Around and about Nollywood...

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI
-- Onyiye Egenti’s film on BFI IMAX Cinema
Nigeria born Onyiye Egenti’s first film shot on 35mm-Black and White will show at the BFI IMAX Cinema in Waterloo, London on June 24 at 7pm. In an email message, the Master’s student at the London Film School (LFS) sent to the filmmaker Tunde Kelani to convey what she described as her ‘first real Achievement’ in the United Kingdom, Egenti disclosed that her film was selected along with some others out of numerous entries for a Talent Circle Festival. IMAX Cinemas, as she explained, aren't regular cinema houses ‘because they have the world's biggest screens, so it's a real big deal for people over here. (regular IMAX screens are about 20 metres (i.e. 72 ft) wide and 16.1 metres (53 ft) high’. She also said: ‘I think there is only one in the UK but I understand there are just about 300 IMAX cinemas in the world, most of them being in the US and Canada. Some countries here in Europe don't even have one. Students at my school have been congratulating me’. Egenti told TK as Tunde Kelani is fondly called: ‘I really wish you could be here for the screening. I must admit I'm a bit excited that my work has been noticed. But it simply means I have to push myself a lot more than ever before since this is just my raw beginnings. Does not even begin to scratch the surface. Still it's nice. It's not going to be a fussy thing, no red carpet or anything like that, just a full house of other serious Filmmakers in the industry to view selected works here’ she said?

With Sharp Corner, Kraftman Productions stages a comeback
Leading Production Company Kraftman Productions will return to the Television frontline next quarter with the first season of Sharp Corner -- a comedy series filed on location in Ota Ogun State. Based loosely on activities around Nigeria's most glamorous street, Allen Avenue, Ikeja... Sharp Corner is a restaurant cum beer parlor on Allen Avenue. The comedy series highlights the problems of Nigeria’s X generation and how they cope with rising unemployment, spiraling inflation, drug addiction prostitution, HIV/AIDS and many more. Whilst some optimists like 'Prof ' believe it will be well one day others like Boz make strenuous efforts to join the ‘haves’ by embracing the fast lane without immediate results. According to Producer Madu.C.Chikwendu, ‘It is true that SC uses comedy to paint a pessimistic picture of the Nigerian situation but this situation is real. Pessimism has since overtaken optimism and hope is becoming a very scarce commodity in Nigeria’. Shot on HD, Sharp Corner has Nkiru Okoronkwo as Associate Producer and Ifeanyi Ekwem as Director. It will premiere third quarter on STV, TVC and LTV 8.
…..confirms its participation in I-Joke
Kraft man Production also confirmed its participation in the I-Joke project ( http://i-joke.ning.com), which was launched at the last Cannes Film Festival in France. Initiated by European Producers Jan Helig (Germany) and Jenny Inchbald, the project brings together producers from over 25 different countries .Each Producer will present a short film (max 5 minutes) of a popular joke in that country. The jokes from different countries will now comprise a series that will be presented around the world. The projects aims to; create an international network and community that can work together, create a cultural exchange to promote better understanding amongst the international community in an inspiring and entertaining way, to share knowledge in way that everyone is equal and happy. The project is coordinated by Filmbit FilmProduction Germany & Future Artists UK. A statement signed by A.C Nwankpa, Head of Corporate Communication of Kraftman Production indicate that Nigeria is represented by Kraftman Production CEO Madu.C.Chikwendu

Preparation for TAVA hots up
Organisers of the maiden edition of the Television and Audio Visual award dubbed TAVA have started the countdown to the maiden edition of the award ceremony. The award ceremony will hold on July 9 at the Shell Hall of the Muson Center, Onikan, Lagos beginning at 6pm. Speaking to Moviedom during the week, Chair of the Organizing Committee, Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, assured that he was working with a team that will deliver an award scheme that will be reputed as the bench mark for other award schemes. Ogunjiofor who is popular as Paulo, a role he played in the phenomenal ‘Living in Bondage’, explained that the award is an annual event created to honour outstanding indigenous films, music video, television productions, commercials and general programmes as well as the most creative performers, outstanding television houses and audio-visual equipment. Tava has Perfect Pictures, Perfect Sound as its main theme. The African Independent Television (AIT), RayPower Radio and DAARSAT, owned by DAAR Communication Plc, is the official medial partner. Several Institutions and corporate organisations like the Federal Ministry of Information and Communication, the Nigerian Film Corporation, the National Film and Video Censors Board and the Nigerian Copyright Commission have endorsed TAVA awards and many are still pouring in. This support for TAVA is overwhelming and it is a thrust towards organising and showcasing the biggest and best event in audio-visual industry in Africa.

