Arts & Culture

From The Mouth Of The Authoritative Bystander: Steve Ayorinde’s Commentary On The 30 Years Of The New Nigerian Cinema

Published

2 years ago

May 23, 2023

NewTimes

Dele Jegede In Conversation With Prince Yemisi Shyllon

Prof. Toyin Falola

By Toyin Falola

Anyone can choose to be an observer. Any observer can choose to document and publish their observations. However, what stands Steve Ayorinde’s recently published documentation of observations out is authority — hence my decision to title this piece “From the Mouth of the Authoritative Bystander.” Authority is earned: in Ayorinde’s case, he has earned the authority to comment on the emergence and growth of the new Nigerian cinema because he is unarguably one of Nigeria’s best and most celebrated film and art critics.

Expertise and experience breed authority, and for Ayorinde, both have been in play in his life. Ayorinde has spent decades as a journalist, media critic, film judge, and international commentator whose takes have often been sought both within and outside the country. Furthermore, he has served Nigeria’s biggest economic state — Lagos State — as a Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture. All these, among many other achievements and strides, point to Ayorinde’s qualification to embark on the journey to document the evolution and growth of Nigeria’s Nollywood in the past 30 years, a movie and film industry that’s been adjudged as one of the world’s fastest-growing movie industries.

Ayorinde is not new to Nigeria’s movie industry. In his foreword, Prof. Jonathan Haynes takes us back to 1996 — where Ayorinde and Okafor’s media piece introduced and critiqued the nascent Nollywood industry. For Ayorinde, watching this new Nigerian cinema start and grow from his earliest predictions must bring some fulfilment. And while it is still expected to grow in leaps and bounds, writing this book at this point is crucial — as crucial as the newspaper piece of 1996 — for it will serve as a means of taking stock, looking back, gauging achievements, measuring success, and highlighting aspects that need improvement.

In 185 pages, Ayorinde serves his authoritative verdict on the altar of six sub-parts, focusing on feature films, directors, actors, actresses, and landmark events. Through this breakdown, we can quickly examine the evolution through Ayorinde’s parameters.

Ayorinde’s bystander’s verdict opens with a seemingly chronological strip-down of in-depth commentaries on 30 of the most era-defining movies and films produced by the Nollywood industry. These 30 works of art, grouped under the sub-section titled Feature Films, include movies from the days of the early cinema and the VHS cassette player to the days of the VCD to the days of the new cinema and online streaming platforms like Netflix. Ayorinde’s expository commentaries on the films of the first decade of the new Nigerian cinema featured Awada Kerikeri’s Asewo To Re Mecca, NEK Video Films’ Living in Bondage, Mainframe Film and Television Prodcutions’ Ti Oluwa Nile, NEK Video Films’ Glamour Girls, Andy Amenechi’s Mortal Inheritance, Gab Okoye’s Battle of Musanga, Zeb Ejiro’s Domitilla, Cinekraft’s Owo Blow series, Femi Lasode’s Sango, Amaka Igwe’s Forever, Rainmaker 70’s King of My Country, and Andy Amenechi’s Igodo. Through these twelve films, Ayorinde shows us the birth and earliest developmental traits of the Nollywood industry. These films also serve as proof that literature mirrors life and society, as the themes of these movies and many like them that were made in the 1990s reflect the preoccupations of the then Nigerian society — kidnapping, ritualism, prostitution, education as the means to livelihood, the migration to greener pastures in the city, among many other concepts.

Kingsley Ogoro’s Osuofia in London, Jeta Amata’s The Amazing Grace, Niji Akanni’s Aramotu, and Chineze Anyaene’s Ije were Ayorinde’s selected films for the expository commentaries on the new Nigerian cinema’s second decade. Through his commentaries on these feature films, Ayorinde makes us understand that the early 2000s to 2010 marked the era during which Nollywood started to gain global traction and attention. During this period, filmmakers in the industry began to tap into collaborations with foreign producers. Similarly, this period marked an increase in the involvement of female directors and producers in Nigeria’s fast-rising Nollywood industry, as well as the game-changing effects of newer technological equipment to help shoot and project more glossy and flashy films.

