WOMEN’S Friday <strong>30</strong> <strong>Mar</strong>ch <strong>2018</strong> BUSINESS DAY HUB Celebrating International Women’s Month NADINE IBRAHIM NADINE IBRAHIM telling enthralling stories through her lens
EDITOR’S NOTE Leading Woman 7 BUSINESS DAY Friday <strong>30</strong> <strong>Mar</strong>ch <strong>2018</strong>WOMEN’S HUB This is the final edition of our International Women’s Month series and it has been an amazing experience. NADINE IBRAHIM, telling enthralling stories through her lens Our cover personality and LEADING WOMAN for this week is the young, focused and intentional Nadine Ibrahim, and she is telling enthralling stories through her lens. Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Yougkeh Tamfuh Rose and Ali Baba, shares with us their views on an opinion that asks if there are more independent women at the top. Jadesola Shawana, is the CEO of Tosh Coconuts Limited. Her expose of the various ways coconut can be used and also its financial advantage is truly enlightening. She graces our ENTREPRENEUR section for this week. KEMI AJUMOBI Coming from a multi-cultural background, she has an international outlook, which has provided her with a vast knowledge of culture and media representations. She thinks up unique ways to execute the simplest and most complex ideas. Nadine has worked on a number of media projects including her award winning short film ‘Through her eyes’ which tells the story of a young northern girl affected by terrorism in Nigeria. She has also worked on Ebonylife TV shows ‘Sons of the caliphate’ and ‘Moving up’. Nadine was associate producer and assistant director on the Nigerian feature film ‘Hakkunde’, which has made it to cinemas nationwide and has been selected for a couple of international film festivals. Hakkunde is an inspirational story of a young graduate from the south who travels to the north of Nigeria in search for a job and a better life. Nadine has been featured on a number of blogs and newspapers nationwide and was listed as one out of three young Nigerian filmmakers to look out for in the internationally acclaimed film website called IndieWire, in their Shadow And Act section. Nadine has previously won awards for her short films at La Independent Film Festival and Equality Film Festival and has been selected for others. She has worked with well-known media companies in Nigeria including Filmone, Ebonylife and core productions. Nadine is currently working on her first feature film and a documentary. In our WORKPLACE PALAVER section, Bisola wonders if she has opened herself up to experience the brutal reality of first impression. How was growing up like for you and how has it helped to influence where you are today? I had a pretty privileged childhood. Both parents were inspirational in their own ways and I thank God daily for their positive influence in my life. I have learnt a lot from them. My parents, especially my mother, cared about the world and helping people so a lot of the time, I was exposed to moving stories that I wanted to shed light on through an artistic medium. Chisom Ogbumuo was at the recently concluded Global Festival of Action and her experience is worth the read. Why the choice of film making? I am passionate about telling peoples stories, it is what fulfils me as an artist. People find fulfilment doing what they love and I am glad that I am doing same. There is nothing as satisfying as doing what you love and loving what you do. These and more we have for you this week! Enjoy! KEMI AJUMOBI kemi@businessdayonline.com Do you get intimidated by those who have been in the industry longer than you have? Intimidated? No! it only motivates me to do better, set my goals higher and higher. If anything, I choose to learn from them and their experiences so I don’t make the same mistakes. Share you experience and involvement with Hakkunde I was an associate producer and assistant director on Hakkunde. It was an amazing experience. It was my first feature film so I learnt a lot. Working on a set in Nigeria is a lot harder than anywhere that I have worked. The challenges you face are much greater. I salute Nigerian filmmakers for their strength and passion for the job because, if there is no passion, you would quit on the first day. I got to meet a lot of great minds that I’m sure I will work with again on future projects. Oluseyi Asurf of course was a great director. Hakkunde is an intriguing story of a young graduate who battles everything (including love, family, discrimination, drug abuse, culture, tradition and self) on his journey to self-discovery and actualisation. The story is characterised by actions and reactions that defines the everyday Nigerian society, with its ups and downs and with a particular focus on the life of a job hunting graduate “Akande” who found himself in totality while searching for a job, and a better life. The script tells a story of the identity of an average Nigerian graduate’s struggle for an identity and livelihood. It highlights the merits of steadfastness, humility and self-denial and also espouses the gains of harnessing opportunities, delimiting the much celebrated mediocrity of high handedness, and divulging the demerits of pride, greed and inconsistency. Listed among three young Nigerian filmmakers in IndieWire’s Shadow and Act section to look out for, what has this spurred you to do? That was a very humbling moment for me. It felt amazing to be recognised by an international platform. Since then, I have gone on to make another short film called TOLU which will be out in April <strong>2018</strong>? I am also fortunate to be a part of a few projects in the works. So please watch this space, more to come. Professional challenges Age is definitely a challenge. Unfortunately, because I am so young, I know people tend to give the opportunities to older professionals with more experience. This is fine because there is wisdom with age. Being a female is also a bit more challenging because it is a male dominated industry. You have to be smart with the way you work. Having said this, I believe everything you set your mind to do is achievable if firstly, you believe in yourself. If you do not believe in yourself, no matter the age, you will never feel capable to meet up with what you want the world to know about what you can do. As long as you can think it, you can do it. Conception of ideas is where it starts from. Experience and responsibilities at Ebonylife TV and Filmone At Filmone, I was a content producer. I produced, edited and directed a number of episodes of the Filmhouse show. I also worked on some scripts at Ebonylife. I was assistant director on ‘sons of the caliphate’ season 1 and ‘moving up’, a reality show. Winnings Both my short films have won awards internationally. It is great to see your films succeed because it gains you recognition and most importantly gives you a platform to share the stories that matter the most. Background My mother is British and Nigerian and my father is Syrian and Nigerian. Why the decision to stick to Nigerian films? I wouldn’t say I am ‘sticking to Nigeria films’, for me films are films. I am based in Nigeria and this is where I live so my films would portray stories from Nigeria but my audience is global. If I get the opportunity to make films anywhere else in the world, I would jump at the opportunity. Film is a universal language. What projects are you looking forward to? My first feature film as Director. I am currently working on it What day in your life is it that you can never forget? It is certainly the 24th of <strong>Mar</strong>ch 2017, the day I married the love of my life. <strong>Mar</strong>riage is indeed an interesting institution and I am glad I am in it with someone who means the world to me. I will choose him over and over again. Nollywood is doing well, in what ways do you believe they can be better? We have great stories! We just need to pay more attention to technical details, better visuals and better sounds. We need to explore our country and show the beauty in it instead of always shooting indoors. We are gifted and creative. He way our mind works tells a lot about what we have within. We can do more and I know we will. Nigeria to the world! Can piracy be truly eradicated in Nigeria? What are your suggestions? It is something to hope for but unfortunately, it is a universal issue everyone is trying to tackle. I think if we make our films more accessible it would help reduce piracy. How are you encouraging other young filmmakers like you? I say to them, ‘Never give up’. Everything in life is a journey. Learn from your mistakes and let that guide you knowing well that mistakes aren’t meant to mar you for life, but to remind you that your mistakes are in the past and that they do not define you. What is the greatest lesson life has taught you? Patience! Everything comes in God’s time.
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