Here is ION Film Festival
Organizers of the touring film festival -- ION International Film Festival (www.ionfilmfestival.com) will in collaboration with the Rivers State Government hold a press parley and meeting with Nollywood stakeholders to officially launch ION International Film Festival Port Harcourt09.It is a touring film festival, which moves every year to a new location around the globe in an effort to promote global awareness, peace and unity. It went from Los Angeles in 2007, to Dubai in 2008 and after Port Harcourt it will move to Istanbul in 2010. This is the first time ION lands in Africa and will be hosted in PH, Rivers State on December 9-12. ION launched the call for entries in 12 official categories on 1st April and submissions are welcome by filmmakers before the deadline of Sept 30, 2009 -- International submissions through www.ionfilmfestival.com or www. withoutabox.com. those wishing to make submissions from Nigerian should check submission details at www.omcomm.org. The organisers stated that the press parley will offer interested stakeholders the opportunity to discuss the vision and program of ION PORT HARCOURT09. The press parley and the stakeholders meeting will hold at O’ Jez Restaurant, National Stadium on Tuesday June 30, 2009 at 11am.


Waka pass…
Producer- Amebo A. Amebo
Director- Mr. Gossip
Actors- Nollywood Celebrities

Who is afraid of Afolabi Adesanya
Why can’t some people allow others to drink water and keep cup. Why have they all decided to be concerned about when a man goes to bed or wake up? Oh, well, we thought we should ask because of the way one waka pass bumped into us during the week and insisted we must believe his tale, which is that the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) Oga Afolabi Adesanya has been arrested by men he said he couldn’t place. And because ‘arrest’ of different shapes and sizes have become the order of the day in Nigeria we nodded as if to say we had heard the waka pass but as asking is believing, we immediately pulled a call to a man at the NFC who should know. And trust Brian Etuk to jump at any opportunity at defending or putting the NFC on the front burner. He returned the rumour to sender tersely: ‘na di rumour mongers dem go arrest, not to my MD’. In other words, Oga Afolabi dey him office for Jos dey do the work wey government give am to do. In fact na no shaking full him countenance wen we eventually pulled a call thorugh to him. So therefore, case dis-m-i-s-s-e-d! Return to sender.

Andy Chukwu went to bed hungry
We ran into the actor, singer and director Andy Chukwu at the operation remove Ejike Asiegbu press conference held at Ojez Restaurant last week. We saw him when he entered Ojez (he arrived late) but before we could spell his first name, he had slipped into a corner of the bar. But by the time we joined him at the corner, he was half way into a battle with a plate of the delicacy called fufu and vegetable soup. The Andy we saw at that corner descended on the food as if he went to bed hungry the last night or that he wrestled in his sleep. True, only an angry and hungry man-like someone who lost a major wrestling fight in his sleep will angrily descend on a plate of food like Andy did. What was annoying to some other observers was that the fair and well built motion picture practitioner didn’t leave any work for the dish washers to do. We didn’t see him use his tongue but one waka pass suggested that oga Andy cleaned the plate as though he used his tongue to do so. To God be the Glory.

shaibu70@yahoo.com

Around and about Nollywood...

A scene from Iphigenia finds Ayelala staged at the Lagos State University on June 4 and 5. The play was directed by Shina Ayodele
BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI
UNVEILED: Television and Audio Visual award
The maiden edition of the television and audio visual award (TAVA)managed by Okey Ogunjiofor’s Videosonic Limited was presented to the at a colourful ceremony held at O’jez, Surulere, Lagos, during the week. Okey assured that the award scheme would be the benchmark for other awards. Ogunjiofor, who is popular as Paulo, a role he played in the phenomenal Living in Bondage, said it would be a yearly event created to honour outstanding indigenous films, music video, television productions, commercials and general programmes as well as the most creative performers, outstanding television houses and audio-visual equipment. TAVA has as its main theme, Perfect Pictures, Perfect Sound.

