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  I usually don’t like to get involved in the business of politics or should I say air my views publicly on the business of politics… especially as it relates to the Nigerian film industry but there is a wise saying that goes ‘Evil thrives when good men do nothing’ so here goes!

Awhile ago, word came in that Ghanaian film marketers had slammed a $1000 levy on  Nigerian actors that come to act in Ghana! This caused a furor and the Nigerian film marketers in a retaliatory gesture, slammed a $2000 levy on Ghanaian actors coming to act in Nigeria!  This in effect means that before Van Vicker, Jackie Appiah, Majid Michel etc can act in any future Nigerian film, producers have to pay extra $2000!! The ripple effect is that

actors from both countries will no longer act in each other’s films, ending several years of cooperative, symbiotic relationship between Ghana and Nigeria.  Many are appalled at this. What could have possessed Ghanaian marketers to come up with such a misguided, ill-advised decision? The entire population of Ghana is about 23 million, certainly not up to the population of Nigeria (150 million). Ghanaian films and Ghanaian actors are enjoying having a thriving, lucrative business in Nigeria. Why rock the boat? Why all this now?  If anyone was going to be doing the levying it should have been Nigerians, whose top male actors have been largely ignored in preference to Ghanaian actors. By levying Nigeria, it will force Nigerian marketers to stop using Ghanaian actors and that will certainly affect sales on both sides. I think this is very myopic on Ghana’s part and smacks of a certain arrogance. Its like ‘Well, now we have learnt the business of film making from Nigeria, we do not need them anymore!’ It is unfortunate Ghanaian marketers would do such a thing after all it was Nigeria that magnanimously introduced them to Nollywood in the first place. (Yes, I went there!  I said it!)  Frank Raja Arase, Ghana’s most prolific producer is actually a Nigerian from Delta State! Nigerian producers have consistently been featuring Ghanaian actors like Van Vicker, Jackie Appiah, Majid Michel etc as lead in their movies, many times to the detriment of our fine actors and this is how their industry says ‘Thank you?”

Anyway, I really don’t blame Ghana. I notice apart from for business reasons, Nigerians have a taste and likeness for most things foreign, believing it is better than theirs, the opposite of what happens in Ghana and even South Africa. There are no protectionist measures and even though we have quota system in the work place it is hardly enforced. In Nigeria, TV stations are rife with Mexican and Brazilian soaps when several talented Producers are wallowing in penury because TV stations do not want to give them the necessary funds to produce soaps.  They prefer to buy the already produced, cheap soaps arguing that they are better produced and more interesting. Nigeria is the only country I know in the world where TV stations expect independent producers to pay for the production of their soaps and pay for airtime for 13 or 26 episodes! Nigerian film producers  work under the direst of conditions and they still somehow make it work.  This is certainly not what they need now.

My take is this; This should be a wake-up call for Nigerian film producers/marketers. Its about time we started appreciating, developing and protecting our home grown talent.  We have a lot of talent actors and actresses here and in Diaspora, that are waiting in the wings to be the next Ramsey, Genevieve and co. Stop this business of looking for  ready-made and look within. Look to discover and develop ways to increase our marketing and distribution network because we still haven’t done it. Then maybe when that happens we won’t be so bothered when another country fixes levies on us or not.

*Reactions are very welcome

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mimi  - its not their fault   |Your IP:188.28.0.xxx |2010-07-24 21:50:33 its not the so called golly industry fault. like the writer said it is time we start appreciating our own. who out of the ghanians can truly act xcept for majid who as far as m concern sometimes is not audilble. he has a fast tongue and overacts atimes NADIA.. That all she does is line delivery and forgets her expressions VAN VICKER.. d guy cant act to save his life he struggles so much with rigid facial expressions jACKIE APPIAH.. dont knw where to place her. yVONNE NELSON.. Only sells shape and body SHE CANT ACT. Reply

licious  - really!!!!!!!   |Your IP:41.204.71.xxx |2010-07-27 20:05:00 its a sad situation.what do they are.as for that majid and his fast tongue and exaggerated acting as you rightly say,i'll see where that takes them to Reply

MIss-TiLLi  - Two sides to every story- Wait to you hear Ghanas   |Registered |2010-07-25 04:03:23 I cant elaborate the real reason i have been told, but just know there is two sides to the story. for one Shirley Frimpong Manso said in an interview TWO YEARS AGO, how she finds it extremely h ard to market her movies in Nigeria - or even a simple premiere. WHY, well cos most of her movies star 100% ghanaian, the crazy fees ppl like her were always asked to pay to be able to distribute. So all i am saying is I personally dont like what is going on - but there is a REAL AND GOOD enough reason why its come to this. I wish something can be work out. Lets just wait for Ghana to put out a statement, so far its nigeria distributors complaining - we havent heard much from Ghana. And Bola lets not forget within nigeria its self producers themselves HAVE PROBLEM WITH DISTRIBUTORS, so it should come as no surprise if Ghana is having problems with them neither. The whole truth will come out. I hope. ps: WHEN IT COMES TO MO... Reply

MIss-TiLLi  - Lets not forget Many Naija Actors complain   |Registered |2010-07-25 04:10:13 lets not forget a lot of naija actors and actresses have complained a lot in the past THEIR JOBS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM. People like Majid getting threatening anonymous phone calls and what not. I guess both sides have to sit and talk about this with all the actors involve. Lets hear how every body REALLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY feels. You know what am saying. We are not a threat - u are way bigger and richer than us. We can all work together in peace and harmony and with UNDERSTANDING - OR NOT!!!!!!!! Reply

MIss-TiLLi  - typo correction   |Registered |2010-07-27 01:40:48 In my first post i meant to write YOU GET YA LAST "LOVE" HOME - i mistakenly type LAUGH - just a mistake. Reply

Nicki  - pls pls they all can't act to save their lives   |Your IP:94.9.254.xxx |2010-08-19 16:53:13 Both naija actors and the ghanians are not good in acting.All they do is wear ridicules clothes that does nothing for the eyes but makes you want to heave and shout at the cameras.there is no facial expression, emotion (aside crying) over dramaticalisation of everything, conversation scenes are very poor and lack much sense and the men golly golly those ones think they are the best thing since slice bread eg jim iyke.If the hollywood counterpart can go to acting school or drama school just to get it right i see no reason why african actors should not do the same, that's why they can not compete internationally.So do i kind if nollywood and the ghanian actors go down NO, and will definitely not miss them if anything good ridance. Reply

jennifer ada   |Registered |2011-01-12 17:29:06 yVONNE NELSONhe is a gud actress VAN VICKER:he is also a gud 1 bt needs more effort alot of people says his face made him Reply

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