'The Monitor' Premieres On Africa Magic Urban

By Perekeme Odon

Godspower Eazzy Ologe

There has been much anticipation about the film, 'The Monitor' and people from all quarters are very eager to witness the film, hence the grand premiere is to be hosted at 5pm today August 27, 2018 on the stable of Africa Magic Urban (Dstv Channel 153).

The movie which feature Nollywood great Keppy Ekpeyong,  Bolanle Ninolowo, Felix Omokhodion, and also introducing Cassandra Rowland is mind blowing as marketers nationwide are scrambling to have a slice of the action after it was screened two months ago in Surulere, Lagos.

However, for viewers to catch a full glimpse of the movie, tune in to African Magic Urban and catch the latest Nollywood movie in town. Wish you all the best as you watch this life transforming movie with great cast.

Bolanle Ninolowo and Eazzy

'The Monitor', produced and directed by Delta state born filmmaker and director Godspower Eazzy Ologe is a real life dramatic and intriguing story drawn from our day-to-day life style occurrences in our society. Eazzy as he is popularly called started from the ranks and files of filmmaking in 2005 as a production assistant and later trained to be a script supervisor in charge of movie continuities in the Nigerian film industry tagged Nollywood. 

Cassandra Rowland

His continuity works includes 'Dating Games' produced by Chico Ejiro, 'Searching For Husband and 'Stop' produced and directed by Damijo Efe Young. He is also the assistant director of 'Black Cat Angels', & many more. Eazzy is a member of the Directors' Guild of Nigeria (DGN).

(L-R) eazzy, Cassandra Rowland and Bolanle Ninolowo

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT EMBRACES NOLLYINSURED INITIATIVE

By Perekeme Odon

A milestone was initiated on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, when a delegation from NollyINSURED INITIATIVE paid a courtesy visit to the Hon. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture; Mr. Steve Ayorinde at his Alausa office.

Leading the delegation, Mr Fred Amata, the Chairman of the Governing Board and President, Directors' Guild of Nigeria (DGN) thanked the Hon. Commissioner and his team for the warm reception. He enlightened the commissioner the reason and concept behind the initiative; NollyINSURED which was launched on July 13, 2017 and started operation on February 5, 2018 for the benefit of the creative industry practitioners.

L-R: Mr Fola Adeyemi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Aramide Giwanson, Special Adviser, Arts and Culture, Mr Steve Ayorinde, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture and Mr. Fred Amata, President, Directors' Guild of Nigeria (DGN)

Speaking further, Mr. Amata said “NollyINSURED was created to provide quality and affordable healthcare, life / general insurance and pension for creative practitioners across boundaries in Nigeria. So it is in commemoration of the one-year anniversary of NollyINSURED that the delegation decided to pay a visit, seeking full support and participation of the government of Lagos State”.

Mr Amata sought the government's assistance in legislating a law that provides for protection of practitioners through a robust welfare scheme, making it mandatory that every production practitioner (television, film, radio, theatre) provides the needed health insurance package for cast and crew.

Mr. Mathias Obahiagbon Addressing The Sextion

The Hon. Commissioner, Mr. Steve Ayorinde expressed his appreciation that some of the sections in the creative industry could set aside their ego and usual bickering to establish such laudable concept like the NollyINSURED INITIATIVE.

L-R: Mr Fola Adeyemi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Aramide Giwanson, Special Adviser, Arts and Culture, Mr. Fred Amata, President, Directors' Guild of Nigeria (DGN) Steve Ayorinde, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture and Mr. Matthias Obahiagbon; Executive Secretary (NollyINSURED INITIATIVE)

The Hon. Commissioner made a firm statement to say “the government will support such progressively inclusive initiative of the creative industry, hoping that as many others as possible should be a part of the scheme”. He furthermore requested to have details of the event once a new date has been fixed after the sudden postponement of the earlier scheduled NollyINSURED week due to the forthcoming Sallah holiday.

