13102019

More documents

Recommendations

Info

PAGE 22— SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 13, 2019 By Josephine Agbonkhese 08054650907 Email: jossynovia@gmail.com CHIOMA UDE: I was concerned about Genevieve Nnaji Elegant, innovative and yet very unassuming. That’s Chioma Ude, the Executive Director of Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF; one of the most celebrated film festivals in the African creative industry. childhood A is cinema watching enthusiast movies, whose Ude’s favourite passion for pastime films since sparked off a yearning to support the growth of the industry and that culminated in AFRIFF nine years ago. The graduate of marketing who is poised to develop the film industry so that it competes favourably globally, is one of the very few influential female executives on the African entertainment scene. She spoke to Sunday Vanguard. Excerpts: Why AFRIFF? I’m a people’s person who cares a lot about people. My major reason for setting up the film festival was to improve the industry. Hence, I founded AFRIFF in 2010 after speaking with film makers. I own a logistics firm and was already involved in a couple of activities in the industry in that capacity prior to 2010. For example, I was involved in the production of the 2007 Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, road show which held in the UK. Also, in 2008 and 2009, I produced the Africa Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, Charity Benefit. I actually designed that initiative as an annual Corporate Social Responsibility project for the Africa Film Academy. After producing a number of highly successful film premieres, in 2009, my team got recruited as local producers for the ION International Film Festival, IONIFF, which held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. IONIFF is a global tour whose objective is the promotion of global awareness and peace through arts, culture and films. AFRIFF, on the other hand, is a world class showcase that presents a complete immersion into the world of film making with participation from local and international actors, directors, scriptwriters, cinematographers, sound engineers, musicians, editors, light engineers, students, equipment manufacturers and businessmen. It also features an award session annually. …but how precisely are you “improving”? I’m doing this through the provision of free capacity training. I actually sourced for fund, put together international facilitators, and began training people across the industry’s value chain. And as we did that, more organisations started coming in to partner us. Ford Foundation came on board and we started sending the best students to America to hone their skills. Later, the French government came on board and best students also started going to France. Another institution also came on board and suggested that we needed to teach co-production and now, the students go to different countries. In return, I also accept students from different countries. I provide them with accommodation throughout their stay in Nigeria. I’m very bad with publicity, so, people don’t even know we do all these. This year, something great and different is coming for the students. This will however not be announced until it’s been signed. What inspired your passion for films? I think it is inborn. Nothing inspired me. I lived in America for many years and in all of those years, I did only three things— went to work, church and watched Nigerian movies I’ve always loved films and television; I don’t go out on weekends. I just sit at home and watch movies; everybody who knows me can attest to this. Also, I lived in America for many years and in all of those years, I did only three things—went to work, church and watched Nigerian movies. I actually studied nursing in the US, worked as a nurse for ten years and later established a recruitment firm which staffed hospitals with nurses. For me, I’ve always wanted to do something to improve the industry, like I said earlier. It’s so funny but I remember I was watching a movie many years ago and saw Genevieve Nnaji’s face looking rough. She was still very young at that time. I went online and ordered quality facial products, and then sent them to my sister in Nigeria so she could help look for and deliver them to Genevieve. I’m sure she never did though. I’ve always had a strong interest in being part of the industry. I’m naturally a shy person, so, I knew I wasn’t going to be in front of the camera. Fate played its role and somehow, I found my footing in the industry. Do you find this fulfilling? I enjoy every minute of it even though it’s very hectic. We had over 4000 films submitted ahead of this year’s edition for example and we had to view every single entry. I’m also very happy because Nigerian submissions were over 400; that’s the highest we’ve ever had in the history of AFRIFF. Nigeria’s film industry is actually going places and getting better and better. …and what will be significant about this year’s edition of the festival? I’m excited about every edition but this year’s which will run from 10 to 16 November excites me especially because it has a strong emphasis on women. This is currently the narrative around