However, insider sources disclosed that federal government rests the responsibility of ensuring proper disbursement of the grant on Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and tagged her as the manager of the grant. The Minister, who swore to carry out the assignment to the latter immediately formed a committee called, Federal Government Central Committee which she is the head and has three sub-committees which have movie makers as members.
The committees include, Content Production and Training headed by actress Stephanie Okereke-Linus and has few, selected actors and actresses in its membership, Distribution/IP/Facility Owners headed by ace film maker, Amaka Igwe with selected distributors as its members, and Production and Training committee which is made up of few producers and headed by veteran film maker Prince Jide Kosoko.
The aim of these committees, we
gathered is to ensure that various arms of film making will be properly
represented, as the reports of their kind of companies and what they can do
will be submitted to Minister for Finance’s central committee, to ultimately
form the basis for drawing up guidelines for accessing the N3 billion grant
announced by President Jonathan, along Distribution/IP/Facility Owners,
Production and Training lines.
Meanwhile, one will wonder why such an organized arrangement will trigger a fight among film makers. It will be recalled that the hitch kicked-off over Amaka Igwe’s meeting held at Ikeja two weeks back. According to sources, the Amaka-committee has the mandate to deal with the distribution arm of the tripartite committee. It was on this basis that her committee called a representative focused group stakeholders meeting of about 30 eggheads relevant to her mandate, so as to consult with them and pick their brains in other to come up with a robust report for distributors facility providers.
Meanwhile, one will wonder why such an organized arrangement will trigger a fight among film makers. It will be recalled that the hitch kicked-off over Amaka Igwe’s meeting held at Ikeja two weeks back. According to sources, the Amaka-committee has the mandate to deal with the distribution arm of the tripartite committee. It was on this basis that her committee called a representative focused group stakeholders meeting of about 30 eggheads relevant to her mandate, so as to consult with them and pick their brains in other to come up with a robust report for distributors facility providers.
However, the source informed that the other two committees have had
secret meetings without bothering to call any form of stakeholders meeting or
consult with anybody in the industry. Few individuals who felt that they have
contributed enough for the growth of Nollywood learnt about the meeting and
stormed the venue uninvited.
The problem ensued when the likes of Paul Obazele, Zach Orji, Chike Bryan, Frank Dallas, Charles Okafor, Tony Ani, Dickson Iroegbu, Yinka Akanbi, Charles Inojie, Rachael Oniga, Obi Madubogu, Mike Nliam, Emeka Rollas, who came uninvited were stopped from entering the venue, as they were forced to leave. Actually, they left the venue, not only started a secret war against Amaka Igwe’s committee but also formed their own group called, Nollywood Monitors.
It was disclosed that the group converged a meeting and circulated a communiqué with the aim of throwing spanner into the wheel of progress Amaka Igwe, Jide Kosoko and other members of their committee are working tirelessly to set in motion for distribution and IP protection in Nollywood. However, members of Nollywood Monitor revealed that leaving them behind when a meeting was converged for producers and marketers over N3billion grant, arguing that it should be an open gathering where everybody who is relevant in the associations represented will see the cards on the table.
Anything against this approach is viewed as fraud and a means of hijacking the federal government grant by few individuals. “The issue is that Amaka Igwe and her husband, Charles Igwe want to be the first people to access this fund, and they must be stopped. There are a lot of people in movie industry and the only people can identify them are the guild heads.
So, this grant should be disbursed through the guild heads, who will identify those who are working and are capable of making good use of the grant. Individuals should not be allowed to access the fund, and others will not have access to it through them.” Paul Obazele stated in the meeting converged at O’jez Restaurant and bar last weekend. On the other hand, members of Amaka Igwe’s committee insisted that the men mentioned above have nothing to contribute in the committee, as the meeting she called was strictly for stakeholders who have something tangible to offer.
The problem ensued when the likes of Paul Obazele, Zach Orji, Chike Bryan, Frank Dallas, Charles Okafor, Tony Ani, Dickson Iroegbu, Yinka Akanbi, Charles Inojie, Rachael Oniga, Obi Madubogu, Mike Nliam, Emeka Rollas, who came uninvited were stopped from entering the venue, as they were forced to leave. Actually, they left the venue, not only started a secret war against Amaka Igwe’s committee but also formed their own group called, Nollywood Monitors.
