Photo: Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa- Musawa.
I read a report by The Punch newspaper of Nigeria, that "Nigeria’s entertainment industry is set to receive a boost with the recent appointment of Hannatu Musawa as the Special Adviser on Culture and Entertainment Economy to President Bola Tinubu."
The Punch did not tell us how Hannatu Musa-Musawa will boost the culture and creative industry, except quoting her academic and professional qualifications as a lawyer like Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the former Minister of Information and Culture under former President, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari,retd.
President of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Bolaji Amusan, aka Mr Latin commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for her appointment.
Why?
I don't know.
Has she been an outstanding administrator before her appointment?
I am more concerned with Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry,
The past Ministers for Information and Culture did not know about the administration of the film industry and were more focused on being spokespersons for the President; like Alhaji Lai Mohammed and his predecessors.
Nigeria does not have a film policy, no single film commission and only recently talking about film treaties with France, Canada and South Africa.
Nollywood does not have any insurance policy and no structure in the Nigerian film industry.
There is more opportunism than professionalism in Nollywood and Kannywood.
The National Film and Videos Censors Board (NFVCB) sometimes crosses the line to do the work of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC).
Have you noticed that many Nigerian movies don't have classifications for the restrictions of children under the ages of 13, 16 and 18.
They just approve movies once you pay them the fees.
I have been to their office for the approval of "Changing Faces" of Faruk Lasaki in 2012. They just approved it without any classification. Most likely, they didn't know how to classify the film.
The office had no library.
The qualifications of the staff are dubious. Are they trained and certified for their jobs?
The Nigerian Film Corporation is meant to produce films.
But have you seen films produced by the corporation since 1999 to date? And when you tell them to do their duties, they become angry and attack you.
Civil servants and political appointees should not be given appointments which they will not know what to do, except having events, news media interviews and traveling to International conferences to make speeches. They will keep on wasting precious quality time and budgets without achievements.
What did Alhaji Lai Mohammed achieve for the Nigerian film industry?
What did he achieve for the music industry?
Show me the milestones of his office in the administration of former President Buhari.
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series
