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In a powerful address at the recent book unveiling of ‘Making Movies the Nollywood Way’, top legal mind Dr. Muiz Banire SAN called for an urgent revival of the reading culture in Nigeria to correct societal ills.
The book, published by Best of Nollywood (BON) founder Seun Oloketuyi, served as the perfect backdrop for Dr. Banire’s plea, and was launched on Sunday, September 7 at the Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos. The event also coincided with the author’s birthday, making it a double celebration.
According to Dr. Banire, who shared a personal anecdote to illustrate his point, he recalls how he felt when he gifted copies of the King of Dubai’s memoirs to friends aspiring to be governors. To his dismay, upon follow-up months later, he discovered most of them had not read the book.
This underscores his sentiment on why reading culture must be revived to both document and instruct.
Echoing this sentiment was the immediate past speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuforiji, who lamented that many successful Nigerians fail to document their experiences for the benefit of others. He described Oloketuyi’s book as a commendable effort to deepen knowledge within the creative sector.
“I strongly believe one of the greatest problems facing our country, particularly this generation, is that we don’t read and we don’t write. In the past, even when there weren’t enough books, people still read and had a better knowledge of society. Today, despite the presence of social media, reading culture remains weak. Writing books like this is a way to preserve knowledge and reflect what is really happening in our society.
“Nigeria is a big nation blessed with so much, but unfortunately, we hardly document anything. We lack the necessary data and statistics about ourselves. Because of this, rumours easily spread someone says something, another repeats it, and it becomes accepted without verification. Proper documentation through books is a way to counter misinformation.
“During my time in office, a colleague, also in the government read my résumé and was surprised, saying, ‘Mr Speaker, I didn’t know we had such educated people in the House of Assembly.’ This was because many people assume those in the House of Assembly are semi-illiterates. We must rebuild a culture of reading, writing, and documentation if we want a better future for our country. Read it, digest it, and share the knowledge gained.”
The author, Seun Oloketuyi, explained that his goal for the book is to serve as a tool for young, aspiring creative minds, offering them a chance to learn and be mentored by successful industry practitioners profiled within its pages. The book received praise from featured filmmakers like Biodun Stephen, Zik Zulu Okafor, and Yemi Morafa, who commended the publisher and acknowledged the significant role the BON Awards have played in their career development.
While speaking at the event, the filmmakers credited the author’s tenacity and passion for Nollywood’s continued growth.
According to Yemi Morafa, “film is not void of the environment it’s in. The stories we tell are shaped by the society we live in, and the knowledge we carry. It is crazy making a film in Nollywood; every filmmaker can testify to it. So for someone to talk to 21 filmmakers with different experiences in one book, it’s powerful.”
Biodun Stephens on her part took time to thank the author because “He’s been such a believer in my work. From my very first film, he kept reminding me year after year to submit my work for BON Awards. He has always supported me, and honestly, I don’t know what he sees in me sometimes, but his encouragement has been priceless.
“I remember when I got back from film school, I realised that everything we were taught abroad is not how it works here. Nollywood is such a tedious industry, it is only passion and love that keeps you going. Making a film in this terrain is tough. I’m happy that Mr BON has documented our struggles, our story. You cannot learn what we know from the academy, you can only learn it by experiencing it. This serves as a foundation for young and emerging filmmakers.
Filmmaker, Zik Zulu in his statement shared that he always saw ambition in the author.
“My first impression of him was of a very young person who, at first glance, didn’t seem old enough or strong enough for such a massive responsibility. But as I observed, I realised there was ambition, courage, and a deep conviction about what he wanted to achieve. I saw grit, hunger and determination in him.
“Support is the meaning of our industry. We started film with money we got from our parents, from the pocket of our brothers. So, Nollywood has been a long walk through the Golgotha. But today, Nollywood has written the story of Nigeria.”
The event, which was anchored by Gbenga Adeyinka D 1st also had in attendance a host of dignitaries, including representatives of Oba Saheed Elegushi and Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism Toke Benson. The gathering also saw the presence of actress Biola Adebayo, Barrister Pelumi Olajegbesi, Gboyega Akosile, Barrister Adetunji Adegboyega, Hon. Desmond Elliot, and other prominent figures, all united in celebrating a publication aimed at fostering knowledge and growth in Nigeria’s beloved film industry, Nollywood.