Kenneth Gyang’s Blood and Henna, Obi Emelonye’s Last Flight to Abuja, Biyi Bandele’s Half of A Yellow Sun, Kunle Afolayan’s October 1, Ayo Makun’s 30 Days in Atlanta, Izu Okukwu’s ‘76, Steve Guka’s 93 Days, Kemi Adetiba’s Wedding Party and King of Boys, GDN Studios’ Eyimofe, Hassan Giggs’ Sadauki, Funke Akindele’s Omo Ghetto: The Saga, Desmond Ovbiagele’s The Milkmaid, and Izu Ojukwu’s Amina serve as the feature films spotlighted by Ayorinde for the third decade of the new Nigerian cinema. Through these films, Ayorinde showcases the evident changes in the evolutionary trajectory of the Nollywood industry, including massive advertising and influencer marketing made easily through social media platforms and the gross followers industry stars have amassed on social media platforms; collaboration with streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Showmax, and increasing national and international award nominations.

In reviewing the feature films spotlighted by Ayorinde in the first part of his verdict, one would notice recurrent categories such as comedy, epic, thriller, and drama — enough to posit that these are the most defining and popular film categories that have yet existed in the Nigerian Nollywood space for the past three decades.

In the second part of the book dedicated to directors, Ayorinde profiles 30 of Nigeria’s most iconic film directors — 32 if one chooses to consider two couples separately — a pattern that doesn’t fail to drive home the point that the selection is continued deference to the symbolism of 30, being the number of years for which the new Nigerian cinema has existed. Ayorinde’s profiling ramps up directors from the contemporary to the pioneer directors of the new Nigerian cinema — from Tunde Kelani to Kunle Afolayan, to Okwo Mildred, to Ojukwu Izu, Obi-Rapu Chris, Kenneth Gyang, Kemi Adetiba, Steve Gukas, Obi Emelonye, Ishaya Bako, and Andy Amenechi, among other prolific directors that have worked to place Nigeria’s films on the global map. The profiling includes the directors’ filmography, nominations and awards, the education of these directors and how their education has shaped their work.

In profiling actors, Ayorinde’s selection cuts across several sides of the Nollywood industry (indigenous-language and English films) and different generations of contemporary and pioneer actors. This selection spotlights 30 actors, including Abdullahi Sani Musa, Femi Adebayo, Odunlade Adekola, Gabriel Afolayan, Fred Amata, Ekpeyong Keppy Bassey, Sam Dede, Pete Edochie, Desmond Elliot, Timini Egbuson, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Jideo Kosoko, Olu Jacobs, Osita Iheme, and Chinedu Ikedieze. Like the profiling of directors, this also includes the filmography, industry experience, awards and nominations of each of these actors, and how their work and accolades have shaped the industry and strengthened its relevance.

Trail-blazing Toyin Abraham, Sandra Achums, Taiwo Lycett-Ajai, Funke Akindele, Halima Atete, Hilda Dokubo, Rita Dominic, Adesua Etomi, Kate Henshaw, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Patience Ozokwor, Genevieve Nnaji, Joke Silva, Sola Sobowale, and Mercy Johnson, among other prolific Nigerian actresses, have the spotlight for the third part of the authoritative bystander’s tales. The commentaries on these actresses cut across their filmography, education, work experience, entry into the industry, awards, and influence on the overall Nollywood industry. If not anything, Ayorinde’s careful selection of 30 actresses in a way that diversely and inclusively represents the three decades and the evolutionary milestones of the industry while highlighting the growth and development of these actresses — especially those that have been around since the earliest years — is worthy of applause.

