One of the lead characters in the Nigerian movie industry, Mr Fred Amata has predicted that the Nigerian film industry otherwise called Nollywood would soon overtake its other counterparts in the world.
Amata who is in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to prepare grounds for the Nigerian Movie Awards tagged: NIGMA 2008, to be hosted by the state government during its first Akwa Ibom Tourism Summit later this month, is of the opinion that the level of technological advancement and adaptation in Nollywood has surpassed what is employed in Hollywood and Bollywood.
Though he said there are a lot of problems in the industry such as pirating and initial lack of corporate sponsorship, the actor enthused that with the new awareness and interest shown by corporate Nigeria in Nollywood, the nation film industry would soon be the highest employer of labour in the country.
Apparently supporting Amata the President of NIGMA2008, Mr Greg Fibersima, said, “Nollywood turns around more than N50 billion annually as revenue and produces an average of 20 films every two weeks.
“Over the years, Nollywood through her various production units has also created job opportunities in areas like editing, scriptwriting, sound engineering, camera coverage, acting, producing, directing and marketing for talented individuals in the country,” Fiberisima said.
He said NIGMA 2008, which is meant to honour only those in the Nigerian movie industry on September 20, unlike AMAA, which covers the whole of Africa , would bring benefits to both the state and the practitioners in the industry.
“The hidden wealth of the state would be made known not only to Nigerians but also to prospective visitors from abroad; the event will create a huge traffic of investment opportunities and expose the state to international investors around the world through a media blitz before and after the awards.”
The Akwa Ibom state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs Valerie Ebe, while promising to work with Nollywood to promote culture and tourism in the state, expressed her delight at the progress made by the industry in the short time if its existence.
