It has been revealed to Julia Blaise Blog (JBB) that the fight between veteran movie producer and onetime president of Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Madu C. Chikwendu and members of Association Nollywood Core Producers led by its president, Comrade Alex Eyengho has been brewing for over one year now. One will wonder what might have caused the undying misunderstanding as Mr. Chikwendu and Eyengho actually teamed up, broke out from AMP and formed ANCOP. From petty allegations of not being able to conduct election, to visa racketing, the misunderstanding has escalated to something bigger. In the last one week, the fight seems to have triggered again. This is because the leadership of ANCOP and its members have circulated various forms of statements, insinuating that Mr. Chikwendu has reduced to nothing in Nollywood and has equally run mad.


Julia Blaise Blog has made few investigations to know what could be behind this new fight. It was revealed that the present battle is anchored around the N3billion Presidential Intervention Fund donated to Nollywood. Sources have it that the industry have divided into two groups that have formed two different association. While movie practitioners who are in agreement with the guidelines of Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala now belong to Project Act, another group where Mr. Chikwendu belongs is tagged, Convener of the Nigerian Motion Picture Experts Group (NIMPEG).

As a result of this division, various individuals in the industry are pointing at Mr. Chikwendu has the brain behind the recent crisis trying to raise its head in the industry. He allegedly made a negative comment concerning Project Act in his write up on a popular newspaper last weekend. Leadership of ANCOP took the bull by the horn and decided to face Mr. Chikwendu, and the only method they applied so far is the release of messages that have almost killed his personality.

In one of the messages, Mr. Chikwendu was called a drowning man and gradually running mad, while the other listed what they called all the failed projects of the former President of AMP:

“1. Organizer of LIFF (a supposed film festival in Lagos) = Total failure.
2. Organizer of LEAP (a supposed film festival in Aba) = Total failure.
3. Owner of 'Lagos Film Institute' = An embarrassment to film schools.
4. Took on Mr. Afolabi Adesanya (former MD of NFC) = Failed.
5. Took on NFVCB = Failed.
6. Organized Beauty Pageant = Failed.
7. Last Film and Soap opera shot (Bound by Destiny and Sharp Corner) = woeful failure.
8. Organized a so-called "Nollywood Summit" for pirates of Nollywood contents = Failed.
9. Disgraced out of AMP.
10. Disgraced out of ANCOP.
11. Disgraced out of FEPACI.
12. Moved out of Lagos and now hibernating in Ogun State.
13. Chronic debtor in Nollywood.
14. Irredeemably ungrateful to his benefactors.
15. Once took on Shaibu Husseni of Guardian = Failed.
16. Took on 'Project Act Nollywood' = Failed (see his gibberish called communique and the on point reply by 'Project Act Nollywood').
17. No longer have people's contents to sell outside Nigeria.
18. De-listed as a member of DGN.
19. Currently trying to create confusion in the proposed AVRS.
20. Tried (in collaboration with other dissidents) to use the platform of FOFAN to fight ANCOP = Failed.
21. His wife (Daisy) and another woman who sells people's content without authorization (Adaobi Onuora, Madu's toy) were also sacked from ANCOP for gross incompetence among other reasons.
22. Took on NCC = Failed.
23. etc (Daily Independent will soon kick him out for using the platform of that medium to execute personal fight against perceived enemies).

“So, with all these and more, you can understand Madu's pain. He is a drowning man who would stick unto a straw! No sane human being can or should take Madu C. Chikwendu serious. He has lost it all! He no longer belong to any credible guild or association in Nollywood thus his next move to gather together some dregs of the industry like him to form his new group (NIMPEG 1).

“For real, ANCOP has moved on; far beyond the antics of Madu and his co-travelers. Nollywood stakeholders know him for who he is - a failure. As for FIAPF, they already know him! We officially unveiled him to them long, long ago! Madu's modus operand is: "I, myself and I alone. If I can't have my selfish way, then I'll pull down everything and everybody with me!," they stated.

However, Mr. Chikwendu has not only responded to the messages, but also filed a petition against ANCOP, Julia Bliase Blog gathered. His long statements reads thus:

“We are under obligation to respond to the latest efforts to diminish the stature and person of our CEO MCM Group and  Madu C Chikwendu by the Association of Nollywood Core Producers ANCOP acting under the direction and supervision of certain individuals and institutions who may or may not be affiliated with “Project ACT ‘”..The acronym for the N3b Presidential Intervention Fund. What is very clear is that the latest onslaught designed to intimidate and cow the Convener of the Nigerian Motion Picture Experts Group NIMPEG 1 has been triggered by Mr. Chikwendu’s bold stance on the issue of N3b.

