By Taiye Olayemi
Lagos – Nigerian filmmaker, Akeem Alimi, popularly known as `Ajala Jalingo’ on Friday appealed to the Federal Government to place stiffer sanctions on movie pirates in the country.
Alimi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the activities of pirates had continued to frustrate filmmakers, adding that their actions were against the growth of the creative industry.
“The activities of the movie pirates are really frustrating filmmakers.
“The government has to do something drastic about it before the pirates will desist from such a criminal act.
“For me, the sanction should be death penalty because their activities had indirectly killed several filmmakers in the past and, even. now,” he said.
Alimi, a former leader of Lagos State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), noted that most Nollywood actors were suffering contrary to the general belief that they were living in affluence.
“Nigerians believe that by the virtue of actors’ fame; they live a life of financial abundance, but they are absolutely wrong,” the filmmaker said.
According to him, most of his colleagues only struggle to produce their films due to their passion for the job.
He said that it was the few who fate had smiled upon either through wealthy relatives or friends that were having it good to go.
He, however, called on the Federal Government to assist filmmakers through intervention funds, adding that film production requires a huge financial commitment.
“A lot of people believe that we are living in abundance.
“I can authoritatively tell you that we are just suffering and smiling because we are only struggling to produce our films.
“We expend so much money on film production, censorship and more.
“Piracy and capital for film production remain our biggest problems.
“We beg government to come to our aid so that we can be equipped to do our jobs.
“We should be assisted with intervention funds, constant training for both renowned and up-and-coming actors.
“This will also help in upgrading the quality of films produced in this country,” he said.
Alimi said that the movie industry had the capacity to create employment opportunities.
He said that every filmmaker had the capacity to employ no fewer than 50 trainees during every production.
He said that actors should begin to enjoy the dividends of democracy for contributing to the coming into positions of authority by some of the politicians,
“Filmmaking is a huge employer of labour; it is capable of taking the youth completely away from the streets.
“We have been clamouring for government’s assistance for long.
“So, we need to talk more for them to hear us out,” he said.
(NAN)
