Nollywood; The Compelling Story of a No Copyright’s Land

I saw this online resently and i decide to blog with it. This is what i will call the Nollywood hierarchy, it is what is really happenig here in Lagos. Now the except:
Nollywood, Lollywood, Ghallywood. These witty alterations of the obvious “Hollywood” are not merely puns but they actually refer to the movie industries of, respectively, Nigeria, Liberia, and Ghana. Cinema in Africa, although a long-time relationship, has recently known some unexpected development: a movie industry has been born that is made of laymen and women, for the people, and by the people. It sounds like Western political regime, but the system is more about the negation of individual rights for the greater good.
Nigeria, the pioneer country, has turned the industry of popular movies into more than a lucrative enterprise. It all began when a Nigerian man, Kenneth Nnebue, bought blank tapes from Taiwan and found these blank tapes not to be commercially valuable unless they had ceased to be blank: true story, the Nigerian hired actors, crew members, and solicited producers just for the sake of selling tapes. It worked. The movie, “Living in Bondage”, is now a classic Nigerian movie. The story of a farmer moving to a big city after he had lost his wife and was haunted by her ghost has given ideas to many more people and has started what Nigerian elites and intellectuals see as “a travesty, a grave crime; imbeciles images [that] should not be shown in this country. They are poisoning our [Nigerian] culture.” These low-costs movies are made mostly for home consumption than for theaters, and DVDs sell for a dollar at the most. The choices of plot, actors, and sceneries are rather innovative, but the most striking element is the genuine lack of copyrights safeguards on each of those works. Nollywood is owned and controlled by traders of the Idumota market, in Lagos, Nigeria.

 Nollywood in Location.

The system works as follows: a trader will sell, on the shelves of his market stable, a plethoric number of Nollywood movies that he has bought from fellow traders. With the benefit made out of these exchanges, a trader will get enough money to finance the production of a movie, and will start recruiting crew members and actors. No need to go very far to find actresses and cameramen, Lagos is known for its workforce in the field. Discs are printed in Lagos too, although in another market called Alaba. Then comes the story’s most interesting chapter, as the “mating season” begins.

A Nollywood art piece.

Traders have around two weeks to sell their new products, as it takes two weeks for the pirates to copy and distribute the products across the continent. When the mating season is over, films become commodities, as if copyrights had such a short preemption date, admitted and agreed on by all. To summarize, films are made that are not protected, and their producers make a sufficient margin on their creations to believe the work to be worth the immeasurable loss. And producers can raise sufficient funds to finance their projects in selling works from fellow traders that are similarly unprotected. No one cares, and the example is striking, of a system that refutes the concept that copyrights protects artists and creators to allow them sufficient financial support and to free their creation from trivial considerations.

In Lagos, money is made out of basic copyrights violation, but the creation seems unstoppable. But the system works, and has many a good effect on the entire continent. True or not, some say weapon dealers are not turning in the traffic of Nollywood movies, and boxes of firearms are said to have been replaced by hoards of DVDs. The Nollywood market is a successful one, and other countries have taken Nigeria’s step. Producers are now induced to choose certain actresses and actors based on the audience they would like to get in a country or another.  As an article in The Economist points out, Nollywood movies are also political and religious media of expression. A Nigerian-Ghanaian production baptized “Somewhere in Africa”, to be released next year, is centered on the rise and fall of a fictitious dictator, although this fictitious dictator’s life is based on, among others, Dictator Charles Taylor’s existence. In the “President Must Not Die”, one ponders the inherent risk of assassination in an African president’s mandate, a recurrent problem in the continent that is purposely avoided by regular media. How a society can benefit from the absence of prohibitive restrictions on the use of someone else’s work, such is the most common stories in Nollywood movies.
[culled from ipbrief.net]

Tejubaby Face show: Genevieve Nnaji kinda confirms she's dating D'Banj.

Genevieve & D'banj.

What do you like in man, and I mean that in terms of his physique, Tejubaby Face asked the beautiful actress on his show that aired last night.

Genny said she doesn't care what a man looks like, all that matters to her is his heart. "I like a man with a very good heart". she said.

So Tejubabyface brings out a picture of her and D'Banj and asked "Is there any truth in this?"
"He has a very very good heart" Genevieve replied, blushing.
"Alright, there you have it folks, case closed." Teju said

People keep insisting it's a stunt. It's love baby, it's love. Wishing them all the best.

