Censorship fee can affect re-branding project — AMAA CEO Stories

Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) Chief Executive Officer has condemned the N50,000 censorship fee, saying it can affect re-branding exercise, she has also faulted Nigeria Censors Film Board ( NCFB) distribution framework, stressing that  the current regime of censorship fee of 50,000 is counter productive, whilst noting that the amount could truncate the progress made by the movie industry in helping to re-brand the image of the country.

Peace Anyiam- Osigwe, AMAA CEO made the condemnation during a forum between the Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria (AMP) and the Lagos State Government, christened,  AMP-EKO International Film Festival with the theme, “Film the catalyst for positive change,” while speaking on the topic; Nollywood Past, Present and the future at the national Arts Theater in Lagos recently.

She further noted that one cannot be talking about high censorship fee without considering the fact that production is almost nill in the industry.

She also faulted the current distribution framework of NFCB pointing out that it is  inimical to the progress of the industry as it’s implementation has not brought anything good to the industry, but rather, has accentuated the poverty of  film makers and practitioners.

Anyiam-Osigwe observed  that in spite of the lack of institutional support from Government and the private sector the industry has  continued to move on, bringing honour and accolade to Nigeria.

She said the present state of the industry where everything is at the lowest ebb was as a result of failure of  government institutions with statutory support to grow and develop the industry in doing their job.

She noted that  government officials are only interested in getting money on behalf of the industry and spend it on projects and initiatives that do not lend any serious support to the industry.

Anyiam-Osigwe said that nollywood has become the biggest cultural export of Nigeria and as the only positive news about Nigeria globally.

The AMAA CEO also charged the movie professionals to up their game through capacity building saying that the quality of films being produced in Nigeria must be improved if the market and sponsors must take practitioners seriously. She also decried the level of acrimony within the industry saying this will not help the industry to grow.

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