the world; we have to improve the lives of women. With more women empowered, hopefully, we could make a great change. So, this year’s theme, SHEROES, emphasizes this. We are focusing on more female films, more female directors, and then going forward, our training has to include 60 percent female. I’m grateful to the US Consulate, Access Bank, National Film Video Censors Board, Filmhouse Group and Century Group for supporting this event. I am also very excited that this 9th edition of the festival will witness the launch of my baby, nvivo TV. Yearly, we have so many •Chioma Ude short films come up at the festival; which are not monetised. I’m very entrepreneurial and I believe people have to make money from their works and efforts. Right now, we own a cloud and we are launching the TV in November. In clear terms, how will AFRIFF 2019 manifest its focus on women? The opening night film, Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts’ FOR SAMA, is very female focused. The director is female and the story takes us on an intimate and epic journey into the female experience during war. The closing film, Akin Omotoso’s THE GHOST AND THE HOUSE OF TRUTH, has two strong females; including the lead character. It also has a female police officer who is very reflective of what we’ll like the police to look like. Most films are directed by men but we were eventually able to have 30% women on our list. That is still very far from our aim of having 50 percent women representation. What are you doing to improve the morale of works churned out by the industry so they impact on young minds more positively? That’s why we keep training. And then now, with co-production, things are definitely going to get better. Co-production gives you a different look and feel into another world. So, you see what the French do, what the Senegalese do, and so on. Therefore, you want to do things differently. So, there’s a lot of empowerment and exposure for us as Nigerians. In fact, the first time we sent students to America, they were shock to find out that they would be doing documentary filmmaking—which is very big on social change; you know we aren’t used to it here. What has sustained the vision since inception? Passion and great friends. People from the creative industry have been fantastic. I tell you, it could be very frustrating doing stuffs in Nigeria but if you are dogged at it, more people will key into your vision.
SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2019, PAGE 23 08112662589 When to go for ‘off the shelf’ sex! Ray was in his rented apart ment and in a pensive mood. The rent would soon be due and he was damned if he knew where his next Naira was coming from. Feeding on remnants that would make a beggar squirm, he suddenly heard a rap on his door. Might be another friend wanting a freebie so he didn’t answer the door. “Rayyy ...” an excited female voice called. Suddenly, Ray sprang from where he was sitting – his spirit up. It was a friend of several years at the door. Marian, in her late forties was married to a very rich older man. She had this arrangement with Ray where she dropped by any time she was `free’ to play house. True to the agreement, she came laden with all manner of foodstuffs. In a short while, she’d whipped up an amazing pot of stew, some foodstuffs to go with it and a couple of wines chilling in the fridge. “By the time she left, I’d had my most decent meal in weeks, more foodstuffs to last a few months and enough money to pay the rent. As she got ready to leave, I asked her when next to expect her, and she shrugged. Fool me, to have asked. I knew the rules, but I left used somehow. The relationship has always been on her terms and she’s so generous I couldn’t ask her to go and take a jump. Toy boys used to be a joke thing, but these days, they’re not called that any more – they’re known as joy boys. They don’t stand around on street corners with hand bags”, observed Kate, a constant user of joy boy, ‘they lurk around posh parties and gatherings and try to convince women that they fancy the pants off them. And they look for obvious targets – bored society w9omen with a lot of money to burn. “Thanks to such men, I could get a man any time I want – just like a supermarket. So when I find the one I fancy, I pay the price and take ìt’ home. If ìt’ lives up to expectations, I keep ìt’ for a couple of weeks, give ìt’ a bonus and put ìt’ back on the shelf for someone else to sample, I never keep in touch and don’t get involved with his life. Some people think this is sad or even shocking, but it suits me. “I’ve seen a lot of my friends get their hearts broken because they fell for men who only wanted their money - any sane woman must wonder why a good looking young man who could get any girl is chasing after a woman old enough to be his mother. So, I make it clear from the start that I don’t want any lies or promises, just a good time. If they keep their part of the bargain, I give them a nice little present at the end of it. Then I go home and forget about it till the next time”. “I think it is about time this society had male brothels – what you call dating agencies abroad”, observed a rich female politician who says she’s a sex addict. “It’ll make