NFI courts San Francisco Art Institute
THE National Film Institute (NFI), Jos, is set to partner with the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI), United States, in the area of manpower development and skill acquisition. This is in response to the progress recorded at NFI, in terms of infrastructural development, training and capacity building for both students and motion picture professionals in the last four years. In a letter to Afolabi Adesanya, managing director, Nigerian Film Corporation, (NFC), who incidentally is an alumnus of the San Francisco institute, signed by Chris Bratton; NFC was commended for the various transformational developments it has undertaken to strengthen the film industry in Nigeria. Bratton, who is president of the San Francisco Institute, said, his school has designed its programmes to include broad approaches to old, new and emerging technologies as well as embracing the diversittes of film practices across the world. Alumni of SFAI in Nigeria include Wole Coker (NTA’s ETV), and Bayo Oyekan (NTA, Abeokuta) .The NFC, Bratton said, is strategically placed within the African continent to be approached for partnership, which has already taken off with film schools and agencies in Mexico, France and China.
…An Ambassadoral embrace
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Dada Olisa has commended NFC for its efforts in ensuring that Nigerians at home and in Diaspora are parts of the development process of the nation through film business. Olisa said this when he visited Afolabi Adesanya, MD, NFC in Abuja, recently. The Ambassador said the Nigerian community and friends of Nigeria in Israel are looking ahead to the hosting of the Nigerian Art, Culture and Film Week scheduled for Tel-Aviv, August, 2009. He assured all those who have indicated interest to participate in the programme of the Embassy’s support.
Responding, Adesanya said that the film week will no doubt strengthen international relationships and the acceptance of Nigerian cultural products in that region of the world. He assured the ambassador that motion picture professionals would be duly mobilised to attend the event –– an initiative of Mrs. Janet, wife of the Ambassador. Movies preselected for the programme include; The White Handkerchief and Arugba by Tunde Kelani; Izu Chukwu’s White Waters, and Talking Drums by Kayode Ibisankale. Others are Hafsah by Sani Muazu and Wakara by Ahmad Sarari.

NFC commissions projects
GOVERNOR Jonah David Jang of Plateau State and Information and Communication Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili, during the week, commissioned three completed projects at the National Film Institute Jos. They are the Administrative Block, the Sound Stage Complex and the 350 Terrace Seat Auditorium. The commissioning on June 12 brings to five the number of new facilities built to boost learning at the nation’s premier film institute within the last four years. Recall that during SHOOT! 2008, the three in one Cyber café/Bookshop/Canteen as well as the Still Photography Laboratory were commissioned. While the Administrative block will provide the needed office accommodation for the increasing number of academic and non-academic staff of the Institute, the 350 terrace seat auditorium will serve as a Lecture Hall and for the screening of students’ films. The Sound Stage complex will provide facilities for pre-production, production and post-production of films, movies and television commercials. Similarly, the newly completed structures/buildings will provide the needed facilities for the corporation’s yearly professional training workshop – SHOOT! This year’s edition of SHOOT! is scheduled for July 20 – 24, 2009 at the Film Institute in Jos.

Waka pass…
Producer- Amebo A. Amebo
Director- Mr. Gossip
Actors- Nollywood Celebrities

Has there been a change of guard at AGN?
WE were startled… no… fear gripped us during the week when one waka pass hinted that there may have been a change of guard at the Actors Guild of Nigeria. The waka pass, who called us from the Ikeja area of Lagos, hinged his suspicion on the fact that he saw the AGN official car with registration number AGN 1 with someone ‘perching comfortably’ at the owner’s corner. He swore that the person did not look like the President Ejike Asiegbu, who is the only person authorised to sit at that owner’s corner. In fact, our fear heightened until we pulled a call through to ‘Ejyke’ Oga Presido to confirm the development. Until we got through, we believed the account of this waka pass that is loyal to Ejyke, but you know —‘The man just wan taste and see how the seat dey sweat (sic).

Leo has been trying us
SOMEONE who knows someone, who knows the star of Labista and other movies, Leo Mezie, called last week to mention that the fair skinned actor was ‘direly’ (sic) interested in talking to Moviedom. We gathered that the actor who once mentioned to us that he was ‘quarter to quitting bachelorhood’ was pissed off that even as close as we were to him, we allowed a waka pass to mistake someone for him. Recall one ‘before-before’ story about Leo visiting a LASU campus as if he was on the faculty. Although the ‘court man’, who stood in defence for Leo, said he could not rule out the fact that the actor –– who was raised in Ikeja and Mushin –– can visit LASU, he insisted as though he was actually handed down the brief that the Leo he knows cannot be the same person the waka pass has been seeing on LASU campus. Anyway, we have been trying oga Leo too to hear his own side of the case. So, Oga Leo over.