The creative industry burns bright with stars and talents. In the same vein, uneasy lies the heads that wear the crown, and the industry is also the abode of some of the most troubled people. In the fourth chapter of his book, “The Unforgettable Thirty,” Ayorinde pays tribute to some of the best minds and most influential people who have shaped Nigeria’s new cinema — albeit they are no longer alive. Among these “Unforgettable 30” are legendary Hubert Ogunde, Moses Olaiya Adejumo, Adeyemi Afolayan, Sam Loco Efeeimwonkiyeke, Francis Agu, Biyi Bandele, Felicia Mayford. Sadiq Daba, Nura Mustapha Waye, and Chico Ejiro. Given that Africa is a place where we don’t speak ill of the dead and hardly even speak of the dead at all, Ayorinde’s recognition of the “Unforgettable 30” is a bold and commendable act — especially as these actors, actresses, directors, and producers immensely contributed to the birth and growth of the industry.

In “Landmark Events,” the last part of the book, Ayorinde maps out stand-out events that primarily affected the growth of the new Nigerian cinema. These events, which he categorized into three — Decade 1 (1990 – 1999), Decade 2 (2000 – 2009), and Decade 3 (2010 – 2019) include film festivals, conferences, major acquisitions, collaborations in the industry, the exposure of Nollywood to global audiences, the growth and expansion of Nollywood, awards, the birth of the African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, and the selection of Nigerians as Academy voters, among other landmark events that have come to prove how far the Nollywood industry has grown and the influence stakeholders in the industry and the industry as an entity has amassed so far.

In the opening paragraph of this piece, I defined authority and the parameters through which I adjudged Ayorinde as an authority on the new Nigerian cinema. If there were to be any doubt about the authoritativeness of this book — and if the sheer amount would not clear those doubts of information shared in the expository profiling of the first four chapters — the “Landmark Events” chapter is a solid proof of how close Ayorinde has been to the source, how closely he has followed and monitored the growth of the industry, and how deeply invested he is in it.

This book is a gift whose value and worth will appreciate as generations pass — it is a goldmine of information that will shape how future generations of researchers, scholars, and critics will view, understand, study, and critique the Nigerian film and movie industry. A product of passion and dedication, the book will remain of considerable value in the decades ahead and will surely become a treasure to behold in our understanding of Nigerian cinemas.

Related Topics:Book cinema commentary Featured Nollywood Review Steve Ayorinde

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Arts & Culture

Speaking Truth To Power: A Review Of Gbemisola Adeoti’s Stoning The Wind

Published

1 month ago

January 31, 2025

NewTimes

Prof. Toyin Falola

By Toyin Falola

The principle of equality is theoretically recognized as one of the fundamental foundations of democracy. Over the years, scholars have argued that equality prevents marginalization, and that the absence of marginalization signifies the existence of egalitarianism. It is in this context that Gbemisola Adeoti’s anthology, Stoning the Wind, flourishes and is to be appreciated.

The poems in this anthology explore the origins of Nigeria’s sociopolitical challenges by revealing the corruption in the system. One of the notable poems which vividly describes this is “The Chameleon and the Soldier Ant.” In this poem, the poet delineates the distinctive traits of the chameleon and the soldier ant, attributing the features of the former to the oppressors (politicians) and those of the latter to the oppressed (masses). The poem reveals and examines the nation’s recurrent challenges with authority, power, corruption, and violence.

Since the dawn of the Fourth Republic, Nigeria’s elections have consistently been plagued by anomalies, malpractices, and violence. This ugly reality has forced many Nigerians to question whether their votes truly matter. According to an article by Budgit.org, the 1993 general elections remain the fairest and freest election the country has ever had. However, its annulment by then-Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, serves as a stark reminder of Nigeria’s history of dictatorship and abuse of power. The annulment of the election symbolizes corruption and misuse of authority. While in democratic theories, power belongs to the people, in practice however, it is concentrated among a select few, that is, the oppressors who wield power at the expense of the masses.