MTV Awards: Stars Shine at Africa Music Awards 2010

Another year, another award season. 2010 was so full on it seems like 5 minutes since we kicked it in Kenya at the 2nd annual MTV Africa Music Awards show last year. This year like the debut edition the awards will be held in Lagos at the at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos on Saturday 11 December 2010.
Headliner Rick Ross is an exciting new addition to the MTV Africa Music Awards bill. The rapper together with Kenya’s P-Unit, South Africa’s Jozi and Nigeria’s Wande Coal will join previously announced performers DJ Arafat (Ivory Coast), 2Face (Nigeria), Daddy Owen (Kenya), Banky W (Nigeria), Fally Ipupa (DRC), Teargas (South Africa) and Cabo Snoop (Angola) on stage at the event.

Rapper T-pain.

Lagos — For an award that can conveniently be described as well beyond expectation, the MTV Africa Music Awards was a truly classy show, which justified all the hype and glamour that paved its way all through the run-up.
Despite the award's shaky start, which left many wondering whether the event would be a night of woeful tales, Tuface Idibia, led the Nigerian charge, as Sasha, P Square and Mo Cheddah held on tenaciously to lift the conuntry's flag higher.

Peter of P-square.

Tuface, with two awards, in the category of Best Male and the coveted Artiste of the Year, while Congolese artist, Fally Ipupa, whose stock on the continent continues to rise with inroads into the mainstream, picked up the Best Video and Best Francophone awards to emerge as the night's joint highest winner with the Nigerian act.
The awards, held inside the Expo Hall of Eko Hotel and Suites.
It kicked off with a curtain-raising performance by Rick Ross, which got the crowd into the groovy set needed for such a night.

That happened after the countdown ran out and there was not a dull moment, as the stage was set with American rap star, Eve, and as if putting the crowd on cue, had said it was time to party as the rap queen once again asked if Lagos was ready.
First winner of the night was soon unveiled, as Fally Ipupa soon picked up the gong for Best Video. Following in the same manner was 2face, who clinched Best Male at that point.

Rick Rose Having His time.

The king of Lagos party, Banky W, also known as Mr. Capable, who took to the stage performing his hit single, 'Lagos Party', which seemed really apt for the occasion. When called up to present the next award of Best Anglophone, Julius Agwu who was described as one of the funniest men in the country, wowed the audience with a joke dwelling on R Kelly, that the R 'n' B king had to conquer his phobia for flying by coming up with the single, 'I Believe I Can Fly' but he soon goofed when he concluded that it was Airtel that first brought R Kelly to the country.

Sasha and Eve.

Daddy Owen soon emerged the winner of the Anglophone category. He said he is the first Kenyan artiste to be so honoured at MAMA despite the award holding in that country last year.
Daddy Owen, a gospel act and kind of cute figure in Kenya, kept thanking Jesus profusely, as some cute ladies, who seemed to have travelled down all the way from other parts of Africa, sprang to their feet and erupted in cheers.

Eve, the Host of MAMA 2010.

P Unit, soon teamed up in an exhilarating performance with Yetunde Alabi popularly known as Sasha P, now regarded as first lady but Sasha, although doing a rap verse already done in a released song, did not seem to strike the right chord in with the crowd.
The Best Lusophone category, picked up by Angola's Cabo Snoop who was also winning the first ever award for his native West African country, was presented by Banky W.

Fally Ipupa

Fally Ipupa was soon to come on stage again to pick the award for Best Francophone but the audience became more interested and animated when Eve sought education from Fally concerning the "Sexy Dance thing" as she calls it.
As predicted by Saturday Independent last week, Eminem, whose resurgence is going very well, clinched the Best International, beating Drake, Rihanna, and Rick Ross but one would always wonder how come Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga did not make the list of nominees in this category.
Although, absent at the awards, Eminem had words of thanks for the organsiers and his fans for his first MAMA awards via a video message.

Cabo Snoop (Angola)

Eldee and Ikechukwu briefly pulled some stunts regarding popularity among the audience and the result putting up Eldee as the winner did not come as a surprise The good time for Nigeria followed as one of the country's best in the female rap circles, Sasha P, as she now likes to be known, was chosen over fellow Nigerian, Nneka, as well as Barbara Kanam and Lizha James, from DRC and Mozambique respectively for Best Female.

