German Consulate General in Lagos Brushed Us But The Show Must Go On!

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German most beautiful city of Frankfurt came alive in a grand dramatic style once again as the 6th annual Nollywood film festival Germany and its sister event Nollywood Europe Golden Awards NEGA 2018 held at one of the most prestigious and impressive event centres in Frankfurt, Germany recently.

However for the very first time in the history of Ehizoya Golden entertainment e.V  and its cross cultural integration programmes, which started since 2003 with regular tour of the EU , the 2018 NFFG/NEGA held  without any single invited stars and journalists from Nigeria present as was usually the case.

No thanks to the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Lagos who denied all the invited guests visa to enter the country and prosecute the show.

As was customary, Ehizoya Golden Entertainment planned a great show for Europe based Nollywood fans with a well-travelled international actor and comedy legend, IGWEMBA AFAMEFUNA KLINT aka Klint Da Drunk who parades valid American and UK multiple entries visas on his passport, fast rising comedian EBOH OGHENERUKEVWE MICHAEL aka Eboh Bomb whose comedy excapades marvel many and Fred Iwenjora, a well-travelled Nigerian culture and entertainment journalist who has vastly  covered and reported culture matters both from the Berlinalle, International Film Festival of  Mannheim and Heidelberg both in Germany,  American Film Market, a culture trip to China  and a host of other events for Nigeria’s national newspapers including Vanguard and The Sun. Iwenjora currently runs a weekly column on Saturday Vanguard (Newsmakers) and also has a year and two years multiple visas respectively that has been well utilized. He was to be Master of Ceremony at NEGA as well as moderate a colloquium on Nollywood at the classy event.

In a dramatic twist, the three big celebrities were denied visa at the last minute to the kick off of the event and all efforts and intervention by Nigerian Ambassador to Germany His Excellency Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, CG in Frankfurt Ambassador S.A Umar deputies – on behalf of the two Ambassadors that were both in Nigeria for Germany Vice Chancellor Her Excellency Dr Angela Markel visit to Nigeria, UK based Former Ambassador to Germany Abdul  Rimdap, New York based former Frankfurt  CG Ambassador John Chika Ejinaka and an award recipient did not bear fruits. 

Despite the fact that the Frankfurt, Hessen State, Germany Ministry of Art and Culture among others were part of the Nollywood programme, not even the written intervention of other well-meaning sponsors and supporters of the yearly event to guarantee the show or the consideration that so much had been invested into the yearly show could change a thing.

Yet, despite these bottle necks, the show ended on a very successful note in fulfilment of the organizers motto. THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

The event started with the screening of top Nigerian film director Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen’s film titled, “Love Birds” shot in Atlanta Georgia USA at the prestigious cinema Film forum Höchst, Frankfurt am Main which was thoroughly thrilling to the diverse audience.

THOSE HONORED

 Among those honoured at this year’s  historic NEGA Awards gala-night event were: His Excellency, Ambassador John Chika Ejinaka from New York, USA “NOLLYWOOD DIASPORA GRAND SUPPORTER” category – for his immeasurable support for Nollywood while serving as Consul General of the Nigeria Consulate general in Frankfurt, Germany and the Belgium based musician Kay Prosper Dede as “NIGERIAN BEST DIASPORA FEMALE ARTISTE” .

Also honoured were Klint Da Drunk and Eboh Bomb who were conspicuously absent to receive their awards of “NIGERIAN MOST CREATIVE COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR” and “NIGERIAN MOST OUTSTANDING COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR” respectively

As expected, the electrifying DEDE KAY, the Belgium base female singer with magical dancing steps stole the show with her performance just like E-Choya also entertained the audience with his latest album.

GUESTS

Among other dignitaries present at the NEGA gala night that was well attended by fans from Switzerland, Holland, UK and Belgium were Nigeria Presidential candidate Mr Fidelis Lawrence-Ekoh and his crew from Belgium, Frankfurt base Engr Iyamu, Mr Kingsley Iyamu and Cyril Oseghale, the CEO of Zurich Lodge Hotel in Lagos among others from Zurich, Switzerland, Ms Barbara Wilson, Antonia Thomas, Kadie Kamara Conteh, pastor Evans and Ms Sandra Hanson – among others from Belgium, Mr. Thompson Abhulimen, Ms Dupe, Iguman, Sister Eunice, Mr Alex Smith and Fred Akoman from Berlin to name but a few.

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT IT

Answering questions from the press after the screening, the cinema director, Mr Peter-Roth Klaus said, “I have been watching so many Nollywood movies online since I met Mr Izoya some years ago but I must confess, this is a master piece of them all. Great story, good directing, good sound quality and superb acting”.
Zurich based Cyril Oseghale, the MD of Lagos Zurich lodge Hotel described Dede Kay honour after watching her performance as a well-deserved honour.

When asked of his assessment about the show after the event. Engr Irabor Odijie said “despite the huge setbacks as explained by the event director, in my own assessment, the organizers got it right this time. I have attended NEGA/NFFG in the last four years but this night was more colourful and more organized with great location, good music by DJ Dee courtesy of DJ Stone and great performance by Dede Kay. Imagine the show that started 8pm last night ended 6am. About the visa rejection, I think it was a miscalculated mistake by the German consulate in Lagos.  Denying all-stars visas despite their status is a slap on Nigeria which our government through the Nigerian embassy must look into because Ehizoya Golden Entertainment has a respected reputation in the integration of Africans with their European friends.”

Responding to the Presidential aspirant Mr. Fidelis Lawrence-Ekoh bitter complained about the dilapidating condition of a suppose rich nation, blessed with population and mineral resources that ought to have been a blessing, has now turn otherwise in Nigeria due to high level of corruption which motivated him in the first place to run for presidency to enable him change the nation for good during Ambassador awards presentation speech. His Excellency, Ambassador John Ejinaka said no nation in the world has ever developed without the participation of those in the diaspora. We are at the cross road in Nigeria and Nigeria needs you more than ever before to move forward.

Donald trump could be 74 years old but forget not that the president of France is 35 years old. Leadership these days got nothing to do with age and that is why the present administration back home has granted a play level field for youths to contest for any political positions and I am glad having one presidential potential standing beside me.

I advise you all in the diaspora not to be too comfortable with the system in Europe and forget home. If those in Nigeria failed in building our country let those in diaspora step into their shoes and do the needful with your collective experiences you`ve gathered in Europe for Nigeria to be great again. The time is now!

For Isaac Izoya of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment, organizers of NEGA/NFFG “To have pulled off a show of this magnitude without our main stars is still a miracle to me so I give all the credit  to God and our dedicated team for their sleepless nights of creativity. The success of this show is a collective effort and that is why we always say – The show Must Go On! The setback we suffered from the German consulate for the very first time since 2003 was shocking and a source of worry but it will not discourage us from the good cultural efforts in promoting the cultural heritage of Nigeria and Germany!”