The international summit of Movie Reporters Guild of Nigeria, MORGON, tagged Nollywood Our Nollywood, will now hold on Thursday, 20 November, 2008 at the prestigious Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.
National President of the body, Mr. Azuh Amatus, in a press statement explained that the summit is one of the activities being put in place by MORGON to reposition Nollywood.
A sub-committee to source for sponsors for the event was recently inaugurated at Ojez Restaurant, Surulere, Lagos.
The mandate of the sub-committee is to get a title sponsor as well as other sponsors for the event.
“The days when people would not want to associate with Nollywood are gone; the industry has come of age, practitioners are gradually getting things right, but it is not yet time to climb to the top of the mountain and shout. That is the essence of the Nollywood summit and other events that will help shape the sector. As people who cover and monitor activities of the industry, we have watched it evolve from nothing into world reckoning, and we are extremely proud of Nollywood,” Justin Akpovi-Esade, the guild’s Vice President said.
Azuh, further described movie reporters and Nollywood practitioners as “partners in progress,” adding that the forthcoming event would be the biggest in Nollywood.
“As partners, we expect the same cooperation from Nollywood practitioners such as was given to us during our investiture ceremony/launch, where over 500 star actors, producers and directors turned up.”
Among dignitaries already billed to deliver topical papers at the historic summit are Mr. John Odey, the Minister of Information and Communications; Mr. Afolabi Adesanya, Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation; Mr. Emeka Mba, the Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board and Prof. Pat Utomi, Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Business School.
Also coming from the United Kingdom to deliver papers at the summit are the duo of Kene Mkparu, the first black General Manager of Odeon chain of cinemas, Magnus Mbanu, a BBC-trained film maker and Marc Wishengrad, a leading Hollywood filmmaker from the US.
Mr. Andrien Gbinigie, the CEO of Atlantic Overseas and the Life Patron of MORGON, would be the Special Guest of Honour at the gathering.
President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ejike Asiegbu, alongside the Nigerian Film Corporation and the National Film and Video Censors Board, in separate letters to MORGON, have all endorsed the event.
According to Mr. Asiegbu, organising something like this would definitely go a long way in helping to redefine and reposition Nollywood.
“The Actors Guild of Nigeria is totally in support of the forthcoming Nollywood Summit. I wish MORGON all the best,” Asiegbu submitted.
