A Ghana-based Nigerian movie producer, Destiny Austin Omon, has called for more government support for the entertainment industry in terms of funding and by ensuring that any funds deployed to assist the industry get to the real people who need such funds.
The Edo State-born movie icon made this appeal on Tuesday while addressing a cross-section of journalists in Benin over the release of his didactic movie, Badagry, an agglutination of the street lingo, “I bad, I agree’, which will be premiered in Benin City, Edo State capital, on July 5, 2025.
While commending Governor Monday Okpebholo for his administration’s support for the entertainment industry, Omon noted that the Nigerian movie industry had taken the lead in the African continent by taking the lion’s share of the market.
The movie producer, therefore, urged the government at all levels to deploy their resources in identifying young and talented filmmakers who did not have the means to actualise their dreams
“We are here because of a movie we shot in Edo State in March. We had partnership and support from the Edo State Government and the Edo State Waste Management Board. After making the film, we thought it wise to first screen it in Edo State because 90 percent of the crew were recruited from Edo State.
“It is a movie that talks about drugs on the street, slums, prostitution, kidnapping, armed robbery, among other social vices. Although we started shooting the movie before Governor Monday Okpebholo came.
“Now we have a governor who says if you kidnap, I will pull your house down, and the people seem not to understand it or get the gravity of what we are going through. In the movie, you will see what drugs can lead to and how bad the situation is.” He stated.
Omon added that he opted for Ghana to ply his trade because “it is safer in terms of security and lightning compared to Nigeria.” He, however, added that “it is cheaper to make in Nigeria than Ghana.”
He called on the government to reduce the bureaucratic bottlenecks on the ways of filmmakers, saying that, “if not for entertainment, pots of soup for don dey loss for Nigeria.”
Speaking on the movie, Omon said that the thematic preoccupation of the movie centres on “drugs on the streets, slums, prostitution, armed robbery and other social vices bedeviling the country.”
Omon, who is the President of the Ghana chapter of Nollywood, disclosed that “the cast of the movies is 60 to 70 percent Edo and the crew is 90 percent Edo”, adding that the movie was shot in Edo State in partnership with the Edo State Waste Management Board (ESWMB).
According to him, the movie features top artistes from Nigeria, such as the legendary Alex Osifo, Yemi Blaq, Jude Orhorha, Princess Nike Adams and their Ghanaian counterparts, such as Erick Mensah, Christian Alex and a host of talented hands from Edo State.
Credit: Tribune
