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| reginald Ebere |
In that first trip I fell in love with the ancient but
quietly emergent city that was on the verge of rediscovering itself. That love
was so strong that I considered relocating my family there. Don’t blame me, I am
normally a victim of sudden emotional impulses that always seem to get me into
trouble. Thank God my wife quashed the idea.
The second time, I went to shoot one of my movies. I‘d heard
of good locations, cheap priced hotels and hardworking, professional crews, not
like the indolent fat cats we have in Lagos. I wanted to take advantage of all
that. What someone did not tell me however was that Asaba had also become home
to semi-prostitutes, parading themselves as artistes and an accompanying band
of young, very young pimps who ran production shifts and sold sex for pennies
to immoral libidinous directors and producers. What I didn’t discover then was the whole
truth.
So last week the idea of Asaba came up again and I put up a
post on this blog that has elicited some very serious reactions. Suffice it to
say that everybody seems to think that my going to Asaba to work is a very bad
idea, major reason being that there is a massive stench of corruption coming
from this pristine town. That oozing fermentation seems to be coming out of
Nollywood. Before now I’d heard stories of directors and producers who would
demand that female artistes buy them lap tops and i-pads before giving them
roles. What’s bad in that you may ask, well nothing really but those female
actors are also required to sleep with them for as long as the production lasted
and finally they are also required to pay certain amounts of money to get
roles. Sums as huge as twenty thousand Naira nay, even fifty thousand Naira.
Now did I say finally? Forgive me because the list goes on. If these
unfortunate female artistes are to be accommodated in the production camps,
they are also required to pay as much as ten thousand Naira.
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| Asaba Delta State |
What is going on in Asaba is sordid, which is the reason why
half baked, illiterate, uncouth, insulting and sometimes utterly apologetic stupid
productions are coming out from that enclave of sin and depravity.
It is time for the heads of our different guilds to go in
there and clean the place out instead of sitting back in Lagos fighting over
who will be part of the next dinner with Oga At The Top and issuing communiques
about how to share the three billion largesse from Doctor Jonathan. If we do
not act quick enough we will soon find that we all will be drowned in this
morass of moral decadence. It is what somebody has that he gives. If we build
an industry that is peopled by thieves, pimps and whores, we will continue to
produce movies that will corrupt our children and our society. I will shut my mouth
for now.
ReplyDeleteInfact d rate d issue is going hav made me 2 lose interest in joining d movie industry
One produce here in ph was telling me 2 take him out 4 dinner b4 we can disscus anytin
I hav another one contact in Asaba dat said i hav 2 pay 50 thousand b4 i can get a role
So wats d need 4 me 2 cum and bring out my talent
Very Very sad. I would like you to know that not everyone in the film industry is like that. Reginald Ebere lives and makes films in Nigeria and HE is speaking out against it. There really are some good filmmakers out there so please don't give up. When you actually become a star don't forget about issue, do something to advocate against it.
DeleteSomething similar to that almost happened here in the United States but that whole idea got shot down quick because there are laws protecting artists here. This is very sad. I was actually planning to shot a film there towards the end of the year there. I really don't want to have to deal with the same stupidity that occurs in Lagos in Asaba...these people need to realize that Europe is watching us. If they continue on the path they are currently taking, they will spoil it for everyone looking for overseas sponsorship for their films.
ReplyDeleteRebeccah come shoot your film oh. i can give you names of quite a number of people you can work with who are straighter than a totem pole. God bless you and keep the flag flying.
DeleteIt is indeed a sad sitaution moreso because it is very difficult to convince pple dat not everyone in d industry is a "whore, pimp or thief" as u put it. I am an aspiring actress & d moment i mention "i'm an actress" to anyone, dey jst see me as "d rest of dem" & datz really frustrating. The asaba issue is not only a cause for worry to nollywood bt also to d general audience. Parents find it hard to let their children into movies cos of some of the dirty movies dey watch mostly produced in asaba. I'm glad dere are still gud & decent film makers out there cos personally, itz an encourangement for me & for that i say thumbs up reginald.
ReplyDeletethank you. i know that not everybody in the movie industry has walked down this path. i am speaking out against the minority who think the industry is a place to acquire bed mates. And for the parents who are reading this, do not be disillusioned if your daughter wants to be in the movies. there are lots of very good people in the industry.
ReplyDeleteNwadigwe Charles
ReplyDeleteSad indeed,the king is losing his crown. But the fact remains that it takes two to tango. If people refuse to give bribes either in cash or kind, the takers will have nothing to take home. The question is: are these actors truly professionals? Many of these whores and part-time prostitutes, in my view are not trained actors, but enthusiasts who wants to stars at all costsm fot them anything goes. It is still hard for trained artists to get roles in Nollywood unless you 'play ball'
Enaso Erike
ReplyDeleteSir, most of these practices were initiated by some desperate girls. In 2010, Jan, I did a job in Asaba. On the last day of shoot, I was contractd 4 another job and told to move in2 d director's room. When I turned down d offer, he promptly showd me 2 out
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteEnaso Erike
ReplyDeleteOf the "many girls" that had offered him both money & their bodiz 4 that role. I thankd him and left. Some desperate, low self-esteemed, morally bankrupt pigs hv taken over Asaba. I even heard of a gay director's request. I salute ur speaking out.
Levi Onyenkwu
ReplyDeleteThere's a need 4 cleansin not just at asaba but d entire nation.
