Movie producers, marketers rally support for NFVCB ED, Adedayo Thomas

Stakeholders of the movie industry led by Ralph Nwadike, Corporate Pictures boss, Abdullahi Rasak and Nobert Ajaegbu have rallied support for the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Alhaji Adedayo Thomas over the current crisis in the board.

The concerned stakeholders at a briefing noted that not only is someone interested in Thomas’ office, but his battle against pirates may have unsettled corrupt officers within the agency.

Represented by their various associations, and issuing a joint press statement on the matter, the stakeholders called on the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Grace Isu Gekpe to intervene by bringing the petitioners to book, and allow Thomas continue his good works.

In the statement, the stakeholders said Thomas, upon assuming office, “penetrated and orchestrated several raids against pirates in the notorious Alaba market,” a move which “did not go down well with certain staff of the Board who openly expressed their resentfulness and even reached out to some members of the industry to express that the new Executive Director is acting against the norms of contracting staff or the Board to carry out the raids.”

"Aggrieved staff of the board are used to the corrupt regime of disbursing budgets for raids on paper without any practical raid nor effect on the film market.

“We must state and affirm that Alhaji Adedayo Thomas proved to us that government agencies can positively affect the industry – an experience we had last when Emeka Mbah left the Board,” Ralph Nwadike stated.

The stakeholders were led by Ralph Nwadike, President of Association of Movie Producers (AMP); Tunji Ojetola, Vice-president Yoruba Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (YOFIVPMAN); and Emeka Aduah, President of Film and Video Producers and Marketers of Nigeria (FVPMAN).

Others are Igwe Gab Okoye, aka Gabosky and Norbert Ajaegbu (Esq), who are members of the NFVCB’s special taskforce against unlicensed and unclassified movies.

Also at the event, which took place at Ojez, National Stadium, was actor Adewale Elesho and film marketer, Aina Kushoro, aka Kush among others.