With Support, Right Tools, Hollywood will Be Coming to Nollywood
Multi-talented artiste, Ewoma Luther-Abegunde, can simply be described as a purpose-driven woman with a multi-dimensional grace. With a vivacious personality and soul-lifting voice, she is a figure to behold in the gospel music genre. Also a movie distrib
Verybeautifulquestion.The truth, during the time when I was very active in cinema management/film distribution, I was moonlighting even though it wasn’t easy managing both. But when the time came, I knew it was time to face my music squarely. I can’t keep juggling both and expect to get a rewarding satisfaction in terms of fulfilling purpose. So what was the drive? Fulfilling purpose was the drive.
Yes, in the sense that I am open to doing soundtrack/musical scores for movies. Years ago, doing vocals for movie soundtrack was one of the ways we kept body and soul in university. I also do independent marketing for movies that I see have strong potential and the producers are ready to do the work to push the movie. One major challenge cinema investors face in the country is lack of enough exhibiting centers and cinemagoingcultureinNigeriaisstilldeveloping. But we are definitely not where we used to be.
That’s a perception because today our movies are favourably competing with Hollywood. Go check the box office figures. But in terms of technicalities, yes they are still way ahead of us; all that is gradually changing , judging from the new kids on the block with their innovative approach to making movies. I must say if we have all the necessary support, and the right tools in place, Hollywood will be coming to Nollywood for collaboration. Now with the age of digitalisation, the gap is gradually getting thinner as everyone now has the opportunity to play on a global space and Nollywood is not slowing down.
I grew up in a musical home. Apart from their main profession, my dad was a keyboardist and my mum is a superb singer. In short, it was a music family. So the interest for music was from a very tender age and I did my first recording in our home studio set up by my dad.
Attheageof6-7years,Iledmyfirstmajorpraise session during the children’s day celebration at church. And as junior student in secondary school, I already had a band made of children in the block of flat where we lived. We were known as the Angelic Voices. It’s been a journey and I am totally grateful to God whom I call Oseme (My Father).
Growing up, I had people approaching me to come do secular music but I knew on my inside that’s not the path cut out for me. As for it not being financially rewarding, for me, it is a perception. It depends on the pendulum from which you are swinging and seeing things from. Besides, being a gospel artiste doesn’t stop you from knowing the business side of music. I think our generation is beginning to see that aspect and are leveraging on it.
Also,Godwhohascalledyouintothisministry
Well, I can’t speak for everyone. Hence, I will give a generic answer. Finance is one. To have a world-class musical production, that is, total the package from PR, down to branding, marketing, etc.Thisrequiresalotofmoney.Secondly,support from our media houses in terms of playing our songs daily and not just on weekends, mainly on Sunday morning radio rotation. These are the two major things I would like to highlight here.
I am blessed and happy because I am married to my childhood friend turned best friend. We both are very passionate about fulfilling our God given purpose. We are blessed with three wonderful children.
Ewoma will be using the various platforms God has given to her to give hope, inspire lives both locally and on the global sphere. She would have won a Grammy Award, touring round the nations with the message of hope and making God proud.
IrunanonlineTVplatformcalledGetinspiredtv and our mission is to inspire people to live their best life with the numerous content that we share. I also run a clothing line with my daughter called Rara Clothing.