In attendance with the Hon. Commissioner at the meeting are; Mr Fola Adeyemi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Aramide Giwanson, Special Adviser, Arts and Culture and other government personnel.

Members of the NollyINSURED delegation are: Yinka Oduniyi; President (ITPAN), Emeka Aduah; Chairman (FVPMAN Lagos State) and his Secretary; Anthony, Ms. Ngozi Ogbonna; President (AVOA), Chimobi Nwosu; National Secretary (CSN) Makinde Adeniran, Chairman (NANTAP Lagos State), Uzo Okafor (Leadway Pensure) and Matthias Obahiagbon; Executive Secretary (NollyINSURED INITIATIVE

PRESIDENT FRED AMATA CHARGES MEMBERS TO ALWAYS MAINTAIN STANDARDS

By Perekeme Odon

The President of the Directors' Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Mr. Fred Amata arrived Edo State via the Benin airport to his hotel in the early hours on Sunday evening, and without much ado, he went into the business of the day.

(L-R) Mr. Fred Amata, DGN President & Mr. Davidson Izegaegbe, DGN Edo State Coordinator

While welcoming the President to Edo State, the coordinator Mr. Davidson Izegaegbe stated that the arrival of the President was timely and most important in view of the progressive agenda put at the floor for discussion.

Billy King set the ball rolling by reviewing what steps could be taken to make other states DGN members be actively involved in the mainstream of NOLLYWOOD activities.

The President, Mr. Fred Amata said that Nollywood is bigger than we think or visualize because the business of filmmaking is beyond a locale hence the need  to constantly ennoble the DGN whenever the tools of filmmaking is at our reach. He assured that with the work on the various locations in Edo State, mainstream Nollywood seem to be in Benin now. He stressed that the structure on the ground in Benin will take everyone by storm.

He said further that our prestigious guild is very far from where it started and almost getting near where we are heading, sighting teething problems as springboard for writing the page of success in the book of history.

In addition, the Benin Zonal Coordinator, Davidson Izegaegbe said that part of the teething problems before now was information disseminations which somehow made "hoarding of information" key to making progress slow but for the internet which has made the world a global village, with preproduction, production and post production dynamics now at our finger tips.

Mr. Peddie Okao a producer/director of repute also buttresses his point by referring the DGN President to an industry blueprint/template developed by Edo State to stir the ship of our filmmaking business to glory.  He talked on aspects that have taken care of distribution, marketing, film village for practitioners, guilds/associations structures, and the need for our indigenes in diasporas who are into filmmaking to take advantage of the vast opportunity for investment in the film industry.

He furthermore advised on the need for DGN members to put in their best in every production irrespective of the language or locale it is shot since filmmaking cuts across language barriers. He concludes that Edo will soon be the much desired Nollywood destination. 

In conclusion, the President expressed his joy in seeing that the Benin Zone is well organised and focused in articulating the policies of the DGN executives and the industry in general. He enjoined all to always maintain the standard of DGN and remain good ambassadors of this guild of honour.

The President was later ushered into a film premier room at the ISNO Hotel , and taken to a location where a film shoot by Billy Kings was holding, and was later hosted by the management of Hexagon Entertainment Center in the heart of Benin.

The 4-day visit to Benin Zone by the President, which commenced on Sunday August 5 to Wednesday August 8 2018, is one of very many to happen within the year as already scheduled by the Zonal Chapter of the DGN in Edo State.

In his address to the new appointees, the President, Fred Amata, congratulated the Coordinator, Davidson Izegaegbe and the Secretary Johnbull Negbenebor, and thereafter tasked them to uphold the tenets of the guild.

The President also seized the opportunity to congratulate all the newly appointed committee members, Zonal coordinators and Secretaries. He enjoined all to see the task of building the guild as a duty that must be done. He reminded the guild that as custodian of the film art of Nigeria the prestige and integrity of the guild should be made manifest through their dedication and commitment.

The President said he was happy with the role played by Benin Zone members in creating the Movie Industry template for filmmakers in Edo State, and said that his visit to the Zone is one of many to come help sustain a viable movie industry in the State.