DJ Arafat (Ivory Coast), receiving his award.

Sasha, however, seemed pretty surprised to have picked the award going by her level of excitement like a child getting an unusually huge chocolate gift.
The duo of Peter and Paul, better known as P Square continued their attempt at colonising the Best Group category as they have now won the award at all three editions of MAMA so far.
Although, the duo did not make it to the awards ceremony, like Eminem, they had a video recording ready for the organsiers and their fans.

Eve, T-pain & Rossy.

The collaboration of Tuface with South African rock group, The Parlotones, was well on point and if it was a strategy to reflect the fact that he is on top of his game, as he performed with a live band.
Tuface invaded the stage with a jingled performance of 'Only Me', jumping into the crowd, a stunt controversial rapper, Eedris Abdulkareem is noted for.
He was carried around until he was shipped all the way and connected to the next stage, though not without losing a couple of valuables.
He gave it to the fun-crazy crowd as everyone at the venue swayed and excitedly lapped it all up.
With his Artiste of the Year crown up for grab long before the night, as he was not even included in the list of nominees for that category, Mo Hits' headliner, D' Banj would have been hoping to get the consolation of winning the Song of the Year category but even that did not happen as South African pop/R&B outfit Liquideep, with their sweet-sounding 'Fairytale' picked the gong for it.

Eve on the red carpet.

He, however, put that aside when he stepped up to present the award of Artiste of the Year, determined to send the speculations flying again, saying that he and screen siren, Genevieve Nnaji, would make a sexy couple, to which the Nollywood diva said nothing but continued with issues about the award.
The koko master, however, made a good show to acquit himself as a good loser, especially for a man used to accolades but getting none that night.
If there was one category that almost all members of the audience seemed happy with, it was the emergence of Nigeria's young inspiring act, Mo Cheddah as Best New: Act.

Side by side with this, is the moving spectacle presented by the visuals spinning out of the documentary put on the screen for the MAMA Legend category pre-awarded to one of Africa's true legends and late Grammy Award winner, Miriam Makeba, whose moniker, Mama Africa, had at least one of the words forming the name of the awards, in fact the most vital, Africa.
Although, not without some noticeable flaws, the performance of T-Pain, which came as the very last, was great.
It was laced with a lavish dosage of great sounds and energetic dance steps by the American singer and rapper himself and members of his band as he emerged as another act that wowed the audience in a really big way.
It eventually ended with a largely memorable rendition of "Win" featuring Rick Ross, Da LES and 2face in a fitting finale that also drew almost all the winners including the big stars at the venue onto the stage.
The Lagos State Government kept its promise of free flow of traffic, as LASTMA officials were seen staged at positions and working their socks off in controlling traffic.

Side by side with this, is the moving spectacle presented by the visuals spinning out of the documentary put on the screen for the MAMA Legend category pre-awarded to one of Africa's true legends and late Grammy Award winner, Miriam Makeba, whose moniker, Mama Africa, had at least one of the words forming the name of the awards, in fact the most vital, Africa.
Although, not without some noticeable flaws, the performance of T-Pain, which came as the very last, was great.
It was laced with a lavish dosage of great sounds and energetic dance steps by the American singer and rapper himself and members of his band as he emerged as another act that wowed the audience in a really big way.

It eventually ended with a largely memorable rendition of "Win" featuring Rick Ross, Da LES and 2face in a fitting finale that also drew almost all the winners including the big stars at the venue onto the stage.
The Lagos State Government kept its promise of free flow of traffic, as LASTMA officials were seen staged at positions and working their socks off in controlling traffic.
The MAMA 2010 was very hot, the winners really deserve to win. What is your take about this, post your comments below.

Nigeria free downloads: D'banj is here.

Nigeria free downloads: D'banj is here.: "D'banj is here.. Hot D'banj The hot koko master song can be found here, D'banj is Nigeria's music joker. Meet me."

Free 9ja downloads.: .:The Mighty Eldee is here...

Free 9ja downloads.: .:The Mighty Eldee is here...: "The don Eldee is here:.

Big Boy Eldee.
 I have the big boy song you can click her..."

