Veteran Nollywood actor, Mr. Richard Mofe Damijo has identified institutional support as the key to driving the country’s entertainment industry.
Speaking Tuesday at the Fidelity SME Forum on Inspiration 92.3 FM, anchored by the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, Damijo noted that collaboration between the entertainment and private sector, the industry would grow faster than it is presently.
He urged the private sector to look at the business aspect of entertainment industry critically.
“We don’t need a Basket Mouth to sell the Wembley Arena before you guys can come in. We don’t need the AY show to cause traffic or mayhem in Eko Hotel for you guys to realise that there is plenty of money there. You don’t need the Wedding Part to make N460 million and above before you know that we need more cinemas,” he said.
“So I put it to you like lawyers would say, imagine a country where with less than 50 cinemas a film goes ahead and makes N450 million. If private sector can look at show business (entertainment) as a business and begin to get their people to study and look at how and what models can be used it would go the way that it should.”
In his advice to upcoming artists in the industry, Damijo said: “What I usually advise younger people, is to read-be voracious in your reading and try to diversify as much as possible. But just stay connected within the art. Consume as much literature as you can, and as much business news; as much soft technology news as you can.”
On his part, Okonkwo disclosed at the forum, the plan of the bank to hold a seminar at the end of the broadcast series where experts would speak to inspire artists in the entertainment industry, exchange ideas and share knowledge about relevant issues.
“We’ll talk about personal financial management; we’ll talk about the value chain of the entertainment business”, he said.
