BY BENJAMIN NJOKU
Igwe Gab Okoye popularly called Gabosky is one of the pioneer producers in Nollywood whose experience counts in the industry. Since 1992, when he delved into the business of film making, Gabosky has not looked back until few years ago when he decided to take a break from film making.
Gabosky
That does not mean the debonair actor cum producer who produced box office hits like, Nneka: ,the Pretty Serpent, Battle of Musanga, Beyond the Vow, Tycoon and others has given up his passion for film making.
In this encounter, Gabosky explains why he cannot produce new films at the moment, as well as his grouses with the industry, the censors board palaver, and his understanding of the recently released $200m intervention fund for the entertainment industry amongst other issues raised.
Excerpt….
From your assessment, do you think the movie industry fared better last year?
To me, Nollywood failed to measure up last year. We thought that given what happened between 2008 and 2009, when the industry recorded a lull moment, that 2010 would have fared better. But that never happened. The structures that would have inspired growth in the industry were still not there last year.
In fact, most of us believed that by 2010, the business of film making would have been formalised with all the required structures being put in place. Indeed, part of the things that happened in 2008 and 2009, resurfaced in 2010, yet, the structures were not provided by the government.
Instead of witnessing the production of movies that would bring the industry to the international stage, we only witnessed a situation where the industry remained stagnant. If the trend continues this year, our so called stars would begin to loose their relevance both in the local and international scene.
Today, most of our stars are venturing into politics, and other areas that has nothing to do with entertainment.
Recall that when the industry was witnessing a dull moment during the previous years, some of our stars tried their hands in music, while many others picked up lucrative jobs in the banks and other corporate entities.
By way of discouraging them from abandoning the profession, we initiated the move to put the necessary structures in place as well as lay foundation for the take off of the industry properly. That was when we started pursuing the release of the intervention fund, with the World Bank and Commonwealth of nations.
But here, you cannot talk of accessing the intervention fund, already in the custody of the Bank of Industry , without urging the government to provide the enabling environment for the entertainment industry to thrive.
The menace of piracy must be tackled head-long coupled with the need for the government to begin to enforce our copyright laws if the intervention fund would make any meaning to the entertainment sector.
That way we would have succeeded in putting one structure in place. The piracy level in Nigeria is second to none all over the world today. It is only in Nigeria that you come across 31 to 80 movies in one. The pirates feast on my sweat and here we have a Copyright Commission that is not effective.
Are you implying that the intervention fund will not make any meaningful impact on the entertainment industry in as much as the needful structures are not in place?
Exactly, if the structures are not there, the fund would not make any meaningful impact on the industry. In fact, it is not workable as far as the piracy problem still lingers in this country. Let the government develop the structures or direct the Bank of Industry to do so. I advice my colleagues to steer clear of any attempt to access the fund, until the right structures are put in place to usher in the new dawn in the industry.
In your assessment, the industry did not fare well last year. Does it mean you did not recognise the leap that was recorded in the cinema circuit?
Tell me, how many of our local films were shown in the cinemas last year, apart from one or two films which were produced outside the shores of this country. Must I relocate to America or the United Kingdom to shoot my films before they can be screened either in Deluxe cinema, Ozone or Silverbird cinema. Where were these emerging producers when we struggled to establish the industry.
You cannot assemble your friends and foes to shoot a film outside this country with little or no budget, and still claim that the film is a block-bluster. How much did they spend to produce these films that are generating so much heat here and there.
I spent over N 12 million to produce one of my films,”Battle of Musanga.” Let me ask you, how many of Nigerian films have won awards at international film festivals as Cannes, Berlin and other international festivals. We need to concentrate on making award winning films and stop the idea of celebrating low-budget films in our cinemas.
On lack of structures to drive the industry, do you see the need to blame the censor’s board for its inability to provide the enabling environment through its overrated distribution framework?
The distribution framework is a complete failure. The board under the directorship of Emeka Mba did everything possible to succeed with the framework to no avail. The idea stemmed from the fact that distribution would drive content; that laying down formal distribution network in Nigeria would help to formalise the business aspect of film making.
But Emeka Mba did not understand the need to carry along stakeholders with serious business interests in the industry. I volunteered to assist him in ensuring that the framework was a success but the board’s director hitherto ignored my professional advise. That was when I backed out of the project. As far as I’m concerned, the framework did not achieve it desired goal.
But are you planning to return to the industry again?
I can’t make new films again until the right structures are put in place. My last movie, “Banned in Nigeria”, is yet to be released. I deliberately did not want to release several the movie years after I produced it, because I didn’t want the pirates to feast on my sweat.
I am into producing movies that would be relevant in the society. After the movie, “Beyond the Vow”, the Catholic community descended on me, probing why I should produce that kind of movie. My movies are all about society and humanity. I am also doing the work of God. I don’t have to be a priest to do the work of God.
I need to be guaranteed of the safety of my intellectual property before I can venture into making movies again.
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