Emeka Ike Tasks Tinubu On Campaign Promises At First Anniversary

Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike has called on President Bola Tinubu to honour his campaign promises to the creative and entertainment industry, as he marks his first year in office on May 29.

The veteran actor, while speaking on Tuesday expressed optimism that the administration of President Bola Tinubu will transform the entertainment and creative industry.

The 57-years-old noted that the “economic confusion” left by the former government made it too early to evaluate the progress made so far by the present administration.

Ike, then urged Tinubu to implement policies that support growth and development for artists and producers nationwide.

He said, “Yes, l see it coming. Considering the huge economic confusion left behind by the last administration, it will be trite to expect too much in 1 year. He (Tinubu) is a development oriented leader, putting in mind his developmental layout for Lagos state, which is fast changing the periscope of our old Lagos. Yes, he has the campaign promises in mind and will achieve it in due time.”

Emeka Ike stressed that the president needs to build Nollywood a film village to enhance the growth of the entertainment sector.

He continued saying, “Giving Nollywood a contact address. My friends in Hollywood always ask the question “where is Nollywood contact address?” We need to situate and properly institutionalise the entertainment industry. Foreign companies, coming to film in Nigeria, cannot be properly taxed as it were today.

“We still run our old individual production houses, studios and an unorganised entertainment system. The existing Abuja film village is not properly synergistic with Nollywood. We barely know if it exists, how it works and our due interest in it all. The film school in Jos is totally a government affair. Our concerns are not integrated into their scope of operations. Hence, we will need an entire ‘film village’ to call our contact place.

“So, l urge His Excellency president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to not relent on his campaign manifesto, to build us an altra modern film village, to house our movies and music hubs in Nigeria, as it exists in Hollywood. Then entertainment GDP will astronomically rise in our economy.”

The Nollywood actor further condemned the interference of the National Film And Video Censor Board (NFVCB) in the creative process of movie production following the board’s recent campaign for the ban on money ritual and smoking scenes in movies.