He has been regarded as a rebel in different quarters for his supposed anti-progressive stand on the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, but in this interview, the Imo state born actor talks extensively about Nollywood, why he feels misunderstood by colleagues, and his plans for the guild.
Let’s start with your chieftaincy title. Why do you think you were made Ezekwesili in Anambra state, far from your home state of Imo?
I don’t know exactly what it is but perhaps it is in recognition of my efforts to make things better. It was not until I took the title home that I discovered I’m from a royal family too, although I didn’t get the title from my place. My father is the Opara-di-Opara (the man that gets to have the first anything in that community) of my village in Imo state.
What are the effects having this title has had on you?
Nothing has changed. I have just become more socially responsible and responsive to the society, humanity. It also gave me a leadership frame and helped me see myself as someone with a class of respect.
What is your take on traditional rulers in Nigeria?
I don’t have anything against traditional authority in any way. Whatever promotes humanity and redefines life are the things I want to be part of and support. If being a king will add value to humanity, I think it is my passion.
Away from that, why are you yet to return to the movies?
I’m not the only one who is missing in action. A lot of us are but perhaps I get noticed more because maybe I am most loved. We all parade ourselves as stars but we know stars have levels. Away from that, I am not the only one involved. Have you bothered to ask when last you heard of Oba Iweka road or of Idumota or Pound road in Aba? That was the last time we stopped being paid.
How do you mean?
As you can see, the investors in the movie industry (Bayowa Films, Remmy Jes, Kas Vid) have been run over by the TV houses, no thanks to some of my colleagues. Nollywood has been taken over and it is evident.
Did some players in the movie industry know about this alleged takeover?
Of course they did. They sold out to the TV houses and that has become the Nollywood we now talk about. Nollywood now exists only on Africa Magic, owned by South Africans. Meanwhile, while we were struggling to put the industry together, they (South African investors) were not around, but now they show our Nollywood movies and play their country’s soundtrack. They go as far as try to bring up their new faces and play him up with a stupid star and try to create a somebody out of him. That way they are building their stars, Jacob’s Cross, Tinsel and so on.
What efforts were made to preserve Nollywood’s integrity?
At a time, Charles Novia came boldly to say that very soon all the stars would be gone. This was because he knew what they had done. They had mortgaged the future of the industry making cheap benefits. There was a time we attended a conference in South Africa and these people (South Africans) were inquisitive, probing and wanting to know about how we make our movies. While I was speaking like a patriotic Nigerian, arguing against letting our strategies out, some of my colleagues quietly sold out, exchanging cards and numbers with them. Unknown to them, they were selling out. When I said then that Africa Magic was ripping actors and producers off, people said I was crazy, some of my colleagues were paid to put up words against my claim. Now, plenty of them have been forced out of the job, because people who pay and invest in the movies are no longer in business.
Were the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Association of Movie Producers and Directors Guild of Nigeria not aware of these developments?
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