Ironically, the rejected stone clinched the "AMAA 2010 Best Actor", courtesy of the role he played in Kunle Afolayan's "The Figurine, araromire".
However, in recent times, Van Vicker has been toppled by his fellow country man Majid Micheal who is now the rave of the moment, enjoying top billings in movies. The matter has not gone down well with the Nollywood actors who feel they are being relegated to the background as they are assigned second fiddle roles as opposed to their Ghanaian counterparts. They insist that the financiers used the Ghanaian actors for selfish gains, since they charged lesser fees in comparison to the Nigerians, despite the constant low ebbed professionalism displayed.
The Nollywood marketers who also double as financiers are of the view that sale of movies had declined in recent times and they had to recoup their investments. Movies were sold in Ghana and high sales occurred when Ghanaians acted alongside Nollywood actors. Recently, the swing in the production pendulum from the Nigerian marketers to their Ghanaian counterparts has also been given as one of the reasons for the invasion. Marketers in Gollywood (Ghana's movie industry) have insisted that for Nollywood movies to be marketed in Ghana such movies must feature their own stars, definitely not roles relegating them to the background, but those that would put the spotlight on them. Besides, the N 1 million 'upfront market orders' bait by the Ghanaian marketers, dangling temptingly before their Nigerian counterparts, to be used by Nollywood producers prior to the shooting of the movies (if Gollywood actors are used) have been eagerly swallowed by the Nigerian marketers.
One of the joys of going to the movies was that it was trashy, and we should never lose that.
—Oliver Stone (b. 1946)
Ghanaian movies are said to be selling more than Nollywood movies in America. It has been argued that Gollywood's actors lack the acting dexterity in comparison to their Nollywood counterparts. Nollywood movies have suffered a major set back in market sales and hence the marketers are clutching at straws to prevent the drowning process. Although, a good healthy competition keeps you on your toes at all times, is it however right to engage in this sort of marketing gimmick to the detriment of movie productions, Nollywood actors and the Industry as a whole?
I hope that the dust settles quickly so that Nollywood can regain her pride as the biggest movie market in Africa without bending to the whims and caprices of another.
So long…auggiepo@yahoo.com
... in the movies Paris is designed as a backdrop for only three things—love, fashion shows, and revolution.
—Jeanine Basinger (b. 1936)
Augusta Okon is a lawyer, novelist and runs 'wise Insight', an information hunting/writing services outfit in Lagos, Nigeria. Wise Insight helps Nigerians and foreigners to have access to credible, authentic information in topics,issues,areas, where they have little or no knowledge about within the Nigerian jurisdiction.