By Al Amin Ciroma
Following government's efforts to support training and skills acquisition for the Nigerian movie industry, the Federal Ministry of Finance has approved the applications of some Kannywood stakeholders and practitioners who are a part of the Project Act-Nollywood.
The grant, which is given to existing practitioners for short, intensive training courses in Nigeria and/or abroad, will see the movie makers drafted to existing public and private training institutions, in order to learn and adhere to global best practices by improving the reach and effectiveness of their training programmes through the upgrade of existing facilities, procurement of equipment and development of an agreeable curricula.
According to findings, the ministry has approved the sum of US$3,300 each to Asian School of Media Studies in Mumbai, India, the venue of the training, as well as an additional allowance of N2,798,890 for the beneficiaries. So far, about 19 filmmakers were to undertake the courses, which were earlier scheduled to hold between August 25 and September 20, but will now hold between September 29 and October 25, 2014.
The beneficiaries - Jamilu Ahmad Yakasai, Mustapha Mustapha, Bashir Abdullahi, Mohammed Ahmed Bifa, Ibrahim Mandawari, Hamisu Lamido Iyantama, Sani Abdullahi Abdullahi, Aliyu Shehu Yakasai and Bala Anas Babinlata. Others are Hauwa Maina, Faika Ibrahim Rahi, Balarabe Salisu Tukur, Usman Yusuf Adamu, Ishaq Sidi Ishaq, Umar Sani Labaran, Falalu Dorayi, Mikhail Bin Hassan, Muhammad Ali Nuhu and Aminu Mohammed Sabo - all expressed their gratitude to the coordinators of the project and promised to take up more of such opportunities in order to bolster their passion towards telling the story of Kannywood successfully.
Most of the beneficiaries were too sceptical to comment on the issue, as a result of the many delays which have accompanied its take-off. One of them who spoke but refused to give his name disclosed that the project was slated to in February this year, but a gross lack of coordination ensured it did not take off.
Many others still have misgivings about the process of selection of the course's participants. According to them, almost all the beneficiaries are largely from Kano, with a representative each from Niger and Kaduna states.
Meanwhile, a Jos-based movie director, Salisu Mu'azu, did not hide his dismay over the absence of representatives from Plateau State. For him, this is a clear indicator that those involved in the selection process do not intend to carry along all stakeholders in the north.
"We are not aware of this development. We were, also, not told, until now that you called to give me an avenue to air my view on the matter. However, Jos is one of the central points of filmmaking,not only in the north, but in the nation. Therefore, if such gestures are coming from the government and none of our members are involved, then I can assure you that someone is bleeding Kanywood dry," he told Kannywood Trends.
A Kaduna-based filmmaker, Yakubu Lere, equally expressed his dismay over the mode of selection of participants. He also wondered why Kaduna State is not represented. According to him, as the second most popular centre of Kannywood, the state is supposed to get quite a number of representatives. "I am not surprised, because things are not done the right way in Kannywood. I heard about Ali Nuhu going for a certain course in India through a family source, but not as a representative from Project Act-Nollywood Fund. After Kano, Kaduna and Jos are leading centres of film-related matters in the north. We also have considerable number of stakeholders in Katsina, Sokoto, Niger and others states in the region. I think they should have a re-think," he opined.
Disputing the alleged favouritism on selecting the beneficiaries, the national vice-president of Arewa Filmmakers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Salisu Mohammed, said his organisation did a thorough study on the selection process, adding that all northern states were fully represented. "I can tell you that the selection process was free and fair and aimed at the selection of representatives for the capacity-building. It will interest you to know that, initially, individuals were meant to apply, but the AFAN acts as an intermediary between the project coordinators and the practitioners without any prejudice. So, there is no bias whatsoever in the process," Mohammed countered.
If the stories told about the allege bias in the selection process are anything to go by, then the industry's frontliners should, as a matter of urgency, have a round-table session and sort out their differences.
Source: LEADERSHIP
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