Nollywood Has Huge Potentials in Europe – Izoya Isaac

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Edo State born Isaac Izoya has a knack for pioneering initiatives in the film industry. After launching the platform that opened the doors to Nigerian film stars to tour Europe, he is set with Nollywood Festival in Germany. In this interview, with NGOZI EMEDOLIBE he talks about the project, his life and career. Excerpts:

The idea of Nollywood Film Festival in Germany sounds daring. Why take the show to people who don’t have much interest in Nollywood?

I don’t think it is proper to say the Germans do not pay attention to Nollywood. They have recognised that a silent cinema revolution is going on in Nigeria. And they want to know how we are doing it. It seems unbelievable to a lot of them the way we do things and get results. So they are equally enthusiastic to see more of Nollywood. However, I wish to also point out that Nollywood Film Festival in Germany is primarily targeting everyone. Nollywood has huge potentials in Europe.

Tell us about the event?

Nollywood Film Festival Germany – NFFG / Nollywood E-Golden Awards NEGA 2014 is a four-day event scheduled to hold at Hessen’s Filmforun Höchst VHS, Frankfurt, Germany from 11th to 14th September 2014. It aims to create a platform that will facilitate an opportunity for Nigerian directors, actors, film distributors, producers and journalists to interact with their Europe counterparts about the nature and future of Nollywood and the movie industry generally. It will be both a pedagogic and stimulating platform for intercultural dialogue and international exposure. It is positioned to be an annual event dedicated to showcasing the best of Nollywood to the German audience in order to foster international trading and exchange opportunities in this largely untapped market

What other things will be featured at the event?

Aside the performances and the colloquium it is a gathering of African film makers and stakeholders with international interest groups to discuss trends in African film production and trade and proffer solutions

You live in Berlin, the art capital of Germany. Why are you taking this to Frankfurt?

We consciously chose the cosmopolitan city of Frankfurt in consideration of the multi-cultural outlook of Frankfurt and the model role the city is playing in promoting integration as well as the city’s well documented pragmatic policy against racism, intolerance and discrimination. Berlin, a city which shares the above-stated virtues of Frankfurt, was the starting point where I, through the medium of “Ehizoya Golden Entertainment”, first established Nollywood’s active presence in Europe. I started building Nollywood’s presence in Europe in 2002 through Nollywood film productions and promotion shows, stand-up comedy shows, music and cultural road shows across Europe.

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What gave rise to the idea of taking Nigerian acts to perform in Europe?

I was into arts right from my childhood. I was involved in the drama group while I was in the secondary school. When I got a job in Guinness, I was saddled with all those social responsibilities as well. So I have always operated on the social circles, until when I travelled abroad.

Was pursuing your interest in art the reason for relocating to Germany?

Not quite. I left for greener pastures. And after trying my hands on some jobs that did not quite bring me joy, I returned to what I was cut out for, which is entertainment. But the idea of bringing Nigerian artistes to perform in Europe started when I met Lancelot Imasuen, who is like a brother to me. We started the idea together.

You and Lancelot Imasuen were fighting each other sometime ago?

We started the shows together, but we have since gone our separate ways at the moment. I will say there is nothing to talk about that because the only permanent thing in life is change. We did the shows together but we no longer do so now. However, we are both doing well in our various endeavours. I do not have a bad relationship with Lancelot. He is still my friend even on Facebook and I still follow his progress in the world of movie-making. All that happened that made headlines in those days are in the past now.

Take me through the journey of your first show with Nigerian artistes?

My first show in Germany was after I connected with Nollywood’s director, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen who has done well in the Nigeria movie industry. First of all, it was a forum for Nigerian stars to meet their fans in Europe, because as at that time, there was nothing like it. The initial shows had seen star artistes Ngozi Ezeonu, Empress Njamah, Victor Osuagwu, Mr. Ibu, Jim Iyke, Patience Ozokwor, Aki and Paw-paw, Sheddy Baba, comedians like Basket Mouth, Julius Agwu, I Go Dye and host of others in shows across Europe beginning from Germany to Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Greece to Holland.

How much does it cost to put this kind of show together?

It costs a lot of money. You have to put into consideration issues of logistics, which includes flight tickets, hotel accommodation, and in some cases, we make the white people realise how important our artistes are by treating them like real celebrities. Some of them have come here and were driven about in limousines, with body guards, so that the white man would know they should accord them respect. It takes a lot to do all these. When you bring all these aspects into consideration, you will realise it costs a lot of money.

