REMEMBER Nkiru Sylnavus? The Abia State-born notable Nollywood actress who became popular for her crying beats in movies? The native of Osisoma in Aba, is one of the notable actresses of Nollywood that have taken a back seat in the scheme of things. There was a time in Nollywood when the fair skinned actress and proud Ngwa lady was all over the place appearing in about eight out of 10 movies released. Indeed, her relevance as an actress at that time was likened by some critics to what butter is to bread. 

But Nkiru is clearly no longer in contention. Observers say she has not done anything significant as an actress since she took up appointment as a Special Assistant on Public Affairs in 2011 to the then Imo State governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha.  

They note that even after serving for just a year as SA, Nkiru literarily stayed off the scene, appearing occasionally in some movie run. Her fans look forward to when the petite and soft-spoken actress will make a big come back to filmdom. 

The second child and first daughter of five children born to a police officer and a midwife, Nkiru rose speedily to the top of her acting career. The old girl of Ohabiam Secondary School Aba and a product of the Mass Communication Department of the Enugu State University wanted to study medicine but she hung the decision up when as an undergraduate she discovered that she couldn’t combine acting and studying medicine. 

From playing a cameo role-daughter of a protagonist in her debut outing ‘Out of Cage’ produced in 2000, the petite looking Nkay as close friends call her, has risen to become one of the sectors recognizable figures.  ‘Evil Forest’ by Sonny Collins Nwatu and ‘A Cry For Help’, one movie that undoubtedly shot her to limelight rank as some of her notable movie productions.  

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REVIEW

Title- End of Dreams    

Producer- Gab Okey Okonkwo

Director- Reginald Ebere 

Actors- Chiege Alisigwe, Remi Ohajianya, Michael Ezuruonye and others

PERPETUA played by Chiege Alisigwe is in love with a carpenter. Later she faces the arduous task of deciding whom to spend the rest of her life with -lover boy or a rich fellow who her mum prefers. Well, she settles for the chief but she didn’t last long with Chief. She is sent packing after a series of miscarriages. She returns to lover boy but …… 

This is not far from a commendable effort but it has one of those titles you flag on a movie when you have no other good idea about what to call it. Though stagy, it excites. It did to a certain extent.

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Notice Board 

Light Dims on Cineaste Ladi Ladebo

THE death has been announced of foremost filmmaker and media personality Ladi Ladebo. He died on Friday April 16 at age 78. A statement by the family signed by Precious Ladebo Osagie, said the the filmmaker who is survived by a wife, three daughters and grandchildren passed away peacefully in London, United Kingdom.

An intimate memorial service is to hold on May 7^th in London. The late cineaste was born on May 7, 1942.

He was a renowned producer and director of critically acclaimed works such as ‘Bisi Daughter of the River (co-author/producer),  ‘Countdown At Kusini’ (co-author/producer) which was produced in 1974 in collaboration with Ossie Davis and several television serials including ‘Pariah’ and ‘The Thrift Collector’ which starred actors such as Albert Egbe and the late Joe Adekwagh. Condolence messages have continued to pour in from home and abroad for the departed filmmaker who has been described as a true devotee of the big screen. 

Filmdom WORD BITES from The Cineaste Ladi Ladebo: 

– The cineaste Ladi Ladebo in an earlier interview published when he clocked 61.

Excerpts:  

“But why do I still make films instead of video, which was the question you asked earlier? Well apart from the high quality it has the longevity and don’t forget that most of the films that you see from America on video were made on 35 mm. Even the soap opera.  That’s why you see them here and the quality is still as better than what you have on your television. So, for me, as long as I can I will continue to do film. If it is going to be drama, I shall use film. If it is just simple documentary for educational purposes I will go on digital because I do accept that digital has come to stay’’. 