Ajebo’s new way
THOSE who coined the saying ‘One road does not enter the market’ probably have Steve Eboh (a.k.a Ajebo) in mind. We were wondering how the producer of one of the longest running Nollywood film, The Concubine (the movie as at the last edit is still nine hours long) has been surviving since he seldom act in movies and has not been able to get anyone to touch his lengthy film until someone hinted that the actor and embattled member of the AGN –– has taken up a brief as a media consultant to an institution in the South East. They even say that the brief is the reason why Ajebo as he is fondly called has been smiling from post to post even in the face of ‘acting meltdown’ orchestrated by the reported and indeed prolonged battle between him and the acting caliphate. Anyway, we hear that Ajebo has been ‘declaring things’ every now and then at the popular artistes hangout, Ojez. One waka pass said we should please help tell Ajebo to allow the ‘things’ trickle down to people like him who stood by him ()Ajebo) when the acting caliphate took him on. True, anyone who stands by anyone that is in contention with the caliphate needs to be compensated. Caliphate? Sey na for my mouth you wan hear say Jim Iyke don win grammy?
To God be the Glory.

Figurine is a revolution

BY Shaibu Husseini
KUNLE Afolayan stormed the Nigerian pavilion at the on-going Cannes International Film Festival in France with an international film programmer. “We just held a useful meeting with Keith (Shiri) on my next film project, The Figurine. I am here on his invitation,” he said. Kunle whose debut movie effort, Irapada, has been screened in a number of festivals, said he was in France to explore funding, distribution and screening opportunities. He revealed that, so far, he has received encouraging responses, while still looking forward to an out of the country premiere of the film. He speaks to Moviedom on his mission.
Mission to Cannes
I am here on the invitation of an international film programmer and a resource person to most of the festivals and events around film in Africa. He was in Nigeria during the AMAA Award, where I showed him a bit of my new work, The Figurine. I think when he returned to England, he discussed it with some people, who run festivals and he now requested that I come around to meet some of the festival organisers such as the team from Toronto Film Festival in Cannes. So, that’s why I am here

Is the film ready?
Not yet; production-wise, we have gone 90 per cent and have started post-production. However, but If we could raise enough fund to finish it, it would be ready in the next one or two months.

Cost of the film project
We have spent almost N35 million, so far. The project is big and comes with challenges such as poor distribution network, which has made it difficult to convince people to put in their money, even when it will be paid back with interest. The money we have spent so far was raised personally. I took some bank loans and then sold some of my properties to get along. I also have some companies’ support based on barter. Of course, so many people are aware that the hotel — Micom Golf and Hotel resort — we stayed in, is partnering with us. They gave us free accommodation throughout our stay in Osun, but feeding took about N10 million out of our budget. We are doing product placement for Unilever, Glaxo, and Omatek Computers. Some of them gave us their products instead of money. For me, I am just looking for a way to do a totally Nigerian thing, you know even from the products we used and from the language we speak. I intend to really make it a proudly Nigeria thing or what I call a purely naija-naija thing. Right now we are a bit stuck because we have expended all the money we have and for us to really achieve our mindset, we need more money. That’s why I am here. I hope to get enough support to complete the movie.

Between Irapada and The Figurine
I am very convinced that this will outshine my debut movie, Irapada. For me, the film was an experiment. Fortunately it was well accepted. But this one, I have incurred so much and apart from that, the story is even stronger than the one we told in Irapada. Technically, it is so many steps away from it. So, all we need now is support from the media both at home and abroad so that this will benefit too from the kind of hype that Irapada had. I believe that this will fly. We have put in so much to know that it will fly. It will definitely fly because locally people are tired of the same kind of productions that we do. People want to see something different. They want to see good picture and sound. They want to see something catchy. I am one of those who hold strongly that the whites cannot tell our stories better than us, which is why in this film I try to balance it — from the past, to the present. We played a lot with the entire departments just to make it proudly Nigerian and African. It’s going to be a revolution. I am working on the Nigerian premiere between August and September because I took money from a bank and I need to start paying by then. But I am hoping that the team from Toronto International Film Festival likes it. If that happens, then we should be having the world premiere in Toronto in September. However, before then, I need some money to just complete the film — between N3 and 4 million because there are some things to get right. We have gone far locally, but we can’t handle the colour correction and grading in Nigeria. It has to be done outside our shores and that will cost money. So, we need support from government and corporate organisations to get this project off the ground. They need to come to our aid because, at the end it’s not going to be me alone that will take the credit — it is a Nigerian thing. If the film makes the festival circuit, it’s a Nigerian movie and not Kunle Afolayan’s movie. I am going to enter it as a Nigerian film. That way it represents everybody. So hopefully by September we will start getting a feel of the movie, but help me tell Nigerians that I still need money to work on the last aspect of the movie, which is just about 10 per cent.