Falling in love? Not for now – Bib Brother Africa (BBA) Winner, Uti Nwachukwu

Falling in love? Not for now – BBA Winner, Uti Nwachukwu

The winner of  Big Brother All Stars, Uti Nwachukwu returned to the country last week to a grand  reception organised by M-net Nigeria.
HVP caught up with him as he recounts  his thrilling experience, while in the house, his aspirations as well as love life.
Hear him….
Welcome back to the country. How did you feel emerging winner of BBA All Stars reality show?

BBA All Stars Winner (middle) Uti

For me, it wasn’t all about the money, but it was about making my country and every other person that supported me proud. I can’t really capture the way I felt in words. I was overjoyed, my head was in the cloud and it was amazing.
How would you describe your  experience in the house?
It was amazing, I had fun. The experience was memorable.
While watching the grand finale, your countenance showed that you were not expecting to win the prize?
I’m a positive thinker. In my heart of hearts, I was convinced I was going to win the show.
But I expressed shocked that God actually answered my prayer; that God was actually listening to me. I was  wondering what manner of God is this, that proved Himself  faithful.
It was a moment of spiritual affinity with my God; that my faith in Him was not in vain after all. That was what you read in my face.
Does it mean you were looking forward to bringing the prize money back to Nigeria?
Yes, I was determined to win the contest. Of course, everybody thought because Nigeria won the contest last year, the country would not win again in this year’s edition.
How come you did not go into a relationship in the house?
It was because I’m a disciplined young man. I was there  for a reason and not the contrary.
I was in the house to entertain Africans and also to showcase the best side of me to the world, and never to derail. Entering into a relationship would cause me to loose focus and I was not prepared to make that mistake.
When you heard of your Dad’s demise, you were in a very low spirit. How  were you able to cope with the sad news given the challenges ahead of you?
It was just God that sustained me. Like I said earlier, I put everything in God’s hands. I remembered that it was the last thing I told my Dad, I was going to do before I left for South Africa.
That made me to feel stronger and the fact that my Mom was watching me on Dstv, I didn’t want her to feel that while she was mourning back in Nigeria, her son was also mourning in the house. That how she saw cope on screen,  would also help her to cope with the situation too.
Who are you going to miss among your fellow housemates?
I’m going to miss Sheila, Mwisho,  Hannington, Lerato and Meryl . In fact, I’m going to miss all the housemates. Yes, while in the house, I missed my family and my friends back in Nigeria.
And you were in the house in 2008, where you happened to be the third housemate evicted. How did it happen?
I have no idea. People said it was because of the glass house incident and many other insinuations But here I am  today. I was never discouraged because I knew I possess some potentials in me.
You said, you didn’t go into any relationship while you were in the house, how come you were  emotionally attached to the Kenyan representative Sheila?
Sheila  is my good friend, and nothing more than that.
Would you agree to the fact that being in the house affected your lifestyle?
Yes, it made me a better person. It also helped me to work with people from different cultural backgrounds; it opened my eyes in several ways. I discovered myself and learn to let everything go, while in the show. I put my trust  in God and He proved me right.
So, being in the house really affected my life in so many positive ways.
Now that the show has  come and gone, what are you planning to do next? How do you intend to spend the prize money?
I’m going back to work; to the television and music. As for how I intend to spend the money, I’m yet to give it a thought. But when I’m through with my family problem, I should be able to ascertain what to do with the money. But at the moment, I’m planning to channel part of the money into a prostrate cancer awareness campaign. Hopefully, I  will be able to get sponsors.
You started off as a banker, and also you read Computer Science under Education. Why did you walk out of the banking hall for showbiz?
I did my one year industrial training in the bank. While the duration expired, I went back to school to complete my academic programme. Though I’d  made up my mind to go into the entertainment business after graduation.  I’m not an office person per se. I like travelling and mingling with other people.
It’s not surprising that you have been clamouring to hit the top, having featured once in the Next Movie Star?
I think I was born to be an entertainer.  Entertaining people is the only thing I see myself doing in life. I just want to make my mark in the industry so that I can begin to earn good money as  an entertainer.
You are handsome and promising, and with a lot of money at your disposal, how are you going to contend with some of your female fans, especially those of them with hidden motives?
The same way I tried to cope, while I was in the house. God is my strength. I don’t have to be sleeping around. I’m going to be honest with people that will come my way. But as for falling in love, I don’t think I’m prepared for it now.
You are in any  relationship at the moment?
Not really.
Meaning there is no woman in your life?
Yes, for now, there is no woman in my life. I was in a relationship that ended in November last year. I’m  not in a hurry to start off another relationship.
What led to the break up?
I had an issue with her that we couldn’t resolve. That was it.
And you are not thinking of going into a new relationship?
Not so soon.
10 things you need to know about Uti
Uti was born on Tuesday,
August 3, 1982
* He’s an actor, TV presenter, model and MC based in
Lagos, and best known as one of the 12 housemates on the third season of the reality television competition Big Brother Africa, in 2008.
*He was the third housemate evicted, on Sunday 5 October 2008.
*He returned to Big Brother Africa in 2010 as one of the 14 “all stars” of Season 5, entitled Big Brother All Stars.
*Uti, appeared in a multi_national billboard ad in 2007, holds a 2_year diploma in Computer Science and Education from the University of Nigeria.
*He was a one_time bank employee and featured on the Next Movie Star, which he finished as the runner_up, before being selected for Big Brother Africa 3.
*He’s a fan of Chelsea Football Club
*He dislikes people going through his stuff, liars, manual labour and arrogant people.
*His favourite quote (“Those who dare to fail miserably are the ones who often succeed greatly”) echoes his belief in life and he says people describe him as a “cocktail of personalities.”
* He’s outgoing and talkative.
[source:nollyzone]

