October - December 2017 •
The Lion King
• 65
rassing to say the least.
We also now have viable distribution
networks that understand the business
very well. Silverbird and FilmOne are
the big players in this space right now.
The script-screen pipeline is now well
developed and it’s a good time to be
in the movie making business but the
issues about story, plot and narrative
still remain the red hot button topic
which is really the point of this article.
There was a time when Nollywood was
mostly about quirky and badly devel-
oped love stories with a twist of voo-
doo/juju (black magic). It became the
spectacle that films were known for
but that, strangely, was the attraction.
Today we see stories of a different
ilk but most are written to make you
the business for solely financial gain,
using film as a ‘means to an end’. It
seems to have worked because we
have seen films like Alakada reloaded
by Toyin Aimahku that have in return
experienced relative success having
gone the comedy route. Wives on
Strike by Omoni Oboli is also another
clear example of how the comedy
genre is basically setting Nigerian cin-
ema aflame. The long queues at the
cinema houses are for Nigerian films.
Is it really all about comedy? There
have been concerted attempts made
by other film makers also looking to
earn some profit for their work through
other genres aside from comedy but
have not shattered the glass ceiling
quite like Mo Abudu, AY and Omoni
Oboli. It’s really great to see these
famous producers turn in a profit for
their films but also it would be nice
to see dramas, psychological thrillers,
spy, action blockbusters, sci-fi and
other genres of film take centre-stage
in Nigerian cinemas as regards high
ticket sales.
A group of young and daring
Nigerian directors have ventured into
Afrofuturism – which is really a coined
meaning for a new kind of visual
spectacle dealing with science fiction
relating to deeply rooted African cul-
ture and subject matter. CJ Obasi has
made a name for himself relentlessly
pursuing this genre of film.
Diversity in our industry, I feel is the way
to go. We don’t even get to see docu-
mentaries at the cinema yet and we
know that in Hollywood they are a big
deal. It’s a step by step process which
I feel will get better as time goes by.
laugh with really over-the-top and
over-elaborate performances. Some
others have been quite daring and
put out historical pieces – ’76, Tonye
Princewill – Which for me is one of the
best Nigerian films ever made. There’s
also October 1 by Gabriel Afolayon
which is really a detective drama
set during Nigeria’s independence. I
found it to be ground breaking and
visually astounding.
In recent times the movie called
Wedding Party by Mo Abudu, a com-
edy spectacle in every sense, made
about half a billion Naira in profit
after it’s cinema rounds and it’s part
1 sale to Netflix (American film con-
tent company). This is indeed is a
landmark feat that is unprecedented
in Nollywood. It’s also served as a
model to many filmmakers who are in
MOVIES
