The Nollywood Phenomenon by Victor Okhai Director, International film and Broadcast Academy, Lagos

The Nollywood Phenomenon
by Victor Okhai
Director, International film and Broadcast Academy, Lagos,
On the occasion of a special Roundtable at
Goethe-Institut Lagos on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008
on the occasion of the visit of thePresident of the Federal Republic of Germany and Mrs Köhler

What started quite informally by some traders and television producers as an experiment only a couple of years ago has today become volume wise, the third largest movie producing industry in the world. It is the phenomenon called Nollywood. How did it start, and what has sustained it thus far?

The early days of the industry were characterized by a series of events that were not strategically orchestrated but which somehow culminated into the birth of this phenomenon. Some of these very unlikely circumstances included
- The harsh economic terrain which made shooting on celluloid film very expensive for the average film maker at the time.
- The introduction and growing popularity of the VHS player/recorders and cameras.
- An ingenious set of traders and importers of empty VHS tapes who had a unique distribution network and who felt they could add value to their empty tapes by recording popular films into them and selling them off faster for more profit and
- A dwindling cinema patronage as a result of growing threat to personal security at night at that time.

All these factors prepared the stage for the take off of the industry, but nothing prepared us for it like who we are.

The very secret of the success of the industry in the early days lies in a concept in African philosophy known as ontological solidarity. In our culture and in our society as opposed to what obtains in the west, we mind ‘other peoples’ business. When you cultivate your farm, you can be sure your neighbours will come out to help you. Similarly when it is their turn, they will expect you to do the same for them.

What money could not achieve in the early days, communalism and synergy of talents and forces helped to accomplish. Where in the west you will often be waiting for a huge grant, our investment in communal goodwill and integrity would usually suffice to see us through our projects. These, coupled with the excitement that greeted the arrival of our favourite actors on the small screen into our homes propelled the early growth of the industry. At the time the quality was not an issue. What mattered most was being able to see our fa-vourite movies in our homes whenever we wanted to.

All of these factors combined have resulted into an industry that is today worth over $200 million per year, employs directly over 40,000 people and provides further employment indirectly for over 250,000 people, many of whom would have been on the streets.

Beyond our shores, Nollywood also provides not only entertainment but em-ployment for thousands of people across the continent who sell, exhibit ille-gally and pirate these hugely popular movies for their sustenance.

It does not matter the local language spoken in these places, you will always find a smart one who will always act as an interpreter telling the onlookers what the actors are saying. This is more common in the Francophone African countries. Of course more than half the time it may not be true, but who cares! They just love these movies.

In fact so hugely popular are these movi

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