P-Square drops yet another new video.

In related news, Nigeria’s pop award-winning twins, Peter and Paul Okoye have released a new video titled ‘Gimme that’. It was shot in South Africa and directed, as usual, by their brother and manager, Jude Engees Okoye.

P-square

This becomes the fourth video to be released off their fourth LP titled Danger.
Sources close to the twins have confirmed the production of a Video CD compilation of all four videos: Danger, I love You, E no easy and Gimme that and possibly footage from their recently concluded European tour.

With business discussions as regards marketing and retailing currently on-going, the VCD, we gather, will be released in a couple of weeks.

The twins recently completed and moved into their twin-duplex mansion with a swimming pool and underground studio. They also acquired four brand new luxury cars which set them back by a whooping N65million.

The famous singers, choreographers and Glo ambassadors who’s toured Africa repeatedly, are currently on break, getting ready for their next set of engagements as the year draws to an end.

Latest Movie: High Blood Pressure By Teco Benson

 

Teco Benson's High Blood Pressure now showing in cinemas

Teco Benson

LOVERS of Nollywood movies can now enjoy another blockbuster movie at cinemas nationwide.

The movie entitled High Blood Pressure is the latest work of creative and respected movie director, Teco Benson.
Teco Benson and his executive producer/financier, John Okonkwo, owner of Goodlife Production, have sealed plans to storm major cinemas nationwide with the star-studded and suspense-filled political thriller. According to Benson, High Blood Pressure, which was painstakingly shot over a period of six months within the Lagos metropolis, will sensationally begin showing at the cinemas on Friday, March 12, 2010.

The movie which stars Nollywood big names such as Kanayo O. Kanayo, Clarion Chukwura, Lilian Bach, Yemi Blaq, Jibola Daboh, Jim Roach and several others will be shown in cinemas nationwide as well as in Kenya and Ghana.

Speaking briefly on the synopsis of the flick, which he argued would definitely change the political landscape, especially now that 2011 is fast approaching, Benson said: “High Blood Pressure is a film that truly mirrors the dirty politics, shenanigans, betrayal, greed, blood spilling, cultism and the unholy alliances daily going on among our politicians in their desperate quest for power. I'm appealing to our politicians, especially the power drunk ones to watch this movie and help our nation move ahead after 2011. I won't divulge much, so that the real story will not be given away. Immediately after the premiere, we will begin the nationwide showing, for Nigerians and the world to see the best political story ever told by a Nigerian filmmaker,” he said.

High Blood Pressure.

Okonkwo hailed the sterling performances of the major characters in the movie, describing them as exceptional role models and interpreters who truly made Nollywood and themselves proud.

This is a very hot trailer. What do you think, post your opinion in the comment box below.

The unbalanced discovery boosts the unseen blast.

Do not mind this post it is for some other thing. The unbalanced discovery boosts the unseen blast.