (Wale Ayodeji) and the subjects, Ara Ilu Ika (city of the wicked), and seemly ageless. Using children as masses in such scene is an indication of the director’s intention at saying something quite profound about age, longevity and time. It is so hilarious when from the start of the scene, both the masses and the king pinch each other all through and get excited, even comfortable. The inhabitants of Ilu Ika only get happy when they’re able to show wickedness to Neighbors. It was strange seeing the king in a military camouflage… Is it clearly to indicate the suspension of rule of law or the denial of justice as a way of life chosen by communities who are sworn to underdevelopment or just the wickedness of the leadership class? So many questions than answers that Mr. Adefila left in our tastebuds for the use of this costume for that scene. Only military uses decree as against constitution in a democratic setting! In the end, ase’ni se’ra e! He who proposes evil unto others suddenly struck himself with evil. That was the lot of the King of Ilu-Ika, and Ilu-Ika was thrown into chaos! The leadership class must know assertively, that a man can only be married to his intentions. No matter how much of denials you make, people will only see you in the light onto which you appear.

In the end, Lanke Omu woke up from the sleep his drunkenness has thrown him. It has all been a dream! Though Lanke got to the Land of the dead but as known, he could not return with the tapster as promised! That’s how the leadership class often fails because their intentions and knowledge are blunted. Serving humanity is not a choice, it’s a sacrifice, and the willing carrier must set his/her mind on it rightly. Assuming leadership position with quota system or all of those weak intention from across africa is an indication that we are still in drunken reverie hoping and praying that “tomorrow will be good”.

“Were it not for drunkenness/ I would have been more responsible…/ every bit and pieces of opportunities that came my way/ I squandered…/ I would have been more responsible/ if not for this my drunkenness…/” of course, Lanke Omu and his friends continue their drinking to drunkenness. 

It was on this note that Mr. Adefila ended his version of this classic- LANKE OMUTI.

Makinde Adeniran

April 2019

NANTAP condemns Plateau killings, Commiserates with Victims of Lagos inferno

NANTAP Condemns Plateau Killings, Commiserate with Victims of Lagos Inferno

Nigerian theatre and allied arts practitioners, under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), has condemned the recent attack on 11 Plateau villages which reportedly resulted in the death of well over 200 persons.

In a statement signed by the National President of NANTAP, Mr. Israel Eboh on behalf of the association and other practitioners in the allied art industry including the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Guild of Nigerian Dancers (GOND), Screenwriters Guild of Nigeria (SGN) and the Director’s Guild of Nigeria (DGN), the associations stated that the spate of killings around the country, which has become almost a norm, should no longer be tolerated. Eboh who in the statement described the killing in Jos as  ‘’one killing too many’’ called on the Federal Government to rise up to the occasion by putting a halt to the wanton waste of innocent lives. ‘’The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammudu Buhari, as the Chief Security Officer of the nation must live up to his promise to ensure security of lives and properties of all Nigerian citizens’’ the NANTAP President said.

“The farmers-herders crisis is an avoidable crisis if handled with objectivity and sense of purpose, unfortunately, this crisis is already making Nigeria a laughing stock in the committee of nations. We must bring the perpetrators of this evil acts to book before the entire nation is engulfed in uncontrollable crisis as a result of bad handling” Mr. Eboh added.

Also, he said “on behalf of our associations, we send our heartfelt condolences to the people of Plateau State, the governor and families of the victims of the June 23 massacre and pray for the repose of the soul of the departed. While also commiserating with Mr. President as the father of the nation, we wish to commend him for the prompt manner in which the government has responded to the Plateau killings, with the visit to the affected villages by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo; followed by the President’s visit the very next day. This is encouraging and it shows the seriousness the FG attached to this security breach.”

The association also extended condolences to the Lagos State Government, people and families of victims of the Otedola bridge inferno of which left scores of death in its trail.  “This is an avoidable incident and one which brings to fore the age-long debate about banishing petrol tankers and other heavy duty lorries to ply the roads only in the night. It is a simple case of lawlessness and one which must be brought to book” he lamented.