Joseph Ejiofor
ReplyDeleteUr rite mr director, many are called but few ar chosen........we ar 4rm chosen generation. Speak LOUD sir
Abaelu Ike-Anthony Junior
ReplyDeleteI heard actresses even buu car for producers just to feature them in his movies...?
Jovi Babs
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when everybody in the industry keeps quiet saying those evil practices are none of their business. Now it's haunting everybody. But both sides are guilty. I have seen so much desperation from artistes during my acting career which mirrors their ambition to be stars at all costs. It's high time those of us in the industry come out with initiatives to rebuild the industry starting with a new distribution system. (Am not talking of the present cinema system where the cinemas collect 60% of the gate takings and charge expensively) There are many people who want to invest in the industry but the pervasive unproffesionalism prevents them from coming in. The moment we focus on the industry's good and take our eyes of the small chump change the sky is the limit.
KIZITO IJEH
ReplyDeleteDear Reginald, what you wrote about Asaba is just 10% of the whole. Thanks for having the courage to do so. I once took an actress to ask for refund from a producer that collected money for a role and later disappointed. Almost all prostitutes in Asaba are actresses. Resident Actors are pimps here. The rot goes on and on.
asaba has killed the taste of nollywood that use to be great in the sight of the whole world.I hear all what is happening there n am not happy about it.I advice they bring the jobs that are there to lagos or take them to other good states.I rest my case
ReplyDeleteTaking the jobs out of Asaba will not solve the problem. We need to change the orientation of both the aspiring actresses and the emergent directors and producers. then we need to impose severe sanctions for those who run foul of the rules. Thank You
DeleteBefore i say what is in my mind i will ask this questions: in Nollywood is there any association that regulates the kind of movies that are released? no censor or anything like it?
ReplyDelete@Anthony yes there is. the Nigeria Film and Video Censors Board set up by government to regulate and censor films
DeleteAkpoviri Don Veta Akpoveta
ReplyDeleteMy Dear Reginald, it may interest yo to know that the birth place of Nollywood in Delta State was In a suburb in Warri Known as DSC Township where the likes of Lilian Ahmfule and Theo Akatugba as well as the likes of ingorniable men like BABA TEA started from. Even the AY of today and all came into this noble industry then to make a living for themselves until the birth of AGN proper in warri that saw factions and counter factions coming and going, lying and deceiving people into the industry.. you won't believe that the receipt i used in paying for my AGN membership Card then is still with me without me receiving any Card to that effect even after paying the mandatory 2,500 then even though i was among the forerunner of the AGN in Warri. This ugly trend led to the break of the body into fraction all over Delta State until the Enugu revolution that uses tail to touch down in Asaba came and incidentally gave birth to this Nollywood sincity still run by this unrepentant sinners and their recruited army of Sex and Asaba.
Last year when i wanted to make a short documentary on piracy in Nigeria which i have to put on hold.. i was surprise at the overtures of those Actress and actors that came from Asaba to warri for the auditioning...Your Note is timely and before everything generate into a state where we all are buried by the stench.
Thanks for d reply. Since there is Nigeria Film and Video Censors Board, all d blames of dis "Asaba films" should go to them. In a place where law is not been enforced anything goes. i lay d blames on d above body bcos if when d "asaba film" started surging up it was nipped by d bud all dis we are seeing wont be happening. if after a film production a copy of d film had been submited to d table of the censors Board to review before releasing it to d public, if that was done the mishaps we are all talking about wont be happening because d eventual producers, writters and directors of those quacks will have it in mind that if they dont meet d required standards their project(s) will not see d day light. As far as d Censors Board is not doing anything about the standards of films been released into Nollywood sorry to say "d Asaba films makers are not thinking of stopping yet instead they are just getting started".
ReplyDeleteAlso, d blame still goes to us the public and tv stations. If as this Asaba movies are been released into d markets and they are not been patronised will they still be producing it? HELL NO. The worst of it all is that even tv stations still show this quacks, Africa Magic most especially. If a cable station as highly rated as Africa Magic that European countries watch still show those movies all in d name of entertainment do u still expect them to stop producing the nonsense????
"Wisdom blaze adiele" Mr reginald thanks a lot for this wonderful post..........this issue is turning to something else..........asaba is turning to place where sluts get the roles.......mehn this is disgusting....nd grubby...........something must be done must about this issue or is gonna turn bad very bad
ReplyDeleteAnd here I am thinking of making my first feature and thinking of how much I can pay the actors to make them happy, abi make I just invite them to come pay for the film. Thank God I'm not like that, but young girls should dump their desperation and look for something better to do, two side of a coin, just like our banks using contract staff and factories employing casuals....
ReplyDeleteWell spoken Stanley.
ReplyDeleteVery straight and forward post,is really affecting us that has nothing to offer to these foools,but with my God given talent,i will get there
ReplyDeleteIpere olivia,
ReplyDeletehonestly am in a location in asaba now,you needs to see how they flunt there cars around,and they called it "PACKING" we that are not among the so called packing girls a seriously looked down upon,but i believe in God for my success koz he never fails
ipere i believe in you too girl. go
ReplyDeleteWe are all to blame! We the seeming good, the bad and the ugly- Be you producer director, actor or whatever. When training and professionalism gets sacrificed in the alter of mediocrity and commercialism what you get is decadence and the rot we all cry about. Drive the fake directors out, engage trained ethical actors and media personnel, crave for commercial success with good works the quacks will find their level trust me. Unless this is done even the pious ones amongst us will soon be corrupted.
ReplyDelete