sex readily available for women looking for nothing but pure fun. As long as you’re not looking for a faithful or a permanent relationship, you can have a great time. It’s when you start to believe the lies that it can all go horribly wrong. I detest the `love you’ con. I know of so many women of all ages who have fallen for it, parted with huge sums of money to help the con men’s business, or whatever, only to find out they never meant any more than hard cash to their supposed loved ones. It must be soul-destroying to discover that what you thought was a loving relationship was a complete lie from the start to finish. It is fraud or deception and it should be made illegal, with hard sentences for those found guilty. To see women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s and 70s being exploited by these gigolos who get their money by deception, is sad. What these young studs need is a good, reputable madam to organise their services in a way in which both sides would profit - open and above board, with good advice on safe sex, regular HIV/AIDS and STD testing and a good income plan – so they can stop being so desperate. “Anyone who has had sex with a toy boy has paid for it one way or another”, observed Chinyere, a fairly successful lawyer. “Yes, I have paid for a good session from time to time, and yes, it is worth it. The way I see it, I like a good bottle of wine, so I don’t buy plonk. When I can afford it, I even treat myself to the odd bottle of chilled champagne – that is quality stuff. It’s the same with sex. “A few years ago, I had the opportunity of meeting a virgin. When I met the chap, he was shy and naïve, in spite of his physique and good looks. I never realised he was a virgin, if I had, I might have thought twice about bedding him. Still, it was worth it just to see the way he got excited when he got to my bedroom. Before I knew it, it was over. “A couple of weeks later, he was doing quite well. He was a quick learner and always trying to please. Before long, we were on four or five times a night. Unfortunately, he had some smart Alex friends teaching him how to get the most from our relationship. It wasn’t long before he was talking about buying a car. So hat was the end of a beautiful relationship. He can find someone else to practice his newly acquired skills on. It would take a better man than him to part me from my hardearned cash. “After all said and done, paying for the services of a joy boy is very gratifying. No matter how old you are, or what you look like, if you can’t score with a joy boy in spite of your money, it is time to order the coffin. But then, if you get one who can keep going all night, you might have to do that anyway. What a way to go”. Loud Whispers With Erelu Bisi Fayemi Red Tomatoes Sharon did not know how long she had been asleep for. She listened to the voices of the nurses in her room and the sounds of the medicine cart they were wheeling around. One of the nurses asked her if she would like to eat anything. She shook her head, but the nurse reminded her that she had to take her next round of drugs within the hour. Her cousin Tiwa who was there urged her to have some bread and tea. Her head started to throb and she felt a headache coming on, but she was happy that she could actually feel something. It was a good sign. She had been a happy child, her parents were model citizens and she did not lack anything. She had an older brother and a younger sister. Sharon never wanted to share toys with her sister so they fought all the time. When she was around seven years old she got into a fight in school. Her parents were invited to a meeting to discuss the matter. Sharon’s teachers were very concerned that she had beaten her classmate so much that she needed stitches on her face. Her parents glanced at each other. This was not news to them. Sharon could be as sweet as candy one minute and fly into a violent rage the next. Her parents were always concerned about her, but people told them that she was just spoilt and used to getting her way. One of her Aunts told her mother, ‘Don’t let that girl push you around. She needs to learn what it is like to be a woman. If she does not watch her ways her husband will beat her daily, no man will put up with that behaviour’. Her paternal grandmother took her to a one week ‘deliverance’ camp somewhere in Kwara State when she was twelve years old. She dutifully followed her mother and both her paternal and maternal grandmothers to ‘consult’ with strange people. On one of such visits her head was shaved and she was given incisions with a razor, on another occasion she was bathed at a river with a local sponge known as ‘kankan’ which hurt like hell when she was scrubbed with it. Her mother fasted and prayed ceaselessly, convinced that her daughter was the victim of a spiritual attack. Her father did not always agree with her mother’s actions but he kept his peace to avoid quarrels. As Sharon grew into a teenager and then a young woman, the pattern was the same. She did well academically, she became a Lawyer, but she hardly had any friends. Sometimes she was happy and warm with everyone around her. Within an hour she was in a shouting match with someone. She could go for days without