The NANTAP President then urged practitioners and government to continue to use theatre and entertainment as a catalyst for peace, unity and economic prosperity.


Israel Eboh fta.
President NANTAP.

NIGERIA'S THEATRE- We stayed too long on the dung heap!

The buzzing of flies recklessly pervading the air, spitting and stinging, distracting the squatting anuses whose bowels need to offload excreta have become deafening! These singsongs are coalition of rumors in the culture ministry and among practitioners. These rumors are becoming potent and reasonable. These rumors are obviously becoming a source of concern to all associations involved with the ministry, particularly the theatre related ones.

How do I approach this? Okay, let me first relay some of the rumors going round in the sector, then we shall attempt to make meaning out of it regarding some actions taken or non of it by authorities involved. This I believe would in turn help our analysis in juxtaposition to the supposed growth in the entertainment industry. Let me warn though, that this write-up is not an attempt to cast aspersions on anybody or institution(s), be it government or private individual(s). This is just to intuitively ascertain what could be going wrong with the sector in order to tackle the seemingly stubborn stains of shame that has become the National Theatre's lot anytime leadership appointments are made or to be made.

Shortly before Mr. Kabiru Yar'Adua, the immediate former General Manager (or Director General?) retired, rumors had it that he was having issues with the then Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, High Chief Edem Duke over the alleged proposed sale of the edifice. That both men were struggling over who should have the right to bring the customer(s)... Well, like I warned earlier, it was a rumor. Anyway, some of us believed that was what stalled the proposed sale of the National Theatre and not the protests against it. Because the deal to sell it off as one of the biggest malls to come into Africa was signed and sealed in Dubai according to some newspaper/online (Castles lifestyle 2015 etc) reports.

Finally Kabir retired, and according to the rules in the civil service, he handed over to the most senior officer to take charge pending when the new minister of the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress- APC that won the national elections by majority votes, appoints a new GM for the National Theatre. At this time, Engineer Nwogu of the engineering department and some other 3 senior officers were on level 17 according to the civil service grading but obviously on different steps. According to the rumor, Nwogu was steps ahead of all others officially, but professionally, one of the other 3 was more qualified... Well, between those four, there was wrangling, backstabbing and backbiting and all-whatnot even though it was Nwogu that Kabir handed over to.

Shenanigans and all! The new minister of Information, Tourism and Culture- Alhaji Lai Mohammed, seconded Mr. George Ufot, a Director of Culture in the ministry from Abuja to come and save the silent stinking rancor that was openly gravitating to become a 'civil war' that was to engulf the National Theatre in Lagos. The new Acting GM was himself not a rookie in the affairs of the National theatre or cultural matters in the nation. As a junior officer in those days (1980s),  Mr. George Ufot went from Lagos to Abuja, climbing the ladder successfully until he rose to become a Director in the ministry. Now he was back at 'home' as the Acting boss in charge, the GM. Although, his retirement was just some months away, we heard.

As soon as Mr. Ufot touched down in Lagos, having inherited a well refurbished theatre from Kabir, with all formerly delapidated cinema halls now oozing with cooling breeze of several air conditioners and all newly and well carpeted floors and other appurtenances, Ufot engineered meetings with both staff members and interfaced with private professional stakeholders... One thing the ardent followers of the National Theatre events would not forget in a hurry is the legacy Mallam Kabir Yar'Adua left behind. He totally refurbished the venue, kept the surrounding neat, flowers cultured and constantly ensured that the vast surrounding lawns were grazed. He stepped up security operations around the venue... But he then strangely launched policies that drove content providers and would be customers away from using the venue and he wasn't repentant about it. Yet National Theatre management is not empowered to have/generate provisions or budget to build content within. It only depended/depends on halls rental income from private individuals with programs or drama/cinema events. We then wonder why he had to spend that huge budget on refurbishing the empty venue in the first place.