It was disclosed that the group converged a meeting and circulated a communiqué with the aim of throwing spanner into the wheel of progress Amaka Igwe, Jide Kosoko and other members of their committee are working tirelessly to set in motion for distribution and IP protection in Nollywood. However, members of Nollywood Monitor revealed that leaving them behind when a meeting was converged for producers and marketers over N3billion grant, arguing that it should be an open gathering where everybody who is relevant in the associations represented will see the cards on the table.
Anything against this approach is viewed as fraud and a means of hijacking the federal government grant by few individuals. “The issue is that Amaka Igwe and her husband, Charles Igwe want to be the first people to access this fund, and they must be stopped. There are a lot of people in movie industry and the only people can identify them are the guild heads.
So, this grant should be disbursed through the guild heads, who will identify those who are working and are capable of making good use of the grant. Individuals should not be allowed to access the fund, and others will not have access to it through them.” Paul Obazele stated in the meeting converged at O’jez Restaurant and bar last weekend. On the other hand, members of Amaka Igwe’s committee insisted that the men mentioned above have nothing to contribute in the committee, as the meeting she called was strictly for stakeholders who have something tangible to offer.
According to them, both producers, marketers and executive
producers were duly represented by ace practitioners such as, Igwe Gabosky,
Remy Jes, Contec, Ulzee, Kene Mkparu,
represented Distributors/Marketers/Facility Owners; Zik Zulu, Alex
Eyengho, Andy Amaenechi, Saheed Balogun represented the relevant associations
and guilds; Peace Anyiam-Osuigwe, Fidelis Duker, Emem Isong, Chief Eddie
Ugbomah, Mahmoud Ali-Balogun, Chico Ejiro, Lanre Falana, Okey Ogunjiofor, Zeb
Ejiro, Teco Benson, Ralph Nwadike and many others. “We are ready to allay the
fears of members of this so-called Nollywood Monitors, they should understand
that no money will be shared to anybody and this is not Nollywood at 20 jamborees.
It is completely federal government grant to film makers, which will be accessed after the committees are through with their reports and submitted to central committee. Then, the grant will be unveiled to the public as ready to be accessed by only those film makers who have functional, legal and corporate organizations/companies that are up to date in their tax payment.
We will assure you that most of the people involved in this destructive Nollywood Monitor do not have companies registered under the laws of Nigeria with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). So, they are not even legal entities. Besides, we all don't have to be in the Federal Government Central Committee for it to work. The grant will be accessed by film makers who have the qualification that suites content providers. Our advice to this group if they are really desirous of accessing this grant is that they should immediately start to put proper personal corporate structures in place.
They must have a registered company (Limited liability or Business name at least) with all that comes with it. The money will not be released to associations and guilds but to serious-minded companies based on the business plans and proposals submitted to managers of the fund. Once the guidelines for accessing the grant are made public, you don't have to be a member of the committee to apply. Some members of the committees may even apply and fail to get the grant eventually.
The grant is not and cannot be a dash to everybody in Nollywood. It is not kpof-kpof. It is not presidential dinner. It is not centenary rendezvous. It is not Nollwood @ 20 jamboree. It is serious business for serious Nollywood stakeholders,” the committee members said.
It is completely federal government grant to film makers, which will be accessed after the committees are through with their reports and submitted to central committee. Then, the grant will be unveiled to the public as ready to be accessed by only those film makers who have functional, legal and corporate organizations/companies that are up to date in their tax payment.
We will assure you that most of the people involved in this destructive Nollywood Monitor do not have companies registered under the laws of Nigeria with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). So, they are not even legal entities. Besides, we all don't have to be in the Federal Government Central Committee for it to work. The grant will be accessed by film makers who have the qualification that suites content providers. Our advice to this group if they are really desirous of accessing this grant is that they should immediately start to put proper personal corporate structures in place.
They must have a registered company (Limited liability or Business name at least) with all that comes with it. The money will not be released to associations and guilds but to serious-minded companies based on the business plans and proposals submitted to managers of the fund. Once the guidelines for accessing the grant are made public, you don't have to be a member of the committee to apply. Some members of the committees may even apply and fail to get the grant eventually.
The grant is not and cannot be a dash to everybody in Nollywood. It is not kpof-kpof. It is not presidential dinner. It is not centenary rendezvous. It is not Nollwood @ 20 jamboree. It is serious business for serious Nollywood stakeholders,” the committee members said.
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