Nollywood Business Forum inauguratedBy Fred Iwenjora
Published: December 16, 2007
Print Nollywood creme de la creme and indeed Nigeria’s business community gathered at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers to be part of the Nollywood Business Forum, NBF, the new baby of Nollywood which was formally inaugurated with the unveiling of the Academy statuette.
The event which saw Mr Emeka Mbah of the National Film and Video Censors Board representing the Honorable Minister of Information Mr John Odey was also graced by executives of top Nigerian banks including ECOBANK, Fidelity Bank, Intercontinental Bank, Diamond Bank. Also present at the event were PMAN president Tee Mac and his lieutenants who were also there just like the former MD of the NDDC Chief Emmanuel Agwariwviodo who was present there.
Others present include Ambassador Segun Olusola, former Director of programmes of NTA, Dr Victoria Ezeokoli .
Highlights of the event was the unveiling of the Academy Statuette and the investiture of Zik Zulu Okafor as the speaker of the Nollywood parliament, a think tank overseeing the organisation of whatever goes on in the NBF.
Mathias Obahiagbon, president of NBF says things had to change as far as the way the business of Nollywood was concerned.
He said “a new dawn had come for Nollywood and things will never be same again. We have been doing the show since fifteen years now. We want to do the business from now.
That is why all the financial institutions were invited to see what we are about. In the nearest future, we would continue to unveil what we want to do to redirect Nollywood for the better.For too long, we have been basking in the euphoria of Nollywood, the recognition it has given the nation, and its acceptance worldwide. Unfortunately, Nollywood has not transcended beyond just entertainment.
Majority of Film/Video practitioners have remained impoverished due to obvious and various innuendoes.
Nollywood Business Forum is an organization with strong bias for the business development and human capacity/technology building of the motion picture sector.
Our mission is to reengineer capacity building & effective business coordination, not only in the movie sub sector, but the motion picture industry at large.
It has an advisory board made up of men and women of very high integrity, but with interest in the arts and its business”
Zeb Ejiro, one of the big wigs of NBF concurs and say “ This is the time for Nollywood to rise from its slumber and make a head way. We cannot continue to do what we did since 1992, the same way we did them then. I would only love to say Nollywood here we come and nothing more as our plans will continue to unfold”
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