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Entertainment of Sunday, 4 July 2021

Source: punchng.com

Make movies promoting peace, unity, not rituals – AGN president tells filmmakers

President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas

The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, has urged the Federal Government to leverage the reach of Nollywood to promote peace and unity in the country, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Rollas made the call at the International Summit on Peace and Unity for Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja.

The summit with the theme, ‘Promoting Peace within our Borders’, was convened  by the Chairman of UN Rescue Services, Steve Midalah; National Coordinator of the National Youth Development Project, Bonaventure Chimee; and the ALGON Peace Project, and others.

Rollas noted that there was a need to change the narrative about Nigeria from the worst to the better.

He said, “Film producers should produce films that would promote peace and unity in the country, not only  rituals, love, weddings and what have you, because, without peace, we cannot enjoy love and weddings.

“I want to urge the government to use films as a better medium to promote peace and unity in the country.

“The influence that Nollywood has around the world can be used by the government and its agencies to promote peace, unity and peaceful co-existence.

“It is also necessary to state that many filmmakers in the country are looking for commercial success, thus, they may not venture into propagating peace and unity. The government can fill the gap.”

The AGN president added that the guild remained a change agent, adding that what they did in films was what viewers imbibed in their day to day living and as such,  peace and unity should be preached in films.

Stop disrespecting cinemas, Bimbo Ademoye cautions filmmakersLagos partners EbonyLife, Del-York to train filmmakers Rollas also stated that the advent of social media had further shrank the world as a global village, hence the need for government to use the opportunity to promote the oneness of Nigeria.

He added, “Youths react to what they see on social media. I urge them not to listen to selfish politicians who are after their own personal interests. They tell political lies and post divisive contents on the social media to cause problems.

“We need to douse the tension by telling people the real story via films. We should stop celebrating fantasies and use every aspect of Nigeria to promote Nigeria.

“If there is a negative propaganda about a particular tribe, the government needs to produce a film to tell the true story to enhance peace and unity. It is called ‘propaganda management’.

“If a film is produced about peace, unity and coexistence among different religious adherents and tribes, it will go a long way to change the negative narrative.”