Dear Sir,
It is with the deepest sorrow that I pen these words. I
have never understood the true meaning of the saying “only the one wearing the
shoes feels the pain”, till recent times. Since the advent of Independent
Producers, piracy has become the bane of the industry because as the saying
goes ‘monkey de work, baboon de chop’.
The excitement that greeted the movie industry through
the Box-Office success of 30 Days In Atlanta has quickly turned to sorrowful
awe as I heard the news that the result of my sweat and sleepless nights has
been sold by a traitorous miscreant, yet unknown, to a dubious marketer in
Alaba.
The news that would have made not just more Nigerians but also
foreigners invest in Nollywood, has been dampened by the nefarious activities
of intellectual pirates who hide in Alaba.
I have contacted Silverbird Film Distribution (whom I
submitted the master of my movie to), Mr Afam Ezekude DG National Copyright
Commission and Mr Ahbu Ventures who heads a session of Alaba where the
Criminals are operating, Yet nothing visible has been done to take my movie off
the street.
I have always heard of the risk faced by honest
producers of loss of revenue due the activities of the incessant piracy cabals
operating freely, without fear of the law in Nigeria and within the past few
weeks, this has been my experience as I heard of the leak of my movie to
various nefarious elements. Enough is enough of the economic hardship that is
created for hardworking movie producers by some of these Alaba pirates who
would do anything to reap from where they did not sow.
Sir, it has been argued that the impressive figures
posted as revenue accrued to Nollywood are a mere drop in the ocean if the
malaise of piracy is properly nipped by the effective implementation of the
anti-piracy laws by the relevant governmental agencies. Alaba is part of
Nigeria and as such the activities therein ought to be governed by the laws of
Nigeria.
Even the laudable financial facilities made available by
Mr President to be accessed by producers towards the development of the
industry both as an employer of labour and a growing contributor to the annual
revenue of Nigeria will be for naught if the piracy vampires continue to have a
field day. The continued dominance of piracy will either lead to producers
refusing to make more movies for fear of loss or that producers who go ahead to
make movies using such funds will then be forced to become indigents because
they will unable to pay back the loans accessed due to these vandals.
Sir, Nollywood is a multi-billion-naira industry and the
opening of new cinema houses across the country is indeed cause for the
celebration for both producers and lovers of Nigerian movies but the major
challenges of the Nollywood industry from its birth till date has been the
issue of transparent distribution channels and the malaise of piracy.
No more should a miscreant be celebrated or allowed to
rape intellectual properties of honest hardworking citizens with impunity while
the owners of the property impotently look on. No more should movie producers
and other intellectual property owners scrabble to quickly make the little they
can before ‘Alaba boys’ get their hands on the content and turn a goldmine into
a dunghill.
I urge you to use your good office to use your actions
in arresting the illegal spread of 30 Days In Atlanta as a standard for
changing the status quo and letting the miscreants know that no one is above
the laws of Nigeria.
I wait your intervention sir.
Thanks
AY
Source: Linda Ikeji Blog
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