Action: Nollywood, Badamasi and National Conscience
By Ngozi Emedolibe
At a certain forum hosted by the BBC in Lagos to interrogate Nollywood’s journey to global relevance, I raised a pertinent point. As a panelist, I maintained (and still do) that the modern film industry came to real reckoning amongst Nigerians when it became the purveyor of heavily-guarded information about the society, more like the investigative journalist. People love information and can pay for it, when anyone is ready to offer it in a dependable and factual way.
Let me illustrate this with the film that (arguably) gave birth to the phenomenon called Nollywood today. Prior to the advent of ‘Living in Bondage’, produced by Okey Ogunjiofor and Ken Nnebue, words were rife that emerging millionaires in the southeast of Nigeria were probably living off the benefits of membership of certain secret cults. It was a rumour, no one truly knew to what extent it held true.
Okey and Ken, stepped in with the brilliant idea to address that information gap. The result was ‘Living in Bondage’, which not only established that there were secret cults but also highlighted the consequences of such fraternities as exemplified by Andy played by Kenneth Okonkwo.
I saw that movie for the first time at an uncle’s house in Mgbidi, Imo State. He owned a VHS player and a colour TV, which was a rare privilege then. And for me, save from the storyline, which satisfied the information gap, there really was nothing to write home about the film. In terms of sound, lighting, directing, all the technical faculties, everything was down the ladder for someone like me who grew up on productions like Hammer House of Horror and CI5 etc. But Living in Bondage’s storyline did not captivate only me but a whole lot of others who could not stop talking about it. It became a hit, availed fame for the actors, spawned sales and ignited a renewed interest in the movie industry as other producers simply jumped on the wagon to spin similar tales.
Overtime, the need to fill an information gap has produced other blockbusters, and Nollywood has done well in being the investigative reporter, in a playful and dramatic manner though, in a country whose press is often gagged, an innate aftermath of long years of military in politics. Productions like ‘Thunderbolt’ by Tunde Kelani, ‘Issakaba’ directed by Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun in one way or the other played this role.
With the advent (or is it reinvention?) of the cinema, some films have continued on this path. There has been ‘Last Flight to Abuja’ by Obi Emelonye, ’93 Days’ by Steve Gukas, ‘October 1’ by Kunle Afolayan, and ‘76’ by Izu Ojukwu; the other breakaway successes the industry has witnessed have come from the romantic-comedy genre.
In spite of this, the film industry still yearns for authentic stories that can fill the information gap of the nation. This is why the announcement that a biopic was being made on Nigeria’s most controversial leader, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida literally broke the internet.
It ought to be so.
General Ibrahim Babangida occupies a unique rung in Nigeria’s socio-political ladder. While being on everyone’s face, he is also distant, mysterious, much like what Michael Jackson held for millions of his fans worldwide. The more you try to know him, the little you understand. So many issues about him have been contrived, distorted, perhaps hyped, leaving Nigerians with an obfuscate personality, most are eager to probe and understand. Reputed to be a major participant in most (if not all) of the coups that have taken place in Nigeria, he is believed to be endowed with a unique vista in Nigeria’s political space and his mercurial nature when it comes to discussing same, roundly compounds issues for people.
As a head of state, who chose to be addressed as military president, his reign, oversaw some of the elemental points in Nigeria’s history, most of which have remained fuzzy till today. From issues about the Nigeria-Biafra War, foiling of Dimka’s coup, sacking of Shehu Shagari and Buhari, to the infamous Structural Adjustment Programme , assassination of famous journalist, Dele Giwa and the chaotic annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election, which left Nigerians with new lexicon, like ‘impasse’ and others, the story of Ibrahim Babangida, cannot but leave so much to be desired. His background, outstandingly lowly, and how he rose to the zenith of political influence in Nigeria, makes him a subject for students of motivational speaking.
In reality, Nigerians have always been looking out for an autobiography from him, which would offer the needed explanations for some of these knotty issues in our socio-political history. This is largely why the film on him, Badamasi: The Portrait of A General, an authorised biopic by international filmmaker, Obi Emelonye is today one of the most anticipated films ever in the history of Nigeria, which is reputed to be the third largest film producing nation. The mixture of drama, education and history therein, captures a larger segment of the society in contrast with the average Nollywood film.
For the regular fans of Nollywood films, the stellar cast, comprising Enyinna Nwigwe, Sani Danja, Ali Nuhu, Yakubu Mohammed, Kalu Ikeagwu, Okey Bakasi, Julius Agwu, Charles Inojie and Anthony Monjaro in this intense military drama, will be enthralling. Outside the regular Nollywood fans, it will avail the history-conscious individuals the opportunity to understand some of the most remarkable events that have shaped Nigeria’s political and historical landscape, as seen through the eyes of some principal characters who overtly participated in these epochal events.
With this in mind, it is understandable why Nigerians are reacting to the news that some forces are working so hard to make sure the film does not see the light of the day after a painstaking three-year-long work. Of course, certain stories are bound to ruffle a few feathers and demystify some interests, but in all fairness, Nigerians deserve to know who has done what in their turbulent history. As the most populous nation in Africa, certain stories need to be told to guide other African nations aright. The onus lies on the subject matter, Ibrahim Babangida to know that Nigerians deserve to know about his years in power, and possibly clear his name of certain malicious misconceptions. Forces may try to obliterate and suppress history but national conscience demands that such interests should be crushed. For Nigerians, Badamasi: Portrait of a General, is a story, whose time is now. They do not want to wait too long, or in vain!