The depiction of the Chameleon “saluting the ground beneath the belly” and the “fallen leaves that keep a date with destiny” implies a veneration for the status quo and the government’s consistent nonchalance to the plight of the populace. On the contrary, the soldier ant, symbolizing the downtrodden section of Nigerian society, is equipped with a “flimsy trunk, a fat head, and two cruel teeth as tools of terror.” Despite the soldier ant’s ferocious nature, its power stems from “solidarity and the martial oneness of a centurion,” which underscores the significance of solidarity among the subjugated in the presence of formidable oppression. Perhaps a revolution is Nigeria’s only path to redemption—or perhaps not.
Gbemisola Adeoti suggests that true emancipation from internal colonialism (that is, from the ruling oppressors) lies in unity despite diversity rather than outright rebellion.

In 2019, Omoyele Sowore, a Nigerian activist and journalist, initiated the #RevolutionNow movement, pushing for nationwide rallies to confront the sociopolitical crises affecting Nigeria. It is noteworthy that such uprisings are not unprecedented in Africa; we can consider the Arab Spring upheaval in Egypt as presenting a compelling parallel. Following nearly three decades of President Mubarak’s unjust and autocratic rule, the youth and other concerned factions of the country mobilized en masse, compelling Mubarak to resign on 25th January 2011. Tunisia under Ben Ali is another significant example of an autocratic government. Ali ruled for over two decades without any evidence of economic growth and with widespread violations of fundamental human rights. This incited a revolution in the nation, compelling the dictatorial president to flee in 2011. Recently, protests in Kenya were instigated by contentious proposed tax increases, and the movement has transformed into a fierce campaign for more governmental accountability.

In the poem “Ballot Box,” Adeoti further critiques the widespread electoral manipulation that afflicts Nigerian democracy. The opening line of the poem, “The ballot box is a resonant box that hums himself of hope and gloom,” signifies that the voting box embodies both hope and despair in Nigerian electoral traditions. This is apparent in the nation’s electoral history, characterized by frequent controversy, violence, and claims of rigging. The analogy of the ballot box as a “harlot’s trunk box” illustrates how corruption has wrecked our electoral processes through greed and deception. This is one of the images which carefully depicts Nigeria’s corrupt electoral system. The 2007 general elections are a testament to this claim, as there were numerous negative reports regarding the electioneering. According to the Department for International Development, the April 2007 general elections were said to be the most unjust in post-independence Nigeria. Thus, there is additional proof that elections in Nigeria only benefit the privileged.

According to The Republic’s article “The Many Sins of INEC,” the author conveyed disappointment with INEC’s logistical difficulties in several regions of the country during the last elections. Moreover, multifarious reports of violence and voter suppression were made in major cities of the country, such as Lagos and Rivers. This further corroborates the claim that the innovations of INEC, that is, the introduction of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), have only brought retrogressive developments to the nation, as the body still struggles to conduct credible elections. The lines “Voters don’t count much as the counters of votes in power” mirror the tainted 2023 presidential election, which was marred by reports of irregularities from journalists and election observers, both local and international observers.

In a 2019 article by Yiagi Africa, it was reported that the 2019 general elections experienced one of the poorest turnouts in the country’s history, with only 32% of the registered voters participating in electioneering. Among the factors that were considered to decline mass participation in elections include inefficient security, violence, and unfulfilled electoral promises. This challenges the legitimacy of authority when the populace abruptly becomes apolitical. Currently, voter suppression serves as a mechanism for manipulating electoral outcomes by dissuading and obstructing individuals from casting their votes. Yiaga Africa stated that the 2019 gubernatorial elections did not occur in about 26% of polling units in Bayelsa. This action resulted in thousands of voters being unable to cast their ballots or make electoral choices—a well-calculated action that ultimately served the interests of a particular group or political party.

Moreover, the depiction of the ballot box as a “presiding priest at the festival of hoax” implies that the electoral process is often a mere facade or mere formalities, with results “preordained” by those in power. The poet alludes to the “chameleon” nature of the voting box, which “swiftly” changes “coats and color” and obstructs the genuine wishes of the electorate.