talking to anyone, so she got used to her own company. She loved to write and to draw and for days, she would stay cooped up in her room. There were times when she did not feel like writing or drawing anything so she would just lie there staring at the ceiling. She saw a number of Doctors who advised therapy and prescribed medication but avoided telling her anything specific. Some of the medication made her feel too lethargic for her liking so she stopped taking it. When one Doctor told her very cautiously that she seemed to be suffering from depression, when she got home her mother told her that Nigerians do not have time to be depressed. After living at home for a year after Law School, she decided to move out and rent a place with one of her cousins Tiwa. Of all the people around her, it was Tiwa who ‘got her’. When people started going on about Sharon and her moods, Tiwa would tell them to leave her alone. She would sit with Sharon for hours, and if Sharon was writing or drawing, Tiwa would read. In their silence, they forged a bond that would prove to be a lifeline Sharon could count on in the years to come. Sharon dated every now and then, but she was always afraid that she would never be found worthy enough of any lasting relationship, so she would find an excuse to end things before they got too serious. Tiwa would try to convince her to learn to let go and trust someone but Sharon was too scared. Sharon worked for the Judicial Service Commission of Menge State. One day she overheard two colleagues at work talking about We have all met a Sharon. We probably have a Sharon as a friend or relative. We might even recognise her in ourselves. It could be a Joseph. Their gender, age, ethnicity, race, or social status does not matter. They need more than prayers and ‘deliverance’. her. One of them said, ‘Se Sharon, omo were yen. Eni ti o ye ko wa ni Aro’, ‘You mean Sharon, that mad girl who is supposed to be in an asylum?’ Sharon walked into her office and picked up her bag and went home. She said nothing to her colleagues because she felt nothing. She remembered going into the kitchen and slicing tomatoes for an omelette. She wondered why the tomatoes were so red. So red. A lot of red. Tiwa found her on the kitchen floor. That was eight days ago. Sharon took the painkillers from the nurse. Over the years the counselling, therapy, dietary changes, exercise and avoiding triggers had helped, but no one had spelt it out. Was it fear of stigma, ignorance, or denial ? Perhaps it was a combination of all of those things. Now, at the age of twenty-six, after a suicide attempt, Sharon Marinton, a bright Lawyer with a creative spirit was formally diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. Sharon started to cry. Tiwa got up and held her hands gently, careful not to touch her bandaged wrists. ‘Don’t cry. It is not the end of the world. You will be okay, at least now we know for sure’. Sharon smiled. ‘I am not crying because I am sad. My enemy now has a name. I am not afraid anymore. Now I can love the most important person in the world ’. ‘Who is that? I didn’t know you were seeing someone’ Tiwa said. Sharon went on, ‘I used to hate myself. I was repulsed by my own behaviour, I used to blame myself for my moods, my inability to have friends. Now I know it is not my fault. I have bipolar disorder. I will have good days and bad ones, but I will be okay. I will have a life. Now I can love myself. Then I can love the world’. We have all met a Sharon. We probably have a Sharon as a friend or relative. We might even recognise her in ourselves. It could be a Joseph. Their gender, age, ethnicity, race, or social status does not matter. They need more than prayers and ‘deliverance’. A strong support system, empathy, compassion and sustained interventions by qualified medical personnel are very important. Let us think about this as we mark World Mental Health Day on October 10th. Have a great week. •Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Gender Specialist, Social Entrepreneur and Writer. She is the Founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online community for women. She can be reached a t BAF@abovewhispers.com
Page 2 and 3: PAGE 2—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 1
Page 8 and 9: PAGE 8—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 1
Page 10 and 11: PAGE 10- SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 1
Page 12 and 13: PAGE 12—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER
Page 14 and 15: PAGE 14—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER
Page 20 and 21: PAGE 20 — SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBE
Page 24 and 25: PAGE 24 - SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER
Page 26 and 27: PAGE 26 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBE
Page 30 and 31: PAGE 30—SUNDAY VANGUARD SPECIAL S
Page 32 and 33: PAGE 32—SUNDAY VANGUARD SPECIAL S
Page 44 and 45: Page 44 —SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER
Page 46 and 47: 46 — Vanguard, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13
Page 48: SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 13, 2019 S

13102019

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?