A lot of filmmakers have made a name for themselves by making great movies we have all come to love. But do you know, most of these filmmakers copy other people genuine work, put their names on it and take the credit we, the audience give them?

Take for example the Ghanaian film The King is Mine, a movie that offered no apologies to Hollywoods The other Boleyn Girl copying it shamelessly and banking on the fact that, most of their audience will not know since we do not get many of such movies down here.

is it wrong to copy another persons story? no. not in itself. If you give proper credit to the original author and pay the proper compensation, why not? I know most of our filmmakers cannot afford to license rights to other people in Hollywoods work. But, if you are copying, at least give credit to the original movie. Don’t deceive us. It makes you nothing but a cheap liar.

I finally watched Bursting Out, Emem Isongs hit movie today. i was beyond disappointed. It is a carbon copy of Tyler Perrys daddy’s little girls. Now we all know this is not the first time Madam Isong is stealing peoples creative works. her movies like Reloaded, masterstroke, among others. She mostly rips of the India and Black American films. This is not to say Emem is not is not a good writer; she is. But she disrespects other peoples art. Emem is a true business woman who is passionate, but, she lacks originality. No wonder she cannot change her tactics from what she is used to, the mills and boons romance type movies to stand toe to toes with the Ije’s, the Anchor baby’s, the Inales, Tango with me’s, A sting in a tales’ Sinking sands, among others.

Ace producer Vivian Ejike also attempted to copy daddy’s little girls with her Silent scandals but at least she managed to steer away from ripping off the film. She kept the theme, but changed the story. No one can openly accuse her of stealing. But with Bursting Out, it was too vivid.

It is embarrassing really. I remember proudly gathering some American friends together to watch a movie called Ojadike. They burst out laughing halfway and said, but that’s the Lion King. Shame knew my name. I am not a fan of cartoons so I have not read, nor seen Lion King. Currently, its Frank Raja who is blowing his long trumpet about making the greatest African Film ever. Well, considering the fact that the joints of Sarafina, Sometimes in April, and Hotel Rwanda are some of the greatest stories told about Africa. He indeed has made a great film. A rip off Sarafina.

Its appalling how they are very quick to say Africans like doing phd, we have not copied anyone’s film. We know that’s a lie don’t we? We the audience are no fools. View the trailer below and lets be honest and sincere. Does every scene not remind you of Sarafina or Hotel Rwanda?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-ZOC6mc6Fc&feature=related

here also is the funeral scene from Sarafina

You can find all the clips of Sarafina on youtube and lets judge for ourselves. Amanobea plays the role of Whoopi Goldberg in Sarafina. From the costume to the arrest. For fear of his nose being rubbed in the mud, Frank Raja is quickly re-editing the film to take out the extreme Sarafinalities. The number of us who rose up to say no you cannot copy was enough to send them back to the studio. We need to do that more often.

They say they are making a story of the genocide. Which genocide did we have in Ghana or Nigeria? what kind of research or authority informs their story if not a collection of other peoples films on genocide? Its not about JJ Rawlings and the coup, that I am sure off. No matter how they have tried to make Majid look like Rawlings. Its neither about the Biafran War. I have seen a better movie starring Kanayo Kanayo, Across the Niger Directed by the one and only izu Ijukwu who also did that great movie Iva, starring Omotola Jolade and Sitanda.

Did I mention this same Frank Raja and Pascal Amanfo are responsible for ripping off many films example The Other Bolyen Girl? when people are using their brains, cracking their brains to come with original ideas, we have these lazy, waist busy men who rip off peoples work, take credit for it, dance in the glory of “great filmmaker”, deceive girls with their sham fame and get away with it.

I believe Hollywood needs to sit up and start arresting somebody. FBI needs to start arresting somebody. There are agencies you can report to on copyright infringement and we the audience need to sit up. We have so many untold stories of our heritage. Stories of our great men, stories of our neighbors and stories about ourselves that will make great movies. Start reporting to to the nearest authority if you spot plagiarism.

Be the change you want.