Though rumor has it that he refurbished the venue so to attract better offer during negotiation to sell the soon-to-become-biggest mall in Africa edifice to Mulk Holdings, the United Arab Emirate UAE based multinational conglomerate. And on the other hand, the venue was kept empty despite the refurbishment to push home the arguement of the Government that the venue was obsolete for its original intent of use- the arts and culture events (or THEATRE ARTS?) If this postulations were true, then Mallam Yar'Adua kept a fine balance until his retirement.

Mr. George Ufot was lucky to have arrived duty at a time when Lagos State was nearing the completion of her one year long display of bizarre cultural activities all around town in celebration of her 50 years birthday. Which other venue in Lagos could be more grandiose to close the events by end of May 2017 other than the National Theatre? So the Lagos State government was quick to come into collaboration with the Federal government in this regard, especially that politically, both Lagos and the Federal government are now from same political party- APC. It was easy for the Ambode led Lagos government to announce to the world that she'll be helping the National Theatre fix its main-bowl auditorium: the only surviving rot of the lot that Kabir refurbished. 

This, the Lagos government said, was her bit in fulfilling her part of the collaboration agreement with the National Theatre. For Mr. Ufot and his new team of management staff, it was a good omen for their renewed effort at ensuring that cultural event owners returned to patronize the once abandoned Mallam Yar'Adua's refurbished-but-empty-space, National Theatre. So the barrage of play productions/festivals and film shows from production companies and organizations like Thespian Family Theatre (TFT), Crown Troupe of Africa, QDance company, Theatre And Movie Producers Association of Nigeria- TAMPAN e.t.c and the celebration of World Theatre Day and World Dance Day 2017 by National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners- NANTAP and Dance Guild of Nigeria- GOND, were a rare testimony that indeed, "after a long dark night, the morning shall surely come"

Just when our Acting GM, Mr. Ufot had not settled in office beyond four months, the Abuja list of appointments and appointees into the culture sector of the ministry surfaced in the newspapers. "Showman" Tar Ukor (the exponent of "Mambisa") had been appointed as the new substantive GM of National Theatre and National Troupe of Nigeria to replace Mr. Ufot's Acting slot of only National Theatre.  Even the surrounding breeze in the corridors of National Theatre was quiet when the news broke. The workers in the ministry in Abuja murmured their confusion to high heavens, so much so it filtered through the thousands kilometers of travel to tingle our eardrums in Lagos and beyond. Professional practitioners' surprises became worries as to who, why, where, when and what happened... About then, another two distinctive classical rumors dropped, and our lull became quieter until it grew to morbid silence.

The rumor-mill continued to spew confounding logic. One of which was that the Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed confided in some close associates that Mr. Tar Ukor's name was not part of the list he sent to President Muhammed Buhari for approval into the parastatal. On equal strength, we heard former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the one who recommended Mr. Tar Ukor to the Presidency for the slot... Even if these rumors were true, it was obvious that the industry players had become tired of complaining or protesting against government appointees into this office with the way stakeholders got disinterested in ordinary discussion concerning the appointment, talk more of newspaper interviews. Even if it is to abuse, non came forth. Except "hun, ha, oh..." SO, WHO PUT TAR UKOR NAME FOR LIST?

Obviously this is not about the question above! It's about the seeming uncertainty that pervades the usage of the establishment and the nag of government appointees to not always fit the stakeholders' expectations from time immemorial. Is it possible that the government is operating on the basis that the National Theatre is a cultural events venue and rightly so? And the stakeholders agitations over the years are based on the assumption that the venue is an ARTS theatre? If these questions suffice, then the government and the stakeholders need to do a roundtable conference, and commonly agree on what purpose the building is meant to serve beyond the original reason it was established for the great Festival of Arts and Culture- FESTAC in 1977. That way, the industry players will stop denigrating the government they are meant to work with for better result both for the industry workers and Nigeria at large.

