Film/Entertainers Award Night: AGN partners Jewel Affairz to recreate AMAA magic in Asaba

* Asaba filmmakers are stepping up; our films are getting better, says Mukoro-Daniels

By Anote Ajeluorou

MOVIEMAKERS and entertainers (music and comedy) in Asaba are set to create entertainment magic on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at Hotel Benezia, Asaba, Delta State capital, when filmmakers in Asaba line up to be recognised for their year-long hardwork in shooting movies that keep millions of viewers entertained across the globe. Tagged ‘Asabawood’ and derided for its movies many say are below par in the art of making cinema, Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Delta State chapter, is collaborating with Jewel Affairz, to organise the maiden edition of Film/Entertainers Award Night to celebrate the hardwork of musicians, comedians and filmmakers working in the state.

In one of her many recent Facebook posts of film celebrities to be recognised, the CEO of Jewel Affairz, Vice Chairman of the branch’s AGN and Chairman of Planning Committee, Tessy Mukoro-Daniels says breezily, “Making someone feel seen, heard and understood is the loudest way to love them!” Mukoro-Daniels, who self-styles herself as ‘First daughter of Isoko’, is making a case of for self-validation of the so-called ‘Asabawood’ filmmakers who receive flaks for the work they do.

“We’re having something like Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA),” she tells TheArtHubNg in Asaba, “our people have not been carried along in the South-South. Being a vice chairman of the state chapter, it’s something we can do to reward ourselves. Film and Entertainers Award Night is not for those in film alone, but for all entertainers, something for people in the South-South to look forward to, so it motivates them to step up their game.”

With the active support of the state chapter’s Chairman Mr. Emma Onyemeziem, no less than 65 entertainers will be given awards in various categories such as Excellence Award that has the state’s former governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Commissioner for Culture for Arts & Tourism Dr. Darlington Nnamdi Ijeh, Commissioner for Housing Hon. Goodnews Angele, Hon. (Dr.) Hilary Obioma, Blessing Tunde Agofure, Dr. Chukwudi Ifekanandu, among others. Legendary Award categories has veteran actors Patience Uzokwo, Ebele Okaro, Ngozi Ezeonu, Tony Akposhwri, Obi Okoli, Joseph Daniels, Ugezu J. Ugezu, MacCollins Chidiebele. Others are Humanitarian Award that has Abraham Oba, Oluchi Amuneke, Pastor Idowu Okeze, etc, Leadership Awards and Actors & Crew Award.

Tessy Mukoro-Daniels (middle) on the set of Love sacrifice with James Akporero (left) and late Hilary Biggie

Although Mukoro-Daniels commendes the former governor of Delta State Sen. Okowa for setting up the film village and leisure park, she laments that the facility has not been of much help to filmmakers in the state, saying the facility has been politicised. She says filmmakers still go to nearby villages to source for apropriate film sets that depict African setting and sensibilities rather than the facility that ought to serve them, noting that the composition of the film village is anything but ideal for moviemaking. The African setting at the film village, she sattes, is surrounded by a mud wall, a concept that is alien to African architecture and so cannot be of any use to filmmakers.

“There are plenty of limitations, restrictions at the film village,” she argues. “It’s being run like a commercial place, it does not encourage filmmakers. It’s a leisure park; those of us in film are not in charge of it. We still run our office from a hotel space. It’s shocking that people doing film don’t have an office there. It’s political, a commercial ground. We are not in charge.”

While there is a booming filmmaking culture in Asaba, people often see films made in the city by the River Niger of low quality and not really up to the standard of what films should be, but Mukoro-Daniels easily counters such negative narrative about ‘Asabawood’ films, saying, “I would say 70 to 80 per cent of films shown on DSTV come from Asaba. As we speak, we have more no less than 15 locations shoots going on in Asaba and environs. People see our films as quack, but we see it as jobs; this is opportunity. This is what is moving plenty of people away from the streets in terms of crime and criminality. Imagine we have a film set where you have more than 30 to 40 people working daily. Most of those Lagos productions are studio-based works, more of editing. But the stories down here are more of African stories, authentic; it’s our day-to-day lifestyle. If you do your research well, you will see that Epic on DSTV has more viewership that all those other channels. Those are our films.”

She argues that Asaba filmmakers are merely responding the economy of scale especially in an environment where access to funding is scarce and producers have to scrap up shoestring budgets to make films, arguing that some critics of Asaba films are actual beneficiaries of films being made there.

“And all those who criticise our films come to Asaba to make films, to get jobs,” she said. “Yet they criticise us; they come to shoot back-to-back for two months; it’s paying them money, yet they criticise us as if we don’t know what we are doing here. It’s really larger than what you see.”

Although Mukoro-Daniels acknowledges the shortcoming of films made in Asaba, she notes that they are merely responding to what the environment dictates, however, assuring that things have begun to change, as refinement is beginning to creep into their cinematic craft.

“Fine, on our part we know that we ought to do better; that there are places to work on to make us grow,” she admits. “We know our flaws; they should also understand that we have our own limitations. How many companies do we have in Delta State as we have in Lagos? Who are the people sponsoring our films here? Where can we individually get N70 million to produce a film? So, we are not really amateur the way they tag us. We have financial limitations. Sometimes, it has to do with people that are involved. Most times it’s our ‘nna bros, how far?’ calling the shots, sorry to put it this way: how much can you put in my film? These are business-minded people; they are not ready to put anybody in a hotel for one month, just to shoot. For what? Two to four days’ shoot is all they can afford.

“So we understand all these things; we know, but when you putting it to us like, ‘Asabawood, Asabawood’, but you will not leave us alone to our Asabawood. Let me also shock you that 70 per cent of those in Lagos now started making films in Asaba here. They will not tell you part of that story. This is where they started doing ‘waka pass’, but as soon as they had a breakthrough they relocated to Lagos. But we know their origin.

“But it’s getting better gradually. There are people making films for RockTV. RockTV has been airing my films over two years now. So we are stepping up; our films are getting better. Not as bad as it used to be.”

Tessy Mukoro-Daniels

Mukoro-Daniels’ film credit as a producer and actor include No to Ese, The Surrogate, Essence of Living, Oniovome and Uvi Otaze.