The African Film Academy has published a brochure titled, “Nigerian Film Industry At A Glance,” and it contained a foreword by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.
In the foreword shared by Naij, Monday, Buhari called on the Nigerian movie industry – Nollywood – to stop promoting sex scenes and violence in its movies, rather, movie makers should aspire to always portray Nigeria in a positive light by producing movies that inspire hope and faith in the people.
President Buhari Calls On Filmmakers To Make Movies Which Celebrates Diversity
President Buhari’s foreword read:
The Nigerian film industry that is now called Nollywood, in the fashion of the American, Hollywood and Indian, Bollywood started as the effort of a group of enterprising young men and women who traded on their talents and sheer determination without anyone paying attention.
It has now metamorphosed into a big industry employing thousands of people, contributing to the national Gross Domestic Product and empowering a new generation of creative entrepreneurs.
Our government will continue to support the creative sectors of its economy so as to encourage our teeming youths while we enjoin our filmmakers to continue to project the image of Nigeria and the continent of Africa in a positive way through their story lines. Filmmakers should not make films for art sake. Films should be functional and socially relevant.
Filmmakers, whether local or those who come here to use our facilities, must however be sensitive to our cultures and religions. They must not glamorize violence or sexual vulgarity in all their forms. They must not promote racism or ethnic superiority or demonize any religion or culture.
I want to see more films that celebrate our diversity, films that celebrate the achievements of our people, films that promote social causes of right to education, films that tells us the evil of domestic violence against men and women, films that inspire hope and faith in our country and humanity in general. I am confident that Nollywood would go from strength to strength.
