Nollywood is a growing icon, so to speak, from African Center Stage called Nigeria - a movie industry of Nigeria, by Nigerians, and for the Nigerian people. Nollywood has slowly become a trend with a life of its own, not only because it made movies for Nigerians, but because it makes movies that has spread outside Nigerian shore and with a good reputation to boot; more significantly, it has risen in the center of nowhere to somewhere. It's hard to see someone from Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, or any African Country, who does not recognize or have never heard of the name "Nollywood"
There was a very distinct resistance to the name because of its foreign connotation, especially the similarity it has with another popular world-known movies production power-house "Hollywood". Despite this initial resistance, many have come to terms with the name, especially considering the fact that all actors, consumers, and movie plots are Nigeria-centric.
One always wonder a while back if Nollywood will ever become relevant to the aspirations of Nigerians defining their own movies and setting free their movie production capabilities from the grip of foreign production studios, studios that determine what will be produced, who will produce what, and when to produce. Although most Nigerian movies are produced within a short timeframe ranging from a few weeks to a few months, the quality has consistently improved - in fact, the quality of movies produced these days are rated first class. The industry has learned and has improved a lot.
Despite the conditions: epileptic power supply, unstable, deteriorating economic condition, Nollywood has crawled its way to the third most visible movie industry on our planet; despite the several years of repressive military regime, wreck less political class, uncertain daily-living in Nigeria, Nollywood manages to attain a third place, after Hollywood and Bollywood, in the league of global movie power-houses. In fact, there is a constant confusion on which one comes second - Bollywood or Nollywood.
Until the latest technological breakthroughs of the last decade in terms of affordable methods of producing movies, the account of movie-making in Nigeria was the story of unsuccessful Endeavour filled with financial agony and, sometimes, economic ruin because most of those who attempted to turn out movies consistently end up on the negative side of their business balance sheet. As a result of this dilemma, most Nigerians, even those who would prefer home grown movies, end up consuming mostly foreign movies. Legendary movies such as Fist of Fury (1972), key in the Dragon (1973), means of the Dragon (1972), and, even right before that, prominent movies such as "Bruce Lee" in (Lo Wei's, the enormous superior (1971) were common.
Despite the crushing financial constraint of producing movies before the last decade, some theatrical groups, through excellent theatrical skills and astounding performances managed to transcend stage performance and move into movie productions - mostly based on the old celluloid capability of the 70's. Still fresh in our memories are those who actually led the pre-Nollywood era. Great performers such as Ola Balogun, Eddie Ugbomah, and late Herbert Ogunde
The Music artists delivering cutting-edge Nigeria Music have benefited substantially from the opportunities created by the presence of Nollywood in Nigeria - these artists have done exceptionally well considering their skills to blend music of local origin with other genre of music ranging from Bob Marley to Jazz and so on. They have benefitted immensely from Nigerian business men who opened successful online distribution channels to allow Nigerians showcase their talent to the rest of the world. Nigeria-centric sites such as NaijaMotion.com, like their counter-part YouTube.com represents a substantial opportunity for Nigerian Musician to show-case their talent to the rest of the world.
Back to Nollywood: although the movies were initially created for Nigerians living in Nigerian, it has, over the last decade, become source of solace for Nigerians in Diaspora - it is now a known ingredient for binding those outside the country with activites on the home front; with the pervasiveness of the internet, the ever easier and faster means of distribution, Nollywood movies are now enjoyed not only in Nigeria but in several other countries; fascinatingly enough, not just by Nigerians, but by citizens of all other countries. Nollywood, indeed, has made substantial progress. Considering future prospect, I see Nollywood becoming a force to be reckoned with on the same platform as Hollywood - an institution that has dominated the movie production landscape for several decades.
There was a very distinct resistance to the name because of its foreign connotation, especially the similarity it has with another popular world-known movies production power-house "Hollywood". Despite this initial resistance, many have come to terms with the name, especially considering the fact that all actors, consumers, and movie plots are Nigeria-centric.
One always wonder a while back if Nollywood will ever become relevant to the aspirations of Nigerians defining their own movies and setting free their movie production capabilities from the grip of foreign production studios, studios that determine what will be produced, who will produce what, and when to produce. Although most Nigerian movies are produced within a short timeframe ranging from a few weeks to a few months, the quality has consistently improved - in fact, the quality of movies produced these days are rated first class. The industry has learned and has improved a lot.
Despite the conditions: epileptic power supply, unstable, deteriorating economic condition, Nollywood has crawled its way to the third most visible movie industry on our planet; despite the several years of repressive military regime, wreck less political class, uncertain daily-living in Nigeria, Nollywood manages to attain a third place, after Hollywood and Bollywood, in the league of global movie power-houses. In fact, there is a constant confusion on which one comes second - Bollywood or Nollywood.
Until the latest technological breakthroughs of the last decade in terms of affordable methods of producing movies, the account of movie-making in Nigeria was the story of unsuccessful Endeavour filled with financial agony and, sometimes, economic ruin because most of those who attempted to turn out movies consistently end up on the negative side of their business balance sheet. As a result of this dilemma, most Nigerians, even those who would prefer home grown movies, end up consuming mostly foreign movies. Legendary movies such as Fist of Fury (1972), key in the Dragon (1973), means of the Dragon (1972), and, even right before that, prominent movies such as "Bruce Lee" in (Lo Wei's, the enormous superior (1971) were common.
Despite the crushing financial constraint of producing movies before the last decade, some theatrical groups, through excellent theatrical skills and astounding performances managed to transcend stage performance and move into movie productions - mostly based on the old celluloid capability of the 70's. Still fresh in our memories are those who actually led the pre-Nollywood era. Great performers such as Ola Balogun, Eddie Ugbomah, and late Herbert Ogunde
The Music artists delivering cutting-edge Nigeria Music have benefited substantially from the opportunities created by the presence of Nollywood in Nigeria - these artists have done exceptionally well considering their skills to blend music of local origin with other genre of music ranging from Bob Marley to Jazz and so on. They have benefitted immensely from Nigerian business men who opened successful online distribution channels to allow Nigerians showcase their talent to the rest of the world. Nigeria-centric sites such as NaijaMotion.com, like their counter-part YouTube.com represents a substantial opportunity for Nigerian Musician to show-case their talent to the rest of the world.
Back to Nollywood: although the movies were initially created for Nigerians living in Nigerian, it has, over the last decade, become source of solace for Nigerians in Diaspora - it is now a known ingredient for binding those outside the country with activites on the home front; with the pervasiveness of the internet, the ever easier and faster means of distribution, Nollywood movies are now enjoyed not only in Nigeria but in several other countries; fascinatingly enough, not just by Nigerians, but by citizens of all other countries. Nollywood, indeed, has made substantial progress. Considering future prospect, I see Nollywood becoming a force to be reckoned with on the same platform as Hollywood - an institution that has dominated the movie production landscape for several decades.
About the Author:
NaijaMotion.com is the online destination for Nigerian Artist to upload and showcase their talent to Nigerians to the whole world. Click here to check out Nigeria Music Artists. There are many interesting videos on this site. You an watch Nigeria comedy and Fantastic Videos
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