Abdulkareem Mohammed, the managing director of Moving Image Limited, a Kano-based multi-media entertainment firm and pioneer chairman of the Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN), is the brain behind the Kano Indigenous Languages Films Market and Festival (KILAF). The 7th edition of the festival ended weeks ago in Kano with over 500 entries from 66 countries across the world. In this interview, he spoke on the seventh edition of the festival, and the Nigerian film industry, saying it is evolving with incredible prospects for growth.
Looking at the theme, “Forging Cultural Identity in a Multilingual Africa: The Role of Indigenous Language Films,” what is the imperative to indigenous films?
In the first instance, when you use your own language, you are keeping it alive and generating contents that would be original because you would be thinking in your first language. Therefore, the nuances and cultural elements of your story would represent you. In the day and time of information superhighway, one needs to represent oneself, otherwise he would be consumed by the other bigger sources of information that are available.
These are the multiple advantages. But why is it important? Digital migration is happening. So, we are having more channels now because we are migrating from analogue to digital, which means that our contents, as they are numerous channels, should be represented. So, forging cultural identity in a multilingual Africa means that our filmmakers should be encouraged to use the indigenous language to propagate what we stand for as Africa.
What does this translate into when you look at the current trajectory of the government in trying to foster a creative economy?
It truly gladdens my heart that this administration has done some good things, such as the appointment of some key agencies of the government that have to do with the creative economy. For example, the Nigerian Film Corporation is now headed by a filmmaker, as far back as 2009 when I was serving in the Media and Communication Thematic Area of Nigeria Vision 2020, Nollywood took Nigeria to the number three position. But when the government of that time was appointing somebody for the developmental agency in filmmaking, that is the Nigerian Film Corporation, they appointed a person with a PhD in Building to head that institution. That was grossly unfair.
After eight years, the next person that was appointed was a medical doctor. He served for eight years. So it is only this time around that they brought in Ali Nuhu, who is an actor and producer to head the agency. We must commend the government for this. It means that this government has realised that the creative economy is important enough to be attached to the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy. This is also a milestone decision because indeed, there is an economy around creativity.
Looking at the entries for the competition, how would you rate the quality of the content?
From some of the films, I have seen quality in production and content, both by technical standing and the story-telling.
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Do we have the content at the African film industry? Are we meeting up to the international standard?
I wouldn’t be bothered about meeting the international standard in the first instance. Why? When China started, you could go to the Nigerian market and they would say, ‘Don’t worry, na Chinese.’ Can you now talk about China in that way?
Every beginning would come with low quality, but as you improve, the product gets improved. When Nollywood started in 1990/1991, the quality was nothing to write home about, but today, we are having a film that is being cleared to go for the Oscars. It wasn’t happening before because of the low quality.
So, I won’t be in a hurry to talk about quality yet. It is something we must exercise patience for because it would come. What is important for an economy like Nigeria’s is to open up opportunities for our young ones to have means of livelihood. But whether one likes it or not, Nollywood products are providing employment opportunities, especially those that are not educated enough to go into the regular government employment.
So, you think Nollywood has actually evolved?
We are evolving. Progress is never a destination. It is always work in progress. We will keep on improving because there is no perfection in life. But within the elasticity of how you improve, that is how the work should be judged?
How are you integrating the players in the industry the actors and actresses in Nollywood and Kannywood into this annual festival to foster collaboration between the town and the gown?
This festival started in 2018; so this is the seventh edition, but when you check around, you would see the composition of those that are from North, South and East. That is how we are looking at it because it is a platform that is supposed to encourage contact and encourage people to come together to work on a project. You saw that the Rwandan guy has already struck a deal with a Nigerian filmmaker that is already to go on a film tour in Rwanda. That is how it should be. And for every opportunity, those that see it can see it.
My platform is open for development. And I have a passionate concern for young people to have opportunities. So, if you are made, key in, but if you are upcoming, that is where I am going. And I remain focused and resolute over this.
Where do you see the festival in the next 10 years?
Hopefully, it would grow to a brand that can be likened to the Cannes Festival, Oscars, among others globally.
Is there for further growth of the Nigerian film industry?
Of course there are a lot of prospects because filmmaking is a continuous process; and it doesn’t have borders.
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