Omoni Oboli: The Trial of A Nollywood Brand

(By Zik ZuluOkafor) - OMONI OBOLI:- THE TRIAL OF A NOLLYWOOD BRAND...

Omoni Oboli is the Director and Producer of the movie, Okafor's Law. And she is supposed to be the writer of the screenplay. 

The premiere of this much talked about movie had been hyped to heavens' doors. Film makers, film enthusiasts, corporate players and even ordinary people waited for Friday, March 24 for the opening night of this much anticipated movie at the IMAX Cinema, Lekki Lagos. 

The Friday came. But on her way to the venue of the premiere, Omoni as she is simply called, received a terrible gift. A court order stopping the premiere and further distribution of the movie was coldly handed to her. A company with a jaw-breaking name, Raconteur Productions had handed Omoni this mortal legal blow. And so the premiere couldn't hold.

But on Thursday, March 30, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, put a smile back on Omoni's face as he vacated the injunction. The high flying Nollywood Director is now free to show her movie anywhere she pleases. An ecstatic Omoni, on hearing this delightful news went on her knees to give fervent thanks to God and pronto announced that the movie would begin to show nationwide from Friday, March 31.

Nollywood Creates 2 Million Jobs in 20 Years

Zulu

The Association of Movie Producers in Nigeria (AMP) says the film industry in Nigeria has created two million jobs plus in the last twenty years.

In a "Friends of Nollywood" award ceremony held on Saturday by the Abuja Chapter of AMP, the associations's President Zik Zulu said the upsurge in jobs in the billion-dollar industry has had a substantive impact on the nation's economy and its growth.

“Today, you have an industry that is worth over two billion dollars, employing over two million Nigerian youths, helping in a way to check the restive situation in the country,” Zulu told the audience, made up of industry players and sponsors.

Zulu further suggested that the Nigerian film industry has had a significant role in the shift in image that has taken place for Nigeria internationally. “This is a department of life that has done a lot to change the impression and the image of this country positively,” he said.

Zulu implores the government to continue to consistently fortify efforts to support Nollywood and acknowledge its impact on Nigeria. “I think the federal and state governments, and the private sector in Nigeria have to do more for Nollywood, because this is a department of this country’s life,” he said.