Yours,

ALANI ON'TABA.

When a 'Nationhood' was about- KAKADU.

When a 'Nationhood' was about - KAKADU (Series 1)

KAKADU, a true manifestation of a mirror play, and a bare reconnaissance of our understanding in the true sense of the word- RECONCILIATION.

To know that kakadu once existed pushes my thought deeper into the abyss and I could only continue to ask, when was a nation? Was it the geographical location, the people, their reasoning, language or sense of being? These are questions beyond whatever answers we dimmed fit but, a true starting point for a nation truthfully willing to take the lessons of KAKADU, as one that is potent enough to unravel the missing link between the starting point, the gulf, and the rot we scurry in like a pig, having a filled day in an extremely meshy mud.

Once upon a time, there was a commercial social gathering spot where all that counted was just your coming in... as a matter of fact, when you get to the entrance you drop your worries, enter, and enjoy a new sense of being! That was all that was required of you.

Everybody looked forward to this sense of being every weekend. KAKADU felt like heaven on earth. A true nation irrespective of our boundaries was forming. Language or where you were coming from was not a passport to enjoying and sharing in the merriment that was the hallmark of the spot. All that mattered was get dropped at the motor park, enquire about the location of the spot, come in and the rest is not necessary... then fire struck, and KAKADU vanished, even with its own kind of people.

Those left behind are just historians who would not see the sense in the ideological existence of KAKADU even though fire had burnt the real one. Rather, they retell the story with pain such that it keeps the divide so strange and wide apart: they have refused to stomach kakadu, instead, they regurgitate  it and cut everyone off the real sense of being.

KAKADU is a musical piece that hopes to give true meaning to what reconciliation between two people(s), nations, continents etc. is all about, all else we will continue as mere historians who can only relate the story as we saw it and not necessarily as it was.

Makinde Adeniran

Experts not Politicians destroy Nigeria's growth

It is becoming worrisome the level at which workers’ strikes happen in Nigeria. What the strikes are meant for is obvious. But why is strike the only measure to make government listen? Often, ultimatums jump out of the dailies, and then the strikes begin without looking at the larger picture. The larger picture referred to here is the masses. It is almost certain that these Unions get into this mode one after another thereby halting the country. 

Now, the questions are; is it only the responsibility of government to safeguard the day to day running of the economy of a nation? Or are Experts’ Unions becoming pseudo-Political Parties? Governor Adams Oshiomole’s case is a good reference point (He transited from a very active, almost anti- government labour leader to being a politician).

If this reference point suffices, then it is time the nation began to make a proper assessment on what and where the people’s power to bring government to answer to questions lay. Instead of relying on group of experts’ unions who are masquerading as the saviors of the nation but in the real sense, they are just bunch of orchestrated Areaboys asking the government for their share of the loot. The Politicians are the ‘devils’ known to us but what about these ‘saints’ we are yet to know... I smell a rat.

If you have read Wole Soyinka’s (WS) “Beatification of Areaboy”, you would understand what the experts’ unions across the globe especially the one from within Nigeria are doing to retard Nigeria’s growth. But in case you have not, we shall clinically go through situations that would describe the experts’ area-boys attitude in the making or marring of the Nigeria nation.

Area-boys are the popular streets’  urchins you find in every cosmopolitan city in the world. They are a character of socio-cultural failure; a product of societal weakness merged with economical woes, such as most developing nations or continents are reeling in now. They are a barometer of a sort for every society they exist in. The level at which they operate and go scot-free and continuously so, go a long way to tell the laxity in security and execution of law, if any, in such country. They represent the face of failure in every society.

However, they could be put to use by the rich or intellectuals in the society, especially when such people have ulterior motive. All these depend on understanding their language of acceptance – money or power. Of course, they get the power for you, you buy it with money. If well organized, they could grow to become a powerful group of outstanding networks just like the Boko-haram group, the Al-queada, and every other militia groups across the globe.

