Vice chancellor of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, has urged the federal government to invest heavily in Nigeria’s film industry to help it thrive and contribute more to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Na’Allah made the call at a three-day conference in honour of Professor Onookome Okome.
The conference with the theme: “Decolonising African Cinema in the Age of Media Streaming,” was held at the university main campus in Abuja.
Na’Allah said the government needs to provide more support for Nollywood to transform the economy.
He said, “Our government must recognise that the film industry is a multimillion-dollar industry capable of creating wealth. All over the world, people have started watching Nollywood. People are beginning to know Nigeria through Nollywood, whether it is our music, film, cultural dance, or language.
“Nollywood has taken the whole world by surprise, reaching Japan, China, America, and generating foreign reserves and substantial revenue for Nigeria. It surprised the world because they did not understand the creativity emerging from Africa.
“When Nigeria, the largest country in Africa, took its rightful position by creating unique African films, it became a major surprise to the world.”
On the conference, he said, “We are here to celebrate a renowned film writer and the brains behind the meaning of African cinema, Nollywood. As a university with a degree in film studies, we are very proud of him and his department.”
Also, Prof. Okome, a renowned film writer and honoree, said, “At one point in 2010, Nollywood contributed four percent of the GDP of this country, which is tremendous.
“However, what is happening to Nollywood today is that the West has capitalised on it. We no longer receive the same kind of returns because of streaming, which is what this conference is all about.”
