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| Ghanaian Movies Banned In Nigeria |
7/1/2012 |
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Several news reports from Nigeria suggest that there is a pending ban on the sale and distribution of Ghanaian movies in that country.
The reports also state that a group of Nigerian movie producers is lacing its boots to storm Ghana to demand royalty payments from all television stations that air Nigerian films without obtaining permission from the original producers.
“Starting from the first week of August (2012), no Ghanaian film will be allowed to enter the Nigerian market again. We have resolved that no Ghanaian film will be distributed within our controlled market.
Our Ghanaian counterparts have long stopped distributing our films in their country, and given this development, we have no choice than to reciprocate the gesture,” the reports quoted the Onitsha branch chairman of the Film, Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FVPMAN), Uzo Godson Nwosu.
The reports said FVPMAN had also resolved that any of its members who failed to comply with this new order would either be prosecuted or have their goods confiscated by the association.
Uzo Godson Nwosu said this position was taken after the association’s general meeting last weekend in Onitsha.
What is not certain is how this development would affect Ghanaian based movie production firms that are owned and controlled by Nigerians; and whether movies from such Nigerian producers based in Ghana would be allowed into the Nigerian market, especially when they mostly have a mixed cast of actors from both countries.
This may also affect the fortunes of Ghanaian actors who get roles in Nigeria.
The likes of Jackie Appiah, Majid Michel, John Dumelo, Kalsum Sinare, Nadia Buari and several others may have a challenge getting roles from Nigerian-based producers.
Interestingly, Ghanaian movie producers and distributors are yet to comment about the development publicly.
A few of them who decided to speak with NEWS-ONE said they did not care much because they hardly sold their movies in Nigeria.
“We should rather be the ones who are angry because most of us do not sell in Nigeria so if this happens they would be losers and not us,” they noted.
Meanwhile, the Film Distributors Association in Ghana, based in Opera, Accra, is already facing a difficult challenge, with various members openly refusing to obey the association’s rules of releasing movies into the market.
Several movie producers from Kumasi and Brong Ahafo for instance have decided to break away from the association and set their own rules and regulations for releasing movies into the market.
The breakaway group has accordingly formed a new association which regulates the release of their movies.
Award-winning producer Leila Djansi is also leading another group of producers to boycott the Opera Square-based association which she has described as a “wicked mafia with an empty importance”.
The Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG), led by veteran actor Augustine Abbey aka Idikoko, is also almost on its knees with deep disagreements among its executive members.
Reports said its spokesperson and Public Relations Officer, Socrates Safo of Movie Africa already had a leg outside the association, though he was yet to officially tender in his resignation letter.
The complaints have generally bordered on alleged dictatorial tendencies on the part of Idikoko and lack of transparency in handling the association’s funds.
Source: News-One
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