VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 ARTS ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN BUSINESS LUXURY AFRICA N5000 R362 $25 £17 €22 NIGERIAN THEATRE, TV & FILM: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE NIGERIAN FILM AS AN ART DISTRIBUTION IN NOLLYWOOD THE ETISALAT PRIZE FOR LITERATURE: REPRESENTING THE DIVERSITY OF AFRICAN VOICES TAIWO AJAI-LYCETT, SADIQ DABA, WALE OJO, TUNDE KELANI, KUNLE AFOLAYAN KUNLE IDOWU, MICHAEL ‘TRUTH’ OGUNLADE, LALA AKINDOJU, O.C. UKEJE OBIJIE ORU, STANLEE OHIKHUARE, MIKE-STEVE ADELEYE THE FILM ISSUE OMENKA MAGAZINE VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 2 OMENKA MAGAZINE OMENKA MAGAZINE VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 CONTENTS ARTS ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN BUSINESS LUXURY AFRICA N5000 R362 $25 £17 €22 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 DEPARTMENTS ANTENNAE NEWS, EVENTS 10 Sink Hits at the Local Box Office 10 Annecy International Animated Film Festival to Show Three South African Films 11 Perivi John Katjavivi: Confronting The Mostly ‘Unseen’ in Post- Colonial Namibia 11 The Book of Negroes Sweeps Canadian Screen Awards 12 Free State Wins at Luxor African Film Festival Award 12 The 12th New African Film Festival FEATURES 14 A Concise History of Nigerian Theatre, TV & Film, and the Future of Drama 16 Nigerian Film as an Art 18 The Academia and the Media, Partners in Promoting Nollywood 20 Africa Rising on the International Scene 28 Charting New Territory with Animation 30 Ebele Okoye Weber on Animation in Nigeria 32 In Conversation with Richard Oboh 44 5 OMENKA MAGAZINE VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 CONTENTS FOCUS PLAYING THE BOSS PROFILES, INTERVIEWS THE PRODUCERS AND DIRECTORS Icons of the Screen 128 Using Documentary to Impact 44 A Legend of the Reel Africa Positively 52 Sadiq Daba is Like Fine Wine 132 Thriving in a Male-Dominated Industry 58 Quintessential Wale Ojo 134 The Real Deal! The Unfolding Generation 138 Raising the Bar 64 A Fine Gentleman... 142 The Actor’s Director 68 Leading Lady 146 A Director’s Life Reflected in Film 72 Seriously Funny 150 Depth of Field 76 Renaissance Man 80 FILM AS AN ART MARKET FILE EVENTS GUIDE, FESTIVAL, DOSSIER Made to Measure 82 154 Rewarding Excellence in Film & TV Dressing the Stars 86 156 Lights Camera Africa!!! Setting the Tone 92 160 On Funding and Support for 96 Making Faces Nollywood 100 The Truth About Sound 162 NollywoodWeek Paris Film Festival 104 Sound Bite 164 Distribution in Nollywood: 108 Riding the Sound Waves The Existing Platforms, Piracy and 112 Making Sense of it All... Alternative Structures 116 Lighting Up the Stage! 128 166 Kene Mkparu on Piracy and 118 Weaving the Story Distribution in Nollywood 120 Behind the Lens: Photography in Nollywood 122 A Photographer’s Take on Nollywood 126 Debbin Robin in Focus REPORTS REGULARS REVIEWS 34 The Etisalat Prize for Literature 8 Contributors 40 Book Review 9 Masthead 170 International Film Events 162 9 Editorial 6 OMENKA MAGAZINE 7 OMENKA MAGAZINE VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 CONTRIBUTORS EDITORIAL I welcome you to this very special edition of Omenka, Africa’s premium magazine on art, ARTS ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN BUSINESS LUXURY AFRICA business, and culture from the continent. IN THIS ISSUE... N5000 R362 $25 £17 €22 Themed the Film Issue, this edition is a result of ‘Omenka is an Onitsha Ibo term, ome - is maker, traditional maker of; the maker of nka, who carves, a decision to produce well-curated overviews who creates, who communicates through the making, of different aspects of our rich cultural heritage. Oliver Enwonwu is the Editor-in-Chief of Omenka magazine. or the making, or nka, being the attribute of his Buoyed by the success of our previous issue He is also Chief Executive, Revilo. Enwonwu holds a first degree making through creative action...Omenka is usually a genius type...Omenka means greatness, a man of focusing on architecture and design from in Biochemistry, Advanced Diploma in Exploration Geophysics valour...’ -Ben Enwonwu, January 1967 the African continent, this is the first of two (distinction), Post Graduate Diplomas in Applied Geophysics is the Deputy Editor of devoted to Nollywood! Ladun Ogidan Omenka PUBLISHER/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF and Visual Art (distinction) and a Masters in Art History, magazine. She holds a first degree in Mass OLIVER ENWONWU all from the University of Lagos. Enwonwu is the Executive This Film Issue traces the trajectory of the Communication from Covenant University, Nigeria. [email protected] Director of The Ben Enwonwu Foundation and a board Nollywood phenomenon, including its Ogidan is the Chief Operating Officer, Revilo, a trans- member of both the National Gallery of Art, Nigeria and the DEPUTY EDITOR beginnings, challenges of funding and the scourge disciplinary platform for publishing, interactive, design, OMOLADUN OGIDAN Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria. He is also Director, of piracy, with insightful articles by Amarachukwu music and film, with a focus on Africa . She is also [email protected] Omenka Gallery and President, Society of Nigerian Artists. Iwuala. Kene Mkparu, Group MD/CEO of Assistant Curator at the Omenka Gallery, and has co- JOHANNESBURG EDITOR Filmhouse