In “Pandemic,” Gbemisola Adeoti not only criticizes the government but also expresses his worries as a social scientist, recognizing that individuals are influenced by governmental policies, biases, as well as social and environmental factors. The COVID-19 pandemic and its global repercussions are indelible, as the poet asserts that the virus resulted from the global community’s inadequate response to previous pandemics, such as Ebola. The poem continues by examining the unequal effects on the most vulnerable societal members and, at the same time, asserting that the pandemic served as a great equalizer, revealing the frailty of even the most powerful and affluent individuals.

The poem also evokes a sense of responsibility that fosters unity among nations. During this period of devastation, a strong sense of global solidarity emerged. The lines in the poem serve as a poignant critique of the pandemic’s effects on the global economy and geography. The phrase “Many play the flies that follow the corpse to the coffin” implies that many Nigerians have been compelled to adapt to the new reality of the pandemic, while many others grapple to endure in an economy grossly affected by the virus. The line “dying other people’s death in homeland and exile” is a tribute to those who have been compelled to abandon their homes and communities in pursuit of safety, only to encounter the unprecedented challenges of surviving in an unfamiliar and hostile setting.

The poet responded to the Covid-19 pandemic and other evils that have afflicted humanity with his poem “The Next Evil.” “The Next Evil” is a poem that dwells on hope and resilience. The poem’s opening line is a rhetorical question that challenges the thought that hopelessness is the worst affliction we can endure as humans. The lines: “What is the next evil that can befall a man who wakes up from a sleepless night thinking he has lost all light to multiple layers of plight?” is an assertion that hope is the foundation of our beliefs and credence as humans, even in our most desolate moments. In a world that has experienced several physical wars, conflicts, pandemics, lockdowns, and violence, this is a reminder that optimism remains the sole remedy for an uncertain future.

I can’t think of a better way to end this review than by enclosing it with my own poem:

You are the one who speaks truth to power,

The one whose pen breathes for justice

In a land where truth is forbidden

You are the one who challenges the authority

Of the snakes who lure their people

into a den of torture

When the gates of fairness are locked

You command your pen to seek redress.

If not you, what then is the meaning of justice?

And when the voices of the oppressed are silenced,

you amplify their cries, a beacon in the night.

Your words are a ray of hope and a call to action to fight for what is right.

Arts & Culture

Ojude Oba Poised To Become A Global Event – Abiodun

Published

9 months ago

June 19, 2024

NewTimes

L-R: Former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; former Senator representing Ogun East, Senator Lekan Mustapha; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona at the 2024 Ojude Oba festival held, at the Ojude Oba Pavilion, Ijebu-Ode on Tuesday.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said that his administration is poised at making the Ojude Oba festival a global event.

The governor who stated this on Tuesday at the 2024 Ojude Oba Festival held at the Ojude Oba Pavilion in Ijebu-Ode, said the annual event has grown from a mere gathering of Ijebu people to felicitate the Awujale to an event that attracts both national and global audience.

According to the governor, the festival, which has become a tourist attraction, symbolizes and reflects the collective unity of the people known for hard work, perseverance, and industry.

He said: “Ojude Oba festival is not only a cultural heritage for the indigenes of Ijebuland but has now become a significant event that attracts local and foreign tourists to Ogun State, showcasing our hospitality and enviable tradition of Ijebuland to the national and global audience.

“This festival serves as a symbol of our unity, tourism and a rallying point to all the Ijebu sons and daughters to celebrate the life and times of our tradition, culture, and revered monarch.

“It has become a catalyst for the development of Ijebuland, and this undoubtedly underscores the importance of preserving our traditions for future generations.

“By standing for unity and harmony, we elevate our community and set an example for others to follow. The essence of unity and harmony in Ijebuland can be seen willingly in cultural events like this festival.

“Our administration is deeply committed to supporting the initiative to make it a permanent event in the global tourism industry,” he said.

The event, Prince Abiodun observed, creates opportunities for an advancement which has brought about the socio-economic development not only to the axis but the state as a whole.

While thanking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for showing interest in expanding the festival, especially with plans to include it in the UNESCO’s world cultural heritage, the governor said his administration was committed to providing the conducive environment for business to thrive.