How profitable is it?

Are you talking of profit margin or loss margin? To be frank with you, it is difficult to organise this kind of show and make profit without corporate sponsors or even government sponsorship. Some of my friends from Europe always ask me what my government has been doing to support my efforts, but I tell them nothing and they are always surprised and ask how I manage to do it.

Government support in your private business?

I don’t see it as my business. I see it as my passion. If it was just a business I would have quit since. I am just doing it because I like promoting Nigerian culture, and there is nothing bad in asking for government support to do that. My friends from other European countries get grants for their activities. I have continued to pursue this, because it is my passion. I love what I am doing and I am not in it because of the money. Have you been to the French Cultural Centre in Lagos? Or the Goethe Institute? They are worldwide spreading their countries’ world view through arts. But I have been spending my personal money to create fun for our people without Nigerian government’s support. The Germans will tell you that it’s funny; but it’s the true.

Have approached Nigerian companies?

That is the ultimate goal. The great days are closer, because like most Nigerians resident in Europe would tell me, the show must go on. We will continue with what we are doing. I wish to use this opportunity to state that some of the shows we host in Europe are good avenues for some products and services seeking recognition amongst Nigerians in the Diaspora. The figures at our shows will testify to this.

I heard some of the artistes do not collect fees because of their quest to travel to Europe?

I will just laugh at that. I cannot think of any artiste that would not call what he is doing a job because he wants to travel to Europe. The best they could do is to reduce their fees, when we explain to them how far we go to promote them here, because our activities rub off on them as well. But this is show business. There is the show and there is the business. I will say that I have worked with some artistes who understand my perspective. On some instances, we have had to shoot movies, which I produced and acted in alongside some of these actors. I will say the artistes I work with know my desires; I try as much as possible to bring them into the picture.

What was it like working with Timaya?

As a showbiz promoter, I am moved by the need to create fun and happiness for fans. We had been trying to reach him for a long time because his fans wanted him to come to Europe and entertain. Stories kept coming of how he is rude towards show organisers. But then the people desired to see him. We took the bull by the horns and started discussing with him. We provided him with all he wanted and I tell you he had a great show.

Our show took him to Dusseldorf and returned to the Surprise Nite Club in Berlin, Germany. It was a day after that we took him to Frankfurt and Mainz for the world opening of Female World Cup before moving to Sinsheim, a community near Heidelberg, Germany where he was on hand to welcome the Super Falcons for the Women World Cup that year. It was a great show. We fulfilled Timaya’s obligation and he also fulfilled ours. Let me tell you, our own Abami Eda, Fela always had problems with promoters who didn’t do what he wanted but there were also promoters who promoted his shows and he was on good terms with them.

What is the worth of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment?

It’s worth cannot be measured in terms of euros or dollars. Its value can be quantified in terms of what it has been able to achieve. You see, our inspiration comes from the fact that we believe that arts and culture would sell Nigeria’s image better than all public relation activities put together. It was in 2000 that the idea started hitting my brains. I felt that Nollywood was growing in Lagos and we needed to use it as integration platform for Africans in the Diaspora. I felt that there were so many Africans who hadn’t been home for long and needed to connect with Nigeria. The numbers of white Europeans who storm these shows are not measurable. That means more to me than what the bank account says. Everyone was born for something. The Dangotes and the Adenugas will make their money; the Izoyas will help promote African culture.

What will I do if I want to host a successful show?

There are several factors that produce a great show and they differ locally and internationally. The International promoter must have good records to procure travel documents for his artistes. If you do not have good reputation, the embassies would never give your artistes visas to travel.

Secondly, you must have your contacts right because we have promoted shows all over Europe -Greece, France, Spain, Belgium, Holland; so your contacts matter. Aside from this, your eyes and ears must be on the ground to hear what the fans want. We regularly sound the fans out and give them the artistes they want and these make the shows very successful.

You have not produced a movie for some time?

We are working out the logistics. Everyone is raising the bar in movie-making, so is Ehizoya Entertainment. We have projects lined up in this direction, and at the appropriate time, we will unfold them.

Let us get personal; how is your wife?

It is an area I don’t like dwelling on. I have my kids. Some are in UK, some in the US. The story of my wife is long and boring and we just need to leave it at that.

But you are still a young man? You should have said a young-looking man, not a young man; not when I am thinking of money for tuition in higher institutions for the kids. Honestly, I do not know about the actresses running after me.

ByNGOZI EMEDOLIBE (National Mirror)