“The most amusing aspect is the Soviet era, Nigerian civil war style of propaganda wherein statements made by Mr. Chikwendu have been lifted completely out of context and juxtaposed into a nauseating context. Indeed this kind of infantile and juvenile manipulation would be commendable at the primary school level or perhaps between candidates running for Councillorship. In fact if our principal had not personally supported the education of the author of these drivel, we would have questioned his claims to multiple post graduate qualifications at otherwise excellent educational institutions.

“These efforts are purely diversionary, carefully and craftily designed to divert attention from the professional issues at stake. We have taken necessary measures to check this malfeasance: we have issued relevant instructions to our legal team to seek redress in a court of competent jurisdiction and we have petitioned FIAPF (its administration and members) and relevant local and international Institutions.

BACKGROUND
“Contrary to the baseless innuendoes cast by ANCOP and their Puppeteers Madu C Chikwendu did not originate the unfortunate crisis that tore Association of Movie Producers apart  in 2007 having successfully supervised a democratic transition to his Successor Mr. Paul Obazele.Mr Chikwendu was a victim of a carefully orchestrated plot by two different groups working for the same purpose from different directions. Recall that Mr. Chikwendu at a time held three powerful mandates concurrently: National President Association of Movie Producers, Regional Secretary (Western Region 1) Federation of Pan African Filmmakers, 2nd Vice Chairman (Steering Committee) Motion Picture Council of Nigeria. This concentration of power (with hindsight) in one single individual must have been very unsettling to some presumed friends and associates who then orchestrated a conflict. It is a matter of fact that Madu C Chikwendu was not a direct party to the dispute that engulfed  AMP. Following the widely disputed elections many members of AMP left the association. As a matter of fact the name Association of Nollywood Core Producers was coined by Producer Obi Madubuogwu.Mr Chikwendu alongside another Veteran Filmmaker  Mr. Mahmood Alli-Balogun were invited to join the Board of Trustee. They both agreed but Mr. Alli-Balogun saw the future and later requested to be excused from the board. In view of the fact that a lot of the members had joined ANOP because of him, Mr. .Chikwendu remained in ANCOP until September 2012 when he resigned (refer to FIAPF Petition).

EXCERPTS FROM MR MADU C CHIKWENDU’S PETITIOJN TO FIAPF HEADQUARTERS
CHARACTER ASSASINATION / DEFAMATION: 

"According to Mr. Eyengho I was “expelled for visa racketeering”. It is amazing that an individual capable of this level of falsehood can ascend to such  a high office. High office comes with high responsibility. As excerpts from my email discussion thread below confirms I resigned from ANCOP last year for the following reasons : refusal of Alex Eyengho to conduct elections after almost three years in office  ( he was never  elected in the first instance) , increasingly confrontational and belligerent attitude adopted by ANCOP against  the rest of the industry, hijack of the administration of  ANCOP by the board ,resort to verbal abuse of my person ,close associates and even my wife by Eyengho, incompetent leadership resulting in the shrinking of the membership. After years of trying to correct these things I had no option than to resign and part ways with ANCOP.You can confirm that I have not been in touch with FIAPF before now .The absurd claim that I was expelled is even an indication of the kind of malice , dysfunctionality  and incompetence that has destroyed an association that showed so much initial promise. After  almost ten months of leaving ANCOP  i  only read about my “expulsion” last week. Do you expel members that never faced any panel, you never communicated with the person in any form?

"I will like to use this opportunity to reecho my concerns about the state of ANCOP. We need to give the EXCO and membership a stronger voice in the running of the association.
Frankly, to my mind, the principal agenda of this proposed meeting is better suited to an EXCO meeting than a BOT meeting.

"We must be very careful so the BOt is not seen to be hijacking the role of the EXCO.We need to resist the tempatation to usurp the role of the EXCo.If the EXCO is dysfunctional then it needs to be dissolved in favour of a more functional one.

"There should be a massive membership drive so that the BOT can be relieved of some of these heavy financial burdens.I recall a lot of plans have been discussed in the past for ways to generate income.Can the EXCO please revisit the minutes and activate these plans ? I recall many interesting suggestions by Chief Okoye.There is no need flogging a dead horse.This is the digital age , we must be nimble and flit footed.If one plan falls through we must adapt quickly and formulate new plans. The general directionless in the industry is a wonderful opportunity for ANCoP to seize control.


Elections: The present EXCO has been in office for more than two years.The EXCO was not elected.There should be proper elections.Am not against anybody contesting but we should follow the rule of law.
Membership: An Association without membership is no association. Mr Eyengho gave me a profile of the kind of people that should belong to ANCOP.I share his vision and urge him to attract this calibre of membership.A dwindling membership ( which has been the case) is a bad sign.
The success or failure of an organisation depends a lot on the leadership.I have made my modest contributions ( appreciated or not).I used my personal influence and spent my money to secure the FIAPF nandate .I used my influence and money to secure the Uganda deal ( which was mismanaged) , I have used my influence and money to arrange several meetings at Abuja.
I wish you fruitful deliberations.

