Nollywood filmmaker Adekunle Adejuyigbe popularly known as Nodash is of the opinion that most people are underestimating the potential of the African film industry, and they are about to be surprised.
Adekunle, who made the declaration last weekend during the recently staged Carte Blanche film festival staged in Côte d’Ivoire said that the African film induatry is so much bigger than most people realise.
The acclaimed filmmaker says “It’s true that there was a time when the film industry wasn’t generating a lot of money and most people did it out of passion, but those days are over. However a lot of people don’t realise it.
The Nigerian film industry is fast becoming a viable addition to any investment portfolio. And its potential as a source of employment is mind-blowing.
Many businesses now exist as unintended branches of the African film industry.
He also shared his experience with a woman he visited in Cote d’ivoire during his recent trip to the country, who has built a massive facility for dubbing Nollywood films into the French language.
Nodash said; ‘‘I visited a woman in Cote d’ivoire who has built a massive facility for dubbing Nollywood films into the French language. She has scores of employees who depend on the business for a living.
‘‘I know people who make a living by just supplying mobile toilets to film sets.
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These are just two of the many businesses that exist as an unintended branch of the Nigerian film industry. Now imagine what would happen when we replicate this across Africa.
‘‘Everyone knows the industry is big but I don’t think most people are aware of how enormous it really could be in terms of its economic contribution to Africa. (investment).’’ The filmmaker added.
When asked if he thinks that African filmmakers are prepared for the possible tech disruptions that will positively affect the industry in the near future, Adekunle whose latest film “the delivery boy” is currently streaming on both Netflix and Amazon prime said that Africans are ready for any kind of disruptions.
He said; ‘‘I know African filmmakers are ready for any kind of disruption. The days of African lagging behind in terms of innovations are over. Just see what we are doing with fin-tech. There are some solutions that Africans have implemented that the western world is learning from.
‘‘We have a new set of passionate, rugged and enlightened crop of filmmakers , we will, under no circumstances, fall behind ever again,’’ Adekunle added.