Cinemas and FilmOne Distribution ordinated several exhibitions, both home and abroad. IJEOMA UCHE-OKEKE also lends his voice in raising awareness against [email protected] piracy. He tells us why cinemas are key in dealing HEAD, GRAPHICS with this menace. Also featured are iconic actors like Sadiq Daba, who like fine wine, gets better ABDULRAZAK BOMBATA Adebimpe Adebambo is the Business Development Officer with age, as well as Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, known affectionately as TAL by her friends and admirers, at Revilo, a trans-disciplinary cultural platform working across PHOTOGRAPHER and who despite her many successes on the screen, shares with us why she prefers to be seen publishing, interactive, design, music and film. A graduate of MICHAEL SOSSOU as an outsider. Quintessential Wale Ojo bridges the gap between the old guard and the unfolding generation of Nigerian actors like Kemi ‘Lala!’ Akindoju, O.C. Ukeje, Kunle Idowu aka. Frank Donga Painting from the Yaba College of Technology, she is also a and Sambasa Nzeribe, who have all helped define the industry. Akintunde Akinleye is the first Nigerian photographer fashion and accessories designer. She debuted as a costume to be awarded a prize at the prestigious World Press designer on the set of the award-winning Tunde Kelani movie MARKETING AND PROMOTION In the article Nigerian Film as an Art, similarities are drawn between the African masquerade, Photo, Netherlands (2007) with his winning image Dazzling Mirage. For her efforts, she received two African ADEBIMPE ADEBAMBO considered by many scholars as an art form embracing painting, costume, sculpture, installation, chosen as the official signage of the 19th edition of the film nominations in 2015 at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice [email protected] theatre and music, and Nigerian cinema, well known for the fantastic and the seeming synthesis of International Photojournalism Festival in Peripignan, France Awards and African Movie Academy Awards for Best Costume CHARLES ENWONWU urban and traditional life. Ultimately, this issue offers an unprecedented 360-degree view and deeper Designer and Achievement in Costume Design, respectively. (2007). He holds two Masters degrees in Educational [email protected] insight into the inner workings of the industry with behind the scenes scoops, exclusive imagery and Technology and Mass Communication from the in-depth interviews with prominent patrons, leading technicians and professionals across different University of Lagos and a Post Graduate Diploma in CIRCULATION REVILO genres including the largely unexplored animation. The roll call features directors Tunde Kelani, Journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism. In Mildred Okwo, Remi Vaughan-Richards, Kunle Afolayan, Femi Odugbemi, Andrew Dosunmu and 2008, while attending a fellowship programme at the Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko was born in Enugu in eastern Greg Odutayo; costumiers Objie Oru and Adebimpe Adebambo; sound designers Michael TRUTH University of Texas, he produced a body of work that Ogunlade, Kaline Akinkugbe and Kulanen Ikyo; makeup artist Lola Maja-Okojevoh; film editor Nigeria. After her Abitur (A Levels) in Germany, she documents oil production in Texas. In 2012, Akintunde Mike-Steve Adeleye; screenwriter Kehinde Joseph; lighting designer Stanlee Ohikhuare, production decided to pursue photography. Between 2000 to 2003, was nominated for the Prix Pictet photography award designer Pat Nebo; and photographers Akintunde Akinleye and Debbin Robin. In addition, this she completed an apprenticeship programme, majoring on sustainability for his work, Delta, a Vanishing Wetland. issue features some of the biggest names behind the major festivals and award schemes serving to in Advertising Photography at the prestigious Studio Be in engender the highest standards of film production in Africa; Serge Noukoue, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, Greven, Germany. Chioma Ude and Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu. Also well documented are the efforts of the academia, Ayeni-Babaeko returned to Nigeria in 2005 and two media partners, internationally-based African filmmakers and directors, as well as those of a growing years later, established Camara Studios in Ikeja, Lagos. legion of African actors in Diaspora. Fully equipped professionally, the studio offers the best in Lara Tiamiyu s an accomplished photographer and advertising, event, portrait, and fashion photography. has covered several high profile events such as the At this point, special mention must be made of some of those who contributed immensely towards Lagos Fashion Week, and the Carnival Calabar. She also Cover the success of this publication; artist, fashion designer and costumier, Adebimpe Adebambo who also Photography: Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko doubles as Business Development Officer at Revilo; Tayo Shonekan, stylist and founder of leading participated in the British Council Creative Arts Expo Styling: Tayo Shonekan & Adebimpe Adebambo Makeup: Sacred Artistry Lagos-based fashion house Aimas; Lola Maja-Okojevoh; photographers Yetunde Ayeni- Babaeko, Lara and recently, the well attended La’Royal Charity Photo Outfits for the Men: Kola Kuddus Tiamiyu, Debbin Robbin Udeme, and Akintunde Akinleye.