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“Oh the reception for ‘Baba Zak’ was great. You should see the film. It was one of the best 20 films listed at FESPACO. People were congratulating me for making such a film and I come home back to Nigeria and I still can’t show the film. It was made in 35 mm; the print is here in Nigeria. I want to show it in Nigeria and on television but your Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) says I should go and get a sponsor or that I should go and get someone to pay for airtime. Me! Na waoh! I mean I shouldn’t be here really but I won’t be discouraged by all that stuff. I won’t be discouraged. But it has to change’

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‘’ How come the NFC through its film distribution unit can’t take that film and launch it here. At least Nigeria once had a film distribution unit. Where did it disappear to? What ever happened to it? I mean if we are talking about what NFC should do it’s another thing all together. I am sure we will spend days doing that. But I think the NFC as far I am concerned should encourage filmmakers instead of competing with filmmakers. The NFC knew about that film Baba Zak. The NFC should have taken it off me and say listen we are going to take this film off you and launch it that way we shall be encouraging government to be involved in what we are doing. We are still planning that. We are still talking about that almost three years after. Look I no go lie, I am tired’’

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 ‘’ I really cannot see myself being wooed to the wrong side or taking to straight home video production because people are making money on quick video that are out there. The second reason is that I cannot and will not for as long as I make film, not do a postproduction with proper sound analyses and remix. I won’t do a movie that cannot sell outside our borders. Our filmmakers here don’t pay attention to some technical details. They take an element as sound for granted so much that if their work is projected on a higher format, it becomes inaudible. Yes, we have good writers here and there are fantastic stories but most times what I am told abroad is that they can’t hear a word of what is been said and that’s terrible especially for the fact that your film or movie is supposed to be communicating. And you get all this because the folk in the home movie cannot afford to go for what I do. No, I don’t think they can afford it. I like to give them credit that it is because they are poor. Not that I am rich but I just know that I would rather not make films unless I can make the best possible to represent the name Nigeria’’

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Star Fad & Hobbies

The Actress Halima Abubakar –

“I love honest people. I know we all have our bad part; you will find me with people that are honest.  Oh, I hate hypocrisy a lot. But I love people who just love life and are confident to realize that we can get successful together and not apart. I hate to live in a dog-eat-dog world. As for hobbies, I love reading. I am currently reading ‘The Millionaire Mind’. I also love the sea and I hate shopping. But I definitely love the sea’’

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The Actress Tonto Dike-

“I belong to the category who love to express themselves unreservedly by dressing just the way they choose. So, I dress as the occasion demands. I simply dress the way I love to dress. I observe codes and rules where and when necessary but I just love to look good.” 

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Milestones & Rough Cuts

 #A BIOPIC ON JAKANDE COMING SOON – The trio of Ovation Publisher Dele Momodu, Founder of Africa Movie Academy Awards Peace Anyiam-Osigwe and Publisher of Best of Nollywood magazine Seun Oloketuyi have announced that they will be signing a biopic on former Lagos State Governor the late Lateef Jakande as Executive Producers. The biopic to be directed by notable filmmaker Tade Ogidan is titled ‘Baba Kekere’’. Pre-production for the movie, which chronicles the life and times of the elder statesman is to begin in May 2021. ‘’The family has approved that the movie be done’’ Oloketuyi stated. 

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#ENTRIES STILL OPEN FOR AFRIFF 2021: the 2021 edition of the Nigerian domiciled Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) will hold this year following the release for the call for entries for the 10^th edition, which is themed ‘Africans For Africa’. Entries from all parts of the world in all film categories and genre opened since March 25 and will run until July 1. The statement by AFRIFF indicates that filmmakers are to send in their entries for the 10^th edition through www.filmfreeway.com/AFRIFF. It will be recalled that the 2020, which was scheduled to hold in November 2020 was cancelled. Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AFRIFF Chioma Ude disclosed in a statement that the AFRIIFF team decided to cancel the programme for 2020 edition in solidarity with youths across Africa who are championing social justice. ‘

“As a film festival committed to promoting greater voice and expression and driven by the passions and aspirations of young people across Africa, we are deeply connected with the messaging championed by our youth across Africa, from the anti-femicide protests in Namibia, to the price hike protest in Mozambique, then the crisis in Cameroon’s Anglophone region and most especially the #ENDSARS protests across Nigeria. Therefore, in solidarity with our youth championing social justice across Africa we have decided to cancel this edition,” Ude said.