Obasa assures vs piracy
Mudashiru-obasa
Speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has advised Movie Marketers Association of Nigeria, MMAN to strategize in moving the entertainment industry forward especially tackling piracy, while assuring them that the Assembly would support with whatever law that would help in bringing pirates to book.
He explained that, there is a ministry in Lagos state that caters for matters patterning to Nollywood and the entertainment industry in general adding that with the inclusion of a honourable member in the Assembly who is also an artiste, there is possibility that the interest of Nollywood artistes against piracy will be protected. Adding that, “It is a war that we have to fight together. Your existence is a source of joy and happiness to Nigeria, and that is why we will be glad to help in any way we can”, he said.
Obasa stated this while making remarks at the Lagos Assembly Round-Table Dialogue with Movie Marketers Association comprising of marketers, distributors, producers and directors, at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Assembly complex, Alausa, Ikeja yesterday. He assured them that the government will not allow Nollywood as an entity to die because adding that, the industry has helped in strengthening the economy of the nation both locally and internationally.
In his opening remark, a lawmaker and Nollywood actor, representing Surulere 1 constituency, Hon. Desmond Elliot who facilitated the forum attributed the slow growth in the film industry to little or no involvement of government in the business of the industry. He described piracy as a deadly instrument solely at killing both the industry and operators in the industry.
He explained that, there is a ministry in Lagos state that caters for matters patterning to Nollywood and the entertainment industry in general adding that with the inclusion of a honourable member in the Assembly who is also an artiste, there is possibility that the interest of Nollywood artistes against piracy will be protected. Adding that, “It is a war that we have to fight together. Your existence is a source of joy and happiness to Nigeria, and that is why we will be glad to help in any way we can”, he said.
Obasa stated this while making remarks at the Lagos Assembly Round-Table Dialogue with Movie Marketers Association comprising of marketers, distributors, producers and directors, at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Assembly complex, Alausa, Ikeja yesterday. He assured them that the government will not allow Nollywood as an entity to die because adding that, the industry has helped in strengthening the economy of the nation both locally and internationally.
In his opening remark, a lawmaker and Nollywood actor, representing Surulere 1 constituency, Hon. Desmond Elliot who facilitated the forum attributed the slow growth in the film industry to little or no involvement of government in the business of the industry. He described piracy as a deadly instrument solely at killing both the industry and operators in the industry.
Noting that, the dialogue to geared at looking at the possibility of developing partnership between the state government and the Nollywood Film Industry in a way to boosting the economy of the state. He further explained that, it would also helping in addressing piracy in the industry, the spate of illnesses and deaths in the industry and also the need for an Emergency Trust Fund to be created for artistes.
He also said the government should grant them tax rebate or tax holiday as it is done in other countries and also create a film village in Lagos structured by the government and this can generate revenue for the government in form of taxes and will also create jobs.
Other stakeholders in the industry called on the government to create an enabling environment for them to operate and for the industry to thrive, including finding a solution to the issue of piracy as it has destroyed the industry”, adding that it has gotten to a stage where the government should declare a state of emergency on it and also use KAI or a special task force to arrest those selling pirated copies on the streets.
They also advised that the government should create DVD shops all over the state where people can buy original films, and also build cinemas all over the place from which the state can also make money, arguing that just like building estates and markets, cinemas is also real estate business.
“Building numerous cinema houses that can seat about 800 people at a time all over designated points in the state will be an avenue for the state to generate revenues. When properly harnessed, the stakeholders said Nollywood will boost tourism by 40 percent and it would further enable foreign investors to invest in Nigeria.
He also said the government should grant them tax rebate or tax holiday as it is done in other countries and also create a film village in Lagos structured by the government and this can generate revenue for the government in form of taxes and will also create jobs.
Other stakeholders in the industry called on the government to create an enabling environment for them to operate and for the industry to thrive, including finding a solution to the issue of piracy as it has destroyed the industry”, adding that it has gotten to a stage where the government should declare a state of emergency on it and also use KAI or a special task force to arrest those selling pirated copies on the streets.
They also advised that the government should create DVD shops all over the state where people can buy original films, and also build cinemas all over the place from which the state can also make money, arguing that just like building estates and markets, cinemas is also real estate business.
“Building numerous cinema houses that can seat about 800 people at a time all over designated points in the state will be an avenue for the state to generate revenues. When properly harnessed, the stakeholders said Nollywood will boost tourism by 40 percent and it would further enable foreign investors to invest in Nigeria.
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