In the case of WS’s play – Beatification of Area-boy; it is Sanda, a university dropout who feels so aggrieved of his society that took to putting to use these street urchins. Sanda is a security man at the plaza, yet oversees the running of a parking lot. The area-boys give receipt to willing vehicle owners or drivers who come to park in their parking lot. They expect some specified token in return. These monies go to Sanya. But what is fascinating about their operation is that every driver or owner of vehicles who come to park in this parking lot is a potential customer to be defrauded by these area-boys.

These area-boys have two or three different groups who will come in turn to give receipt to the same vehicle and they expect you to pay them, and when you make to argue it, they are ready to fight and beat you up then impound your vehicle. Yet you cannot move your vehicle except you pay. This scenario I am sure will be familiar to most Nigerians by now. This orchestration to some degree, negatively though, has some level of cohesiveness. At least they are providing the services; keeping the parking lot intact, defending its parameters, sure security for vehicles, securing the space with land allocation institution even if it means sharing their profit with the government agency responsible for allocating lands every month. The point is, they work at it. In some cases they even commit their lives to it.

Most garage touts fall into these area-boys category. So they form the bulk of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). Anytime they venture into strike mode for whatever reason, the union will always provide some lee-way out for the masses. Is either they make it half day or they never go beyond a week. Even when there are fuel shortages in the country, they are always committed to serving the masses. Though some of us refer to them as never-do-well of the society, but in so many cases, they are always very creative at making their demands even from government. They also know when to back off. The NURTW successfully went into agreement with the government of Babatunde Fashola in Lagos state when they knew it was the wise thing to do. Lagosians were surprised at the solemn marriage between ‘Areaboys’ and the Government. The relationship which eventually produced the Bus Rapid Transport popularly known as BRT. The masses are the one enjoying the fruit of that relationship today. That is the way a country works; Ability to engage ourselves constructively and be the better for it.

No country will work under the “wrong, you must die and win, I control” posture most of these Experts’ unions take. All these unions have perfected the act of holding government to ransom while the country suffers. Or how do we explain the situation where a union asks for everything yet they never give anything in return except for basking in the euphoria of once-upon-a-time. The one that horrifies most is when these unions begin to compare themselves with their contemporary in the west. They forget that in the west, things are done according to lay down rules. Government will not have to come after you before you contribute your bit to the economy.

These unions are quick to say the government is bad, YES, but no government everywhere in the world is good. The professionals in my view are responsible for each segment as they make-up a country. So, whichever section is failing, the blame rests square on both the government and most particularly the professionals in that section. To push all failures in a society on government is as equal as saying rulers drop from heaven. But believe me, rulers are born.

Makinde Adeniran

Nigerian Home Video: Market or Industry?

The home video saga in Nigeria is already phenomenal all over the world. But let us take time out to straighten out some thoughts and taught. Given the quantity of problems Nigeria faced since independence, especially in the last 15years, there is need absolutely for the Nigeria people to be excessively dynamic. Breaking all necessary barriers of economic norms and processes, Nigerians have emerged a new economical order, especially in the Movie Industry sector tagged "Home Video Film".

The business of film making in Nigeria, like many other African countries, dated back to Pre-colonial rule, when Government used filmmaking as political propaganda. Given the period (economically), the British who were the masters; and being one of the first world countries, the minutiae for filmmaking were astute, the expertise were superb-rate for that period. From this propagandist point of view, some Nigerians had learnt the business of filmmaking for a more pleasurable, educational and informative reasons. So it was a bit easy for some Nigerians to join the rest of the advanced countries in filmmaking almost immediately after we got independence in 1960.

