Nigeria ‘intimidates’ other African countries with Nollywood moviesc

Oone of the major questions which looked rehearsed by journalists from Southern and Eastern African countries at the just concluded Africa Biggest Contend forum in Mauritius was the dominance of West African, especially Nigerian movies on MultiChoice.

The journalists at the forum organised by MultiChoice, operators of DStv pay-TV, were however exhilarated about the Nollywood films from West Africa as the movies are captivating and appealing among their citizens but they said that their audience would still want to see each of their country’s movies on MultiChoice platform to appropriately resonate with their communities.

“In my country Uganda, we know almost all the actors and actresses from Nigeria through the MultiChoice but our actors are not known as much,” Joan Akelo from Independent Weekly Magazine in Uganda said.

“It is called African Magic but Ugandan audience wants to know what is African about it,” Joan said while looking at the West African movie dominance on MultiChoice from a business perspective.

“Some of us understand the business imperative of showing more of West African films. We believe that there are more subscribers in West Africa especially Nigeria and MultiChoice wants to keep that market but this is killing our local talents as they are not seen on African Magic.

“Before now, it was more of international content on MultiChoice until African Magic was introduced. Then African Magic reintroduced the Swahili, there is Hausa and Yoruba but Uganda does not understand Swahili. Even Kenyans don’t watch Swahili as much as the Tanzanians, so we can say that Swahili is for Tanzanians. It is wrong to say that Swahili is for East Africa.”

Akelo, who wants MultiChoice to show Ugandan audience the stories and life in Uganda instead of more of Nigerian films, however did not blame the pay-TV but blamed Ugandan film producers who are probably not producing quality movies probably MultiChoice is looking for.

Lloyd Izawanda from Joy Radio in Malawi, believed that there is some positive bias towards West African films. “It appears that most subscribers are from Nigeria, that is why MultiChoice is showing more of their films or because they produce standard films.”

The dominance of Nigerian films on MultiChoice has affected Malawians to the extent that they have adopted liking for films from West Africa. “Indeed in every household, some people like the West African content. People are now copying the languages and attitudes displayed in those films but we are looking at the way MultiChoice displays more of Malawians stories in films, music and acting,” he said.

Nowakaya Aminoho with Swazi Observer in Swaziland, said the MultiChoice films from Nigeria have infiltrated Swazi society to the extent that the people speak like Nigerians and know more of the actors like Chinedu Ikedieze (Aki) and Osita Iheme (Pawpaw), the most popular. The Swazi people now know of Nigerian culture even without visiting the country.

Pilami Danbala from Zolani, a private radio station in Malawi, who thinks that MultiChoice wants to keep the West African market by showing more of their films, said the films are exposing more of Nigerian culture and behaviour and other people tend to copy them.

“It is somehow affecting our people’s lifestyles. Mass Communication theory says that if you are exposed to something, there is every tendency to behave in like manner,” Danbala said.

In explaining the situation, Nico Meyer, the CEO of MultiChoice, said the Nigerian market has evolved but all regions are important to the organisation. At present, he said MultiChoice is working with movie producers in southern Africa to deepen their stories.

“Just as we continuously work to innovate and grow our business excellence, we apply the same level of commitment to using our expertise and infrastructure to drive development across the continent. Over the years we have invested billions into brand new state-of-the-art SuperSport and M-Net studios to catapult the local film industry into showcasing local talent and programmes.”

The rise of Nollywood

About 20 years ago, a few Nigerians attempted to offer the local market that was inundated with foreign films something new spiced with local culture. They began the production of films in local culture. Initially, there was perhaps apprehension on whether the market will accept it or not; but the idea was wholly accepted. This marked the birth of the Nollywood industry, which today has saved countries like Nigeria huge foreign exchange.

Today, Nollywood has given impetus to the budding of local films in other African countries, depicting African rich culture hitherto regarded as uncivilised due to overwhelmingly acceptance of European culture.

“Riding on the back of the success of that first attempt, other film producers followed suit, leading to the birth of a multi-billion naira industry that is today considered second only to agriculture in the employment of labour in Nigeria,” says an analyst.

In his article published in Nigerian Orient News, Frank Odumodu, an analyst, quoted statistics from Africa Movies News, BBC and New York Times that put the estimated annual revenue of the Nigerian film industry at $590 million.

“Euromonitor International and Reed Exhibitions, organisers of the World Travel Market, a global event for the travel industry, predicted in their November 2012 report that Africa’s projected 5.2 percent GDP growth rate in 2013 would be due in part to the popularity of the Nigerian film industry, which it said would also attract domestic and regional tourism,” according to Odumodu. They were correct. When Nigeria rebased its economy, Nollywood which was hitherto unknown contributed significantly to GDP.

Reports say that “Nollywood has taken a giant stride to become an industry to reckon with, both within and outside the country. In just few years, the industry has grown to become the second largest in the world, generating $286 million per year for the Nigerian economy.”

Nigerians presently export films and this has unarguably given the Nigerian and African continent a new face.

The collaboration between African actors, actresses, and play writers in film production has helped to deepen the Nigerian and largely African culture and led to much acceptance of African movies. Charles Aigbe, head, marketing/corporate relations, UBA, had reiterated this view when he said recently that “films remain a great platform to showcase any country’s rich cultural heritage to the world.”

Nollywood is no doubt the largest black-owned instrument to portray African culture in absence of large cable network. MultiChoice has done good by showing Nollywood.

For two decades, MultiChoice has been providing entertainment. The company was born and bred on the African continent and its history can be traced back to 1985 when a number of South African media companies formed Africa’s first pay-TV channel, M-Net.

Daniel Obi