Decline in storyline, lazy directors bane of Nollywood — Steve Eboh
Can you tell us about your background?I’m from Achi in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State. I’m an actor and a producer. And by the special grace of God, I was the former national Vice President of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria and a former member of the ministerial committee on Nigerian film […]
Can you tell us about your background?
I’m from Achi in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State. I’m an actor and a producer. And by the special grace of God, I was the former national Vice President of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria and a former member of the ministerial committee on Nigerian film making policy. I am married with two children. I’ve done so many movies in both producing and acting. I started in the early days- in 1992 to be precise- in the movie industry. I have acted over 100 movies, including one of the pioneers, Ikuku and Narrow Escape. But the ones I hold so much to myself are some of the films I produced like the adaptation of Elechi Amadi’s the Cuncubine which is yet to be premiered.
What about your education?
I did my primary school in Zaria at Sabon Gari Zaria to be precise. From there, I went to Government Secondary School, Funtua in Kaduna State but now it is in Katsina State. From there, I went to the then Njikoka High School, Ifitedunu, now St. Mary’s. I had my degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos. I’ve been doing some other courses since then both within and outside Nigeria, mostly professional courses in relation to films production and acting.
What motivated you to go into acting?
Well, people say they started acting from their mothers’ wombs, but I did not. I did acting when I was in secondary school, briefly. I did acting in the Church. I started with television plays before the industry came into existence. I was part of the Memorial Hospital. So when the industry came up in 1992, we now moved to the home video world. So it’s been in me. It’s been a passion. I love it. The motivation is something from childhood and this developed into a passion and then a profession.
What was your experience like on your first day on set?
Well actually, my first day on set, I wouldn’t say it was difficult because then we had what we called rehearsal culture. I was always properly rehearsed. I didn’t cram my lines. I only internalised my lines. So, I knew when to come in and when to go out. So the only difference was that I was now before the camera and there are anxieties there. If the person you are acting with is not too good, you need to meet up to cover up. So, my first day on set was just fun. It was something I expected and I had been praying for it. There was a lot of anxiety but then I flowed with it because of long time of rehearsals. Those rehearsals helped me to know who the next person was and what to do; when to come in and when to go out. Rehearsal is very important.
What have you been doing lately?
Presently, I have so many projects. Actually, I came into Abuja because I have a petition to the Vice President against Stephen Oronsaye’s Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies. Oronsaye’s position does not favour the industry as it concerns the censor board being merged with the ministry of information and the Nigerian Film Corporation going commercial. I’m not comfortable with that and I have a petition for the Vice President who is the chairman of the implementation committee. That’s why I came to Abuja to present a petition to him and to tell him that it is not done anywhere in the world. Two, I have a project called the Nigerian First Actors. It is an award that is coming up in partnership with a media company in the UK. It will honour and document Nigerians who have achieved much in their line of endeavour so that we can keep the record for posterity sake.
What is your take on the quality of movies produced in the Nollywood?
Well in terms of quality decline, I will say it is yes and no. in terms of story lines, it is yes the quality is declining. The storyline is actually going down and nobody is bothered. There are challenges because there is so much commercialisation of the storylines. Some stories have up to 8 parts and you cannot get a story out of these. You must have lost the depth because you are going commercial. So, in terms of storyline, we are losing it. But when it comes to quality, production wise, not the story, we have improved. We have improved so much in technology. We have improved so much in so many things because of training. But we are equally going down again in terms of acting. We have lost the rehearsal culture. Nobody does rehearsals these days. So, everybody just comes on stage and does what he wants. So, characterisation is a little bit difficult. Understanding your others is a little bit difficult. Now, a lot of people cram, instead of internalising their lines and trying to bring out the real action. This is because they want to please the directors. We have very good directors in Nigeria but we also have the lazy ones. So, the quality of our movies, technology wise, is going up but storytelling wise is going down and this is unfortunate. It is unfortunate because Nigerian movies are actually based on storytelling and not on the technology. In a bid to meet up with the western world, we have lost that rehearsal culture and training culture.
Do you also share the opinion that few individuals have monopolised the film industry, making it difficult for new entrants?
That’s a lie. It’s a very big lie. No one has monopolised the industry. The point is that the young ones have refused to advance to the next level of acting. You see, I’m a producer and I want to bring a woman to play the role of the wicked mother and she comes to give me the same thing that Patience Ozokwor will give me, and then there is no point going for the woman; I would rather go for Patience. I tell people that acting is a signature. You have your signature and I have my signature so don’t try to be another person. So a lot of producers don’t have that patience to be able to meet up with that person. Instead of waiting for you to be that person you want to be like, it is better to go for that person you are trying to be like. The set is not a training ground. And basically because we have lost the rehearsal culture, people are in a hurry to go, but once a new person comes in, he wants to be like the old person instead of being his self. Now, coming into the industry is very easy. If you are good, you are good. If you are good, the industry will look for you but you have to impress the industry with your first outing. Subsequently, you can get better but you have to be good. But the young ones are so much in a hurry; there is no passion in them. There is no professionalism in them. They want to rush to get what they think is there. They think it is all about money, glamour, but no. And this makes it difficult for them to fit in. Nobody is blocking anybody. It is a very free industry. I know actors that started few years ago but they are far above those who started 20 years ago. And I know some who started 20 years ago that still maintain that position. So, the question is who are you and what do you want in the industry?
How cordial is the relationship between Nollywood and government?
Well, I have to be very real with you. The Federal Government have actually recognised the Nollywood. We have added a lot to the economy of this country in terms of revenue generation, employment, and exporting our culture abroad and laundering our image. We have received intervention funds to boost the industry but I’m very passionate about policy. What policy do we have on ground to guide the industry? The president has very good intention for the industry. His interventions in the industry are as a result of his long knowledge of the industry even as far back as in 2005 when I was still the Vice President of the AGN and he was the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. But the problem is interventions without a policy, you cannot achieve anything. He has given some interventional fund to Nollywood, who is in charge? The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Finance, how much do they know about the Nollywood? Absolutely nothing because the Ministry of Information is the supervising ministry for the Nollywood and many practitioners are involved in this intervention fund? So, policy is the challenge.
Has the issue of a film village for the Nollywood been swept under carpet?
There is no film village. There is no policy so how can there be a film village. The present Minister of Information knows nothing about Nollywood. Since he became the Minister, there has never been a stakeholders meeting. There has never been a stakeholder’s interaction with him. There has to be a policy to support a film village otherwise it won’t work.
Who are your role models?
I came into the industry without a role model because then we were the pioneers. But then I came into the industry and saw that there were people who when you look at them professionally, you will know that they are good. My number one man was the late Sam Loko Efe. I also respect the late Ikemba of Nnewi, late Chukwemeka Ojukwu. I also respect Charlie Boy who made a name for himself aside that of his father.
What is your message for your fans?
I want to tell them that we owe them a lot. Without them there is no Nollywood. Without the fans and the people behind us, I don’t think we will be anywhere. We appreciate them. We beg of them that constructive criticism will be very good for us. But appreciate us also. Keep on praying for us because it is not easy.