Around and about Nollywood...
NANTAP faults UNESCO report on Nollywood
GREG Odutayo, president of National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), has joined the long list of practitioners who have faulted the outcome of a recent survey on filmmaking commissioned by the United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). In the widely circulated reports, Nigeria was declared the second largest film/movie-producing nation. But Odutayo discussed the report, saying it is with ‘too many loopholes and very little reference to the source of information’. The NANTAP president, who is also a television and film director, said he expected UNESCO to have reviewed the report before putting it out, noting that it fell short of mentioning the value and acceptability of the films practitioners in Nigeria produce. ‘Yes it is watched all over the world but can it stand in the committee of nations when film making is being discussed and evaluated?’ Odutayo, who disagreed with the suggestion that returned to celluloid as the first step towards being admitted to the comity of film producing nations, said: ‘We do not need to produce on celluloid to gain worldwide and international acceptability. Totsi that won an Oscar award was shot on video…The world is evolving and we must reinvent ourselves constantly otherwise we become extinct. Our musicians have done it, and are still doing it. We too can do it’. Nollywood, Odutayo agreed, has done tremendously well and has projected Nigeria filmmakers and their style of filmmaking. He agreed too that it has turned a huge employer of labour and has done more for Nigeria than all the money Nigeria spends on public relations on CNN. He, however, thinks that what should be of concern now is how to improve the quality of productions to what is termed ‘international standard’ rather than resort to self- praise over a report, which in the estimation of the NANTAP President, was designed to ridicule Nigeria. ‘Let us stop the praises and apply ourselves to improving the quality of our productions to what is termed international standard… It is not so far away. We have the quality; we just need to apply ourselves to it. But we cannot apply ourselves if we continue to sit around gloating over the UNESCO report that to me has been done to present us as a point of ridicule to the world… Imagine if a mere 10 per cent of our films were of international standards instead of Nigeria standards and making the rounds at international festivals. The buzz will be tremendous,’ Odutayo surmised.

Edo unity festival project on board
BENIN CITY, the capital of Edo State, will come alive between November 10 and 14, with the hosting of a special socio-cultural event tagged Edo Unity Film Project 2009. The theme of this maiden edition, according to a statement from the organisers is ‘Putting Edo State on the International Map of Film Event’. Popular actor Sam Obeakemhe, who is the Project Director, disclosed that the event, which has the blessing of the Edo State government would feature seminars and symposia, workshop and panel discussions, film screening and exhibition, cultural exhibition and performances, among others. The Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre, Benin City, has been designated as the main venue of the project, which the first socio-cultural and multi-media expo to be held in Edo State. Primarily aimed at promoting the cultural values of Edo State, the event, Obeakemhe disclosed, would begin at 10 every morning and close at 4pm. A special gala and award ceremony to round off the fiesta holds at 7pm on November 14.

NFC extends closing date for yearly essay competition
CLOSING date for the 2009/2010 edition of the Nigerian Film Corporation Essay competition has been extended. Earlier scheduled to close on May 27, the new date is now June 27, 2009. In a statement, the corporation said the reason for the extension is to enable many Nigerians who have indicated interest to participate in the competition, time to send in their entries. In extending the closing date, therefore, the corporation intends to give many more Nigerians the opportunity to contribute to the development of the Nigerian motion picture industry through cerebral discourse. Topic for the edition is building a positive global brand: the place of film. Interested Nigerians who must be 18 years and above can now submit their entries, which must be between 8 – 10 pages in the Times Roman format. All entries according to the statement should be forwarded to the Headquarters of the Nigerian Film Corporation, 218T, Liberty Dam Road, Jos, Plateau State or through email md_nfc@hotmail.com. The first, second and third winners of the essay competition will receive their cash prizes of N100, 000, N75, 000 and 50,000 respectively, along with their certificates at the 2010 edition of ZUMA Film Festival, holding in Abuja.