FIGHTING NCC

"We make bold to say that “Brand Madu C Chikwendu “ represents many things; courage, selflessness, fearlessness, principle, doggedness, innovation and determination and many other intrinsic positive qualities. Mr Chikwendu is not fighting Nigerian Copyright Commission. He is simply opposed to the so called “reform of the copyright system” believing that there should be greater emphasis on enforcement. Indeed in recent print and electronic c media interviews Mr. Chikwendu has extolled the excellent work the Afam Ezekude led Nigerian Copyright Commission is doing in the area of the newly introduced Blank Tape Levy and the formation of a Collective Management Organisation.If Mr. Madu disagrees with one thing and agrees with two does that not make a him a supporter of the commission. But it is not about support or disagreement .As a highly principled individual Mr. Madu C Chikwendu has no permanent position and will continue to analyze each situation on a case by case basis. Having founded and / or cofounded many institutions in Nollywood he has more than a passing interest in the success of Nollywood.
FIGHTING Afolabi Adesanya /NFC

"About 2008, Mr. Chikwendu as FEPACI Regional Secretary and Nigerian Film Corporation agreed on the need to set up a kind of Bilateral Commission with Ghana with a view to resolving the recurrent issues of Nigerian films being banned in Ghana. These discussions started from the Zuma Film Festival. A federal government delegation was set up and Mr. Chikwendu received a letter to that effect. You can imagine Mr. Chikwendu ‘s shock when he received a letter a few weeks later  informing him that he was no longer on the delegation ! Reason? Mr. Madu had been a delegate to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UUNCTAD X11)in Accra Ghana  April 2008 ( sponsored by the government of South Africa ) and some individuals felt he should not go to Ghana despite the role he played in setting up the trip.Understandably he felt very insulted and humiliated moreover at this period Mr. Chikwendu was travelling on average of once a month so it didn’t make sense to be humiliated over a trip to Ghana. He petitioned the relevant government functionaries.

"Whereas NF C had made a request to Minister Frank Nweke to participate at 2005 Cannes Film Festival It is a matter  of record  that it was Mr. Chikwendu  President Association of Movie Producers , Ejike Asiegbu President Actors Guild of Nigeria  and Fidelis Duker President Directors Guild of Nigeria that met with the minister and persuaded him on the need to go to Cannes .Thereafter the federal government sponsored more than forty stakeholders to Cannes the largest by any developing country that year at Cannes. Since then NFC has been going to Cannes. Within the framework of his  mandate as FEPACI Regional Secretary I constantly updated NFC about FEPACI.As a matter of fact I alerted NFC to the proposed FEPACI / African Union Meeting for the Feasibility of the Establishment of African Film Commission in Niamey Niger in 2010.I furnished the contacts and the federal government subsequently sent a delegation to Niger. I was part of that delegation and various other federal government delegations.NFC has modestly supported some of my private activities including Lagos International Film Festival though the highest amount we ever received was    roughly about five thousand United States Dollars in 2006 (or 2007 ? ).Mr Chikwendu is not fighting  anybody it is a matter of principle.Mr Afolabi Adesanya himself and the industry should be able to assess his performance….it is not a personal issue.I have a professional opinion which I I have not made public.

PROJECT ACT
"It is quite ironical that am being crucified for my comments on Project ACT. My training school Lagos Film Institute is one of the oldest training schools in Nollywood. By virtue of a one time partnership with Actors Guild of Nigeria (Lagos Chapter) and other industry partnerships we have trained more than two thousand professionals Mr  Chikwendu therefore has more to lose than anybody. Indeed at the last years Leap International Film Festival the respected Film Scholar and Filmmaker Dr.Dul Johnson and other resource persons trained more than three hundred persons.Mr Madu C Chikwendu’s opinion is a purely professional one and he would appreciate a debate on professional grounds.

CONCLUSION
"Association of Nollywood Core Producers has become a fringe group that lacks the professional or even moral basis to make the kind of comments attributed to them. An association that has only one member that has released a film in the last two to three years , whose members have been walking around with a Distributors license for more than seven years without distributing  even a one minute  film has no business making the kind of obnoxious comments  now standard fare with ANCOP.Their undemocratic credentials , , the scanty membership ,the dictatorial abusive tendencies of the leadership resulting in almost total isolation from mainstream Nollywood has  greatly affected their ability to engage constructively. A lorry load of abuse, a limp certificate from Corporate Affairs Commission and a FIAPF mandate that does not reflect the reality on ground will not save the situation. However ANCOP has the right to exist…like any other association but it needs tons of work not tons of abuse or out dated childish propaganda."

We will not engage further on this issue.