Military Partners Nollywood
THE Nigeria Army has indicated its willingness to assist Motion Picture Practitioners whose movies require military input, such as hardware and materials, logistics, uniforms, locations, barracks and advice. This was revealed when the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Mr. Afolabi Adesanya paid a visit to the Army Headquarters, in Abuja.
Received by the Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel A.M. Olaniyan, Mr. Adesanya, speaking on behalf of Nigerian Motion Picture Practitioners, expressed concern over the non-existence of a formal working relationship between the Nigerian Army and Motion Picture Practitioners, especially in the area of logistic support and issuance of permits. He stressed that he was at the Army Headquarters to solicit for a platform that will provide a more broad and symbiotic relationship that will benefit the nation.
Responding, Col. Olaniyan remarked that the time has come for the Nigerian Motion Picture Industry (as being driven by the Nigerian Film Corporation) and the Nigerian Army to collaborate in areas that will benefit the two parties. Col. Olaniyan averred that, most of what was shown in Nigerian home movies on the Nigerian Army were far from what the Nigerian Army represents. He spoke extensively on the conflict of roles, which had to do with age and physical appearances of actors, wearing military ranks that do not conform to military hierarchy and norms. The host, who attributed this to ignorance on the part of motion picture producers and directors, averred that the officers and men of the Nigerian Army have always been portrayed in bad light unlike their counterparts in Europe and the USA.
The Nigerian Army since 1999, Col. Olaniyan said, has deliberately embarked on the reorientation of its manpower to ensure that public perception about the Army and its personnel are properly situated. This, he said was being achieved through deliberate training and retraining of its officers and men.
Col. Olaniyan further said that the Nigerian Army recognizes the place of film in human development, especially against the background of its combination of sound and sight. This, he said has to be explored especially as the Nigerian Army has now placed a premium on the documentation of its activities and programmes, which include international peace keeping activities. These efforts, he said, was to make the Nigerian public have the right perspective; a more recent and an authentic picture of the Army.
Responding, Adesanya pledged the preparedness of his agency to collaborate with the Nigerian Army to stimulate friendly interaction as well as redress some of the points raised by the host.