WAKA PASS
Producer- Amebo A. Amebo
Director- Mr. Gossip
Actors- Nollywood Celebrities

Fidelis gave us something to cheer about
WE couldn’t explain why film maker and Chief Executive Officer of the yearly Abuja Film Festival, Fidelis Duker, was walking tall and shoulder high through out his stay in Cannes until he got waka pass to flip through an attractive brochure, which he insisted must be seen. It was when he guided us to a particular page on the brochure that we discovered that he was listed in the brochure. The long and short is that Fidelis had his film ‘Senseless’ showing at the short film corner of the Cannes International Film Festival. To be eligible, Fidelis who stormed Cannes with his wife, Tope, had to reduce the near two-hour long movie to 33 minutes. Now, don’t get waka pass wrong. This is not about our film showing at the Cannes as they made us believe last year. It’s about one of us even making an attempt to have his films accepted for a short film corner and getting a mention in the short film corner brochure. And talking about brochure, those coming to pick Oga Fidelis from the airport must come with a truck. He is coming with a bag filled with brochures where he was mentioned. He needs to support the claim of having his short film shown at the Cannes with the brochures since seeing is believing in Nollywood. But bros, one waka pass has been harassing me to ask whether it was because your film showed in the short film corner that you brought madam? The same fellow wonder what the size of your delegation will be if your next movie shows even out of competition? Na send dem send us ooooo!

Visa issues keep Nigerian filmmakers away
IT may no be the economic crunch that kept Nigerian filmmakers away from Cannes 2009 as most of them were refused visa by the French Consulate in Nigeria. But for Mr. Afolabi Adesanya, managing director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), who promptly improvised, the forum on tax incentives and investment opportunities in Nigeria organised as part of Nigeria’s participation at the Cannes would have been cancelled. All the resource person from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) were denied visas. It was also gathered that two journalists, one of them an editor with a leading Nigerian daily was also denied visas. ‘We were more than this last year. This is a slim delegation compared to the previous years we have come here,’ remarked filmmaker Mahmood Ali-Balogun, who has since returned to Nigeria. By the way, someone asked us to find out from Oga Mahmood and Fidelis Duker whether it was the much-talked about economic crunch that made them leave earlier. The fellow said it was unusual of them to leave before the end of festival and that he didn’t quite feel their impact this time, as they didn’t declare free lunch or dinner for the delegation as they say Oga Mahmood would normally do. Oga na true abi dis na another case of someone who wants salary from NEPA when he is a staff of water board?

Madu Chikwendu and the ATM machine
Not sure if he was able to get his card out, but one of the reasons Madu Chikwendu became so broke that he had to call up his in-laws in the United States to help out was because an ATM machine swallowed his ATM card in Cannes and would not let him have it. The waka pass, who sold this gist, to us, also hinted that the other reason is that an agent the former President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and current regional secretary of FEPACCI engaged to help reserve accommodation went for Madu’s jugular. The agent aware of Madu’s status at the continental level, got Madu something commensurate to his CV but did not care to ask what Madu would prefer in this season of all types of crunches. So, on checking in, Madu according to a source deposited, almost 70 per cent of the funds he came into Cannes with only for accommodation. Madu’s inability to communicate in French may be the reason why he has been finding it difficult to get the ATM card off the machine. Someone who knows someone who knows Madu has advised the director of Sculptorico and other movies to go and enroll for a two weeks French class and insist that all he wants to learn is how to tell someone at the bank that he wants to retrieve his ATM. Kai! To God Be the Glory.

shaibu70@yahoo.com

Fribourg Film Festival gets underway
FIVE films by Nigerian Filmmakers showed at the Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland, which ended yesterday. The festival opened on March 14. The films that were shown at a special session devoted to cinema’s from other cultures are Joseph Ubaka’s Trapped in a Dream, Charles Novia’s directed Covenant Church, Fred Amata’s Letter to a Stranger, Izu Ojukwu’s directed White Waters and Tchidi Chikere directed Stronger than Pain. The film were screened at a section tagged Inside Nollywood, which was curated by the acclaimed film programmer and director of Peace Mission — the documentary on Nollywood — Dorothee Wenner.