He said the festival provides an opportunity for the Ijebu people to take stock and project the future. He called for unity and harmony from people across the state, adding that it was time to work together to build a virile state.

“The state government will continue to create a conducive atmosphere for community development across the state and I solicit the support of the people, especially all the sons and daughters towards the 20th National Sports Festival, Gateway Games, 2024, part of which will be hosted right here in Ijebu-Ode,” the governor concluded.

Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Hannatu Musa-Musawa, who was represented by Rev. Ben Ugo, Director of Cultural Industry and Heritage, said her ministry was working towards promoting and preserving cultural heritage of President Tinubu’s administration with the creation of economic expansion to the tune of $100bn.

He acknowledged the cultural diversity of Nigerians, noting that the federal government is working towards making the country a cultural hub by the year 2030.

The Chairman of the 2024 Ojude Oba festival, Chief Olu Okuboyejo, appreciated the governor for his support for the festival and the people for turning up en masse to grace the occasion.

Arts & Culture

Meet Shaibu Husseini, The New Sheriff At NFVCB

Published

1 year ago

January 13, 2024

NewTimes

Dr Shaibu Husseini

By Esther Kainebi-Daniel

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday, January 12, approved the appointment of Dr. Shaibu Husseini as the new Director General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), succeeding Adedayo Thomas.

Dr Shaibu, is a celebrated journalist, performing artist, cultural administrator, public relations and media expert, and film curator. He is an alumnus of Lagos State University (LASU) where he studied Mass Communication at the institution’s School of Communication and earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc First Class) in Mass Communication, the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he earned Master of Science (M.Sc) wiith Distinction, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mass Communication . His PhD was on film studies as his thesis examined the ‘Structure of Film Production Companies in Nollywood’.

A trained and seasoned theatre, film, broadcast, public relations and culture expert, he is reputed as one of the most consistent documentarists of Nigeria’s vibrant film and movie industry Nollywood and he is an astute commentator on arts, theatre and film development in Nigeria and the continent of Africa.

In 2014, he was honoured for his contributions to the development of Nigerian film industry by Nollywood Film Festival in Germany.

He has been the chairman of the College of Screeners and a member of Jury Board of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for many years.

An alumnus of the United States International Visitors Leadership Programme and the AIG-Public Leaders Programme of the Blavtanik School of Governance of the University of Oxford; Dr Shaibu was one time Secretary of the Governing Board of the National Theatre/National Troupe of Nigeria (from 2011 to 2015). He was appointed Director of Dance and Music and Head of the Strategic Communication Unit of the National Troupe of Nigeria.

Dr Shaibu has been the Chair, for 16 years running, of the Selection Committee of Africa’s premier film award – the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) and a member of the prestigious AMAA jury.

He has attended several conferences, workshops and festivals and has sat and currently sits on a number of local and international Committees on film, theatre and allied matters including serving on the Board and on the jury of a number of Festivals, Awards and Committees including the Board of the Mainframe Film Institute run by the legendary Tunde Kelani, the board of In-short International Film Festival and on the Board of the Bank of Industry (BOI) Nollywood Fund.

Author of ‘Moviedom: The Nollywood Narratives’, Dr Shaibu is a Senior Teaching and Research Fellow at the Mass Communication Department of the University of Lagos and he was a former member of the Nigeria Official Selection Committee charged with the responsibility of deciding Nigeria’s entry for the Best International Film category of the Oscars.

He is currently a voting member of International Golden Globes Award and a consultant to the Berlin International Film Festival. He has served and still serves as a resource person, trainer in the field of theatre, culture and mass communication.

The new NFVCB DG was a pioneer artiste of the National Troupe of Nigeria; he has considerable theoretical, practical and field experience in the area of theatre, cultural administration as well as in public relations, advertising, journalism, broadcasting and film.

He considers himself an enthusiastic, dedicated, detailed and capable theory cum practically oriented professional who is able to improve the ability of an organisation to deliver outcomes that matter.