After due exhaustive live performances, and theatre on the wheels. The likes of late Afolabi Afolayan (a.k.a. Ade-love), late Hubert Ogunde, and Moses Olaiya (a.k.a. Baba Sala) came on the scene as filmmakers, and all their films were shot on 35mm. It was an excessive boom because the culture of patronizing the Cinema theatres was still the in-thing. Because the boom was obvious, the banks and other such institutions of investors could rely on the film investment for gains, trust the industry and then could accept a "feeble" for collateral. Consequent upon this, other generation of filmmakers who had studied filming abroad came on the scene; (Ola Balogun, Eddy Ugbomah, etc.) until mid '80s when the collapse of the Nigerian ruling system and its economical values became imminent.

This fall reflected grossly on other sub-sectors, NGOs, Associations etc. down to the common individuals on the streets. And naturally, people began to invent other means of survival positively or otherwise. The film sector dwindled until gradual shot down of notable Cinema theatres; entertainment generally became a non-starting event. Those in the film industry who could not but continue to produce film, even when it was obvious that it is almost impossible sake of financial implications, lack of security for people to go to Cinema theatres, training facilities in country dropped, etc. resorted to producing Home Video.

The Home Video producing idea started as a one-man business. It was an import and export merchant Chris Rapu, who needed to sell his loads of empty VHS tapes brought into Nigeria who resorted to recording an enactment of an Igbo story of a man who because of money, signs a pact with the devil. Before this time, Mr. Nnebue (a.k.a. NEC) had been doing some recording of some Yoruba films, also shot with a VHS camera but only for pleasure, until Chris Rapu came with this hit. This success opened up the Home Video film business dominantly to other Igbo marketers of electronics.

Then some of the newly trained and old filmmakers (Tunde Kelani, Femi Lasode, Amaka Igwe 'Ladi Ladebo and even Moses Olaiya a.k.a. Baba Sala) who had left the industry out of frustration, came back and began to attempt the use of beta-cam, and some, DV-cam. As critics grew, production output increased from 2 a week to 7 a week and more. The marketing strategy for Home-video in Nigeria is a "bric a brac" style, relying solely on Idumota local market in Lagos, Onitsha and Aba in the Southeast. Structure and regulations were not considered, as many weren't thinking of an industry but what they could milk out of the system. Because the Marketers are the strong hold of the business, Home Video film became an all-comers affair. The marketers dictate what they want to the Professionals. And so, they could call for a recess (from March to early April) when they needed it. But the recess was only to empty their stalls of too many unsold films.

Home Video Film business is a one-man business that has triumphed on the culture of "copy-cat" to spread all over Africa at the detriment of the Professionals and the Profession. The scenarios are quite obvious. The entire Nigeria economical disposition is in juxtaposition to so many other sub-sectors', including the home video industry. All over the world now, the news of the successes of the Nigerian home video is getting aggressive by the day despite the huge short falls - the entire economical wounds, lack of structure and regulations and maladroit machinery of organizations and associations. Nigeria Actor's Guild (NAG), National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN), etc. are all a part of this shame.

Democratic dispensation in Nigeria merged with the seeming successes of the Home Video films, from the rabble of decadence from the Military era has again lit the dark corridors of our hearts and streets. People now trudge in numbers to the cinema theatre (National Arts Theatre Iganmu, FSP hall Ikeja, Pen cinema Agege, etc.) on weekends to watch films, mostly Yoruba films. With the teeming rush, special magazines for advertisement of films, TV ad programs for films, the number of films released in every two weeks has risen to 15 films (8 english from Igbo producers, and 7 yoruba)

In comparising to what obtains in the western world, one would readily agree that the whole arrangement is disheartening. Still, as a third world country, there is an obvious opening for the Government to capitalize on. Especially with the spade of unemployment in the country. If the Marketers' Association who cared less about the structure of the industry as far as they are making their profit could be converted through intense formal training in the business of filmmaking, and the Professionals re-organize themselves, Associations get firm to their duties, Censors Board live up to its responsibilities, and the Government providing a practical Policy, it is only then that the Nigeria economy is sure of serious boost in the filming sector.

Makinde Adeniran
2003