Oba Asa is at an outlet near you
The much-talked about movie from the stable of Saheed Balogun Productions, Oba Asa is out. The film parades some of the best hands in the Nigerian motion picture industry such as Antar Laniyan; Alhaji Kareem Adepoju aka Babawande; Eniola Olaniyan; Saheed Balogun; Yinka Quadri; Dekunle Fuji; and Mercy Aigbe, who has described her role in the movie as the most challenging of all she has played in recent time. Oba Asa, directed by Saheed Balogun will be marketed by Highwaves Video Mart headed by Rotimi Aina Kushoro. Before now, the outfit had produced and marketed successful works such as Oyato, KKK, Tim Bataye, ARA, Jigi mi, and Iyawo Ojo Kan among others.

Waka pass…
Producer: Amebo A. Amebo
Director- Mr. Gossip
Actors- Nollywood Celebrities

Ejike Asiegbu and them
HOW come people don’t want the actor’s president, Ejike Asiegbu, to drink water and drop cup? Why are they piling up issues after issues for him to tackle? Anyway Presido made a surprise stop at the birthday bash of the daughter of a film journalist last Saturday and he spent the better part of the time threatening to deal with some people who have been assassinating his character just because they wanted favour from a certain state governor in the middle belt. ‘I am going to deal with those interlopers’, the hefty actors’ first citizen charged out. ‘I am going to prove to them that I am even a citizen of that state,’ he offered again. ‘Citizen ke’? We asked Presido? He acknowledged it was said in annoyance and that he meant ‘indigene’. ‘Those miscreants have been going behind me to solicit for funds from my governor (of a state in Middle Belt)’. Here is the problem. Everyone knows that Presido is from Abia and is proud to be an Abian. So, how come he is now claiming Middle Belt ala ‘my governor’. Anyway the discussion that ensued later revealed that Presido had his early education (from primary to HSC) in the state and even though Nigerian constitution does not say so, one can be a ‘citizen’…no sorry an ‘indigene’ by schooling. If that is the case, then people such as Pat Attah and Steph-Nora Okere go claim Lagos. True, na university wey she do for Ife no allow her story be from Primary to university for Lagos State.

Dem say Stella Damasus don marry… yes … Dem say
WE don’t want to be left out of the gist making the rounds, but we think that congratulobia (apologies the screen character Zebrudaya) is still in order for the jewel of the movie turf Stella Damasus. Someone who knows someone who knows the dashing Stella sent words to us to the effect that the widowed actress has finally found love. The waka pass, who gave us the gist mentioned that all roads led to Owerri last week for the quiet ‘I do’ engagement. The fellow gave the name of the ‘lucky husband’ as Nzeribe, but what he didn’t mention was for how long they had been seeing, so, that we would be able to properly put the courtship in context. Anyway, we would move from congratulobia to congratulation until we hear from the sterling Stella herself. We hope she would find time out of her ‘honeymoon’ to return our call. Some waka pass say they need to find out from her why she moved up east for ‘love’, when she earns money singing and sermonizing about love in the south west? Is there anything that this saying about ‘Lagos love, remaining in Lagos’ got to do with her decision? Mgbo, na only Stella fit answer ooooooo!

Where is Clem Ohameze?
HAS anyone seen popular Nollywood actor, Clem Ohameze, lately? No one had anything concrete to tell us since we commissioned a manhunt for the actor, whom we cannot imagine can be off the screen for this long. The last waka pass we asked mentioned that the actor, who once had a shot at politics has relocated. They said he was last seen in Gambia, where he is reportedly working on a project. Well, we have been trying to reach the gangling actor who does some business by the side in Abuja and none of his phone lines is active. We just wanted to know what he is up to since the last time it was rumoured that he had fallen out with his wife. One waka pass specifically commissioned us to find out whether Clem’s seeming absence from the acting skies has anything to do with the rumoured face off between him and the mother of his kids? Unconfirmed reports have it that ‘Madam went from producer to producer at the wake of the brouhaha to get them to stop using Clem in their movies until he assures her that he would quit his ‘funny ways’. One waka pass even made the whole thing sound ridiculous when he suggested that ‘Madam wanted the re-assurance even to hold at the popular eagles square in Abuja’. Shooooooooooeeee! Dis no be only tall order but na fat order. So over to those who know anyone who knows ‘Ogbuefi’ Clem… i no know book oooo… To God Be the Glory