Eighteen months after the promise made by President Goodluck Jonathan, to extend a grant of $200 million to the Nigerian film industry, the actors and actresses are yet to see or receive the funds, even though some corporate bodies have been rumoured to have started giving out the grant. In this special report, LEADERSHIP SUNDAY’s Ajibade Alabi,? takes a look at the present status of the grant as he recalls his chat with some stakeholders including actors and corporate bodies.
After about eighteen months of the wait for the $200 million entertainment intervention fund promised by President Goodluck Jonathan to the film industry speculations about how the money will be shared or who will benefit are still raging just as doubt is cast on the genuineness of government to fulfill its promise.
When it was announced some times last year that the federal government has pledged an amount to help develop the film industry otherwise known as Nollywood, and bring it to a higher level, the mood in the industry became hyped to the extent that the practitioners began to see themselves and indeed the Nigerian film industry as finally being on the threshold of big time quality movies producing nations.
“Our time has come to meet up with our counterparts all over the world. The Federal Government has finally harkened to our voice to put money into the industry”. According to Adebayo Salami (Oga Bello) a former president of Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), the industry can rival oil in terms of generating revenue for the country if properly harnessed.
But soon after, the euphoria that greeted the announcement of the federal government decision to help this profession of make believe, the reality has began to dawn on them as confusion on the implementation of the money has taken the center stage.
While some actors are claiming that the money is for them to borrow to shoot their film(s), others are saying that it is meant for groups to borrow to finance joint films. But there is one thing both parties concurred with which is; the money, however borrowed,? must be returned at the stipulated time
Even at that, many questions are still begging for answers. Like who and what groups are qualified to be given the money? What are the criteria to be used in disbursing the fund? How will it be accessed? What will be the mode of repayment?? And which individual or group has so far accessed the fund. While these series of questions are pending, another nagging one seems to be: “If the money is a loan or another “national cake?”
But it will surprise many people that the money is yet to be given to any group or body over a year after the promise was made by the president. So the issue of who qualifies,who was given what and repayment modality does not now arise at all.
Foremost film producer and one time president of Directors Guild of Nigeria, and president Abuja International Film Festival, Mr. Fidelis Duker summarised everything.
“The president is not sincere with us. He promised us 200 million dollars over a year ago, and he is yet to give it out. Nobody has been given anything, and nobody is hearing anything about it again. Is it not the money that you see that you will share or that you will sit over a round table and discuss how it will be refunded? So many of us are not even looking at that angle again”, Duker said in a telephone conversation with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY.
When told that a certain bank, NEXIM may have come to take the position of the government by giving out loans, Duker replied “Nexim Bank’s position is clear, they just gave to sponsor a film and not giving out loans. And they are clear in their terms.
While the government was talking about one digit per cent interest rate, the Nexim Bank is talking about double digit per cent, so they are two different things all together”.
The big question remains: “Is government fooling the people or government is still watching the scenario either to put down the money or not?”
The whole issue became confusing when last month in a press conference, NEXIM Bank Managing Director announced that the fund has been opened for access to anyone interested in investing in the? Nigeria? Entertainment Industry.
Also, he announced Black Ivory Limited as the first beneficiary owned by? Tony Abulu a Nigerian –America with 30 years experience in movie industry. He stated that Black Ivory will use the fund to produce a movie entitled “Dr. Bello”.
However, it is pertinent to ask if NEXIM Bank is representing government on this issue or not?
“Nexim is on its own and they are not doing that for government, these are two different things entirely” Duker says
All our efforts to speak to Mr. Afolabi, the chairman of Nigeria movie board was not fruitful as his personal assistant said he was in the meeting, Also said to be attending a meeting was Mr. Madu. But the question remains: “Who is fooling who?”