Entertainers have taken a stand against the federal government’s plan to ban shooting of music videos and films abroad. The purported plan made known to the Minister of Information, Alhaji. Lai Mohammed recently in Lagos has sparked off reactions among popular Nigerian entertainers saying the planned policy will do more harm than good to the Nigerian economy.
TheNewsGuru in an exclusive chat with some of these showbiz practitioners reports that they urge the federal government to lead by example.
Nigerian Afro-pop singer and CEO, Next World Entertainment, Jaywon opines that the federal government needs to be part of what the Nigerian entertainment Industry has become.
According to him:” They should be proud of us for putting Nigeria on the entertainment map of the world without structures or enabling environment from the government”.
He notes that If the government wants the planned policy to work, then they should lead by example.
“If they want us to do everything in Nigeria they should lead by example. As a good leader or father, you should lead by example”, he said
Nigerian soulful singer Gt Da Guitarman argues that though made in Nigerian goods and services are good for the economy, but there the country lacks the conducive environment needed to get things done .
He says:” While encouraging our local industries and patronising Made in Nigeria goods and services is a great move to grow our GDP If the opportunity cost of choosing to produce a particular good and service is lower for one nation than for others, then that nation is said to have a comparative advantage.
“It is simple economics. If it’s cheaper to get better quality out of the country at a reduced price, it’s dumb for any serious businessman to continue patronising all in the name of buying Nigeria. There is no conducive environment to get things done here from the epileptic power supply to security amongst several other issues. So before the government will say such, I will say to them:” Put your house in order”.
He added that Nigerian entertainers represent the whole of Africa and have grown beyond the shores of Nigeria.
“Also, our artistes are not just local artistes, now they represent the whole of Africa, we are multi national brands with fans all around the world and Nigeria is just a market out of many others.
“The entertainment industry is a goldmine and can be a major revenue earner for the country if she so wishes to tap into it. I find it rather cheesy that the government wants to dictate to an industry they didn’t support. We cry daily on deaf ears about piracy amongst other ills” he laments.
Yemi Alade, aka “Mama Africa”, stated her fears through her Instagram page, saying that the policy would hinder the growing collaboration between Nigerian singers, their international counterparts, and the global competitiveness of the Nigerian music.
“So will all the money artists have spent shooting videos that are yet to be released be refunded?
“You might think that a musical video is just a thing we do! It’s a business! You don’t understand. .The video directors we use around the world are also Nigerians,” she said.
UK based Nigerian RnB singer, Janine Ayorinde Temitope a.k.a Ms Jaie sees the subject matter from a different point of view. She affirms that the government doesn’t understand the language of the people.
“It is issues like this that made me leave the country. The government needs a union; it does not understand the language of the people”.
Nollywood actress, Chinenye Uyanna notes that the federal government needs to focus on other pressing issues rather than trying to regulate an industry they have not contributed to.
“I think the FG is just confused. They can’t ban us from filming abroad. FG should focus on pressing issues and leave the entertainment industry alone.
“They can’t regulate what they didn’t build or know nothing about. They should also ban their kids from schooling abroad and ban themselves from travelling abroad for medical treatment.
“Even the presidency should stop taking all those trips for medication abroad when they can use our ‘made-in-Nigeria’ doctors. My point is, let them lead by example. Charity, they say begins at home…let them lead, and then we can follow. The truth is, the government needs to attend to more pressing needs like how to stabilise electricity and reduce tariffs, how to provide other basic amenities to help improve the standard of living of her masses.
“A lot needs to be done and this call for a ban isn’t top on the list of the problems we have as a country. I pray that God gives this government direction to know exactly how to tackle the numerous problems we have in our dear country”.
For Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Yetunde Bakare the purported policy is a misplaced priority. She says: “It doesn’t make sense at all in as their children schools abroad and they do go for treatment there too. They don’t have any right to tell artistes where they should do business. They should live by example and make Nigeria a better place first; honestly, to me, it’s a misplaced priority”.
In the same vein, light skinned actress and movie producer, Bukola Ojo says:” Banning music videos and movies being shot abroad is a wrong move for the federal government, what government involves herself in issues like this? Artistes should be able to shoot wherever they want to, whenever. Nigeria has more pressing issues than all these trivialities”.
Nigerian rapper and CEO Twentieth September Wears, Ruggedman in an open letter to Lai Mohammed, minister of culture and tourism, criticises the proposed plan.
“It is wrong to try to bully your way into the Nigerian entertainment industry you did nothing to help build. It is absurd to say you will ban entertainers from shooting music videos or movies abroad. Your reason is that we go there to enrich their economy with Nigeria’s money.
“If you want entertainers to stop going abroad to shoot music videos and movies, then government officials should stop going abroad for medical checkups, vacations etc.
“We can use all those billions spent in funding foreign economies to equip our schools, hospitals and other parastatals”.
