BY Ibrahim Musa Giginyu
Auwal Zubair Adam is a member of the Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPAN) and chairman, Capital Vision Media and Marketing Service. He is also a movie producer and marketer. Among other things, he spoke to Tambari on the current federal government’s intervention in the entertainment industry.
The workshop was in line with the federal government initiative of Project Act Nollywood, through which it allocates grants to production companies and independent producers for commercially viable films.
The programme was categorised into three segments: capacity building, production funds, and distribution funds as the last category, which is an ongoing project.
What actually happened was that the National Video Censorship Board organised a workshop on how to obtain a license as a prerequisite for accessing the distribution funds. After the workshop, the authorities at the Project Act Nollywood also came to Kano to educate potential beneficiaries on what was required to successfully access the funds set aside by the project. They said the requirement included a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration, license from the National Censorship Board, membership affiliation certification, business strategy/plan, among others.
However, what actually necessitated the recent workshop was the inability of most of our members to effectively present a well defined business strategy/plan when they applied for the fund. And that aspect is very crucial to accessing the fund. Project Act Nollywood found it very important to sensitise us on the processes and procedures of developing a valid business plan/strategy. That was why they organised the recently concluded workshop.
In the first place, we have to thank the federal government for setting aside these funds in assisting the entertainment industry in the nation. However, it is apparent that we in the core North lack the exposure attached to modern business processes. These requirements needed by Project Act Nolywood ought to have been met by practitioners, but due to our attitude and lack of exposure we were very reluctant. We felt it was too much.
Perhaps I can say that the issue of business plan/strategy is alien to us. This is because people believe that if you can speak English, you can as well as develop a business plan. Most of us do not really know that there is a technical know-how attached to the whole issue. That was why our business plan was rejected when we applied. In reality, the criteria are not too strict, the problem is our conservative nature in approaching issues.
To us, nothing is strict there as far as accessing funds is concerned. You don’t expect to be given a huge amount of money without some conditions. As far as our company is concerned, the criteria are in order, and adhering to them is necessary.
Actually, I don’t buy the idea of basing issues on ethnic differences. This is because in most cases they are all speculations, not facts. The fact here is that people at the Nollywood axis of the entertainment industry are more exposed to modern business procedures than us here. Basically, you can see why they stand a better chance than us in accessing these funds. They are more committed and organised than we are. They can endure all the barriers and challenges to achieve their target.
Maybe it is the upper hand which Nollywood has over Kannywood that made people to look at access to the funds as being tilted towards one side. This is my understanding of the issue; anybody can have a contrary understanding.
I regard this issue as a personal one because the genesis was a misunderstanding between two artistes. The issue here is, if leaders can make an injunction on an issue and members would defy such injunction, then there is a question mark on the integrity and quality of the leadership in place.