Francis Onwochei @60: Revisit abandoned National Culture Policy, Kayode Aderinokun urges FG

By Anote Ajeluorou

THE Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy (FMACCE)) came under intense scrutiny last Sunday, June 8, 2025 at the 60th birthday party and launch of Nollywood actor and activist, Francis Onwochei’s book Evergreen: An Unfiltered Odyssey of Nollywood Emperor held to celebrate prominent Nollywood actor Francis Onwochei at Lagos Country Club, Ikeja. Event chairman, businessman, writer and trustee chair for Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) Chief Kayode Aderinokun saw beyond the glamour on evident display to cut to the real issues plaguing the creative sector and raised alarm about the abandoned National Culture Policy and the need to revisit it since it was last touched some 37 years ago in 1988. Aderinokun said some of the challenges Nollywood as well as other culture sectors face stem from the absence of a policy guide on the direction to go.

A galaxy of Nollywood greats and other Onwochei’s friends and family like Chief Emeka Osai, Professors Barclays Ayakoroma of University of Africa, Bayelsa State and Tunji Azeez of Lagos State University, Ojo, who co-reviewed the book, Evergreen, Fidelis Duker, Ngozi Nwosu, Nobert and Gloria Young to Ralph Nwadike, Segun Arinze, Mahmoud Balogun, Mike Nliam, Tunji Bamishigbim, Kenneth Uphopho, Kingsley Omoefe, Tunji Sotimirin, Jahman Anikulapo, Toyin Akinosho who co-reviewed Evergreen, Kingsley Ogoro, Agatha Amata, Alex O, among many others. The pair of Justice Atigogo and Charles Inojie were masters of ceremony and enlivened the hall with wise-cracks.

According to Chief Aderinokun, “One of the few things we need to say is to revisit the creative arts in general and filmmaking specifically. I don’t think I’m even qualified, but since I have the opportunity, permit me to say a few things. We need to talk about the sub-culture, about the culture that sets most of the people in this room apart. We are the creme de la creme of Nigeria. Today, we don’t even have standard ambassadors in our foreign missions, but who are the people projecting Nigeria? It’s people who are seated here. And curiously, we are still struggling to craft our creative arts policy, which is still in abeyance.”

Francis Onwochei and his sister dancing their way into the hall to his Ubulu-Uku choral music

Chief Aderinokun was full of praises for the creative spirit that could be found in every Nigerian, but lamented that the infrastructure and support to put such creative verve to good use were lacking. He noted that the boundless creative energy of Nigerians would have soared much higher if institutional support such as the one a National Culture Policy could engender was available to tap from, describing those in the room as ‘geniuses’.

“You have to give it to the creative minds of Nigesian,” he said. “There’s nowhere in Nigeria you don’t find Nigerians in one creative endeavour or another. Is it in music, in dance, in drama or is it in creativity in technology, an area where we weather the odds in spite of our backwardness in facilities. But that notwithstanding we are still standing. I think we have to give special commendation to Nollywood, which blossomed from nothing. In those days when Ibukun Orisunye was one of the areas where production was coming out from, the quality was not necessarily what the likes of Francis churn out these days, but you can see the can-do spirit, the never-say-die spirit in those basic productions. Today, we have representatives of these things in every nook and cranny of the world. There’s nowhere you go that they don’t identify Nollywood with Nigeria.

“So, think about what’s available. No power, no support from government yet these are people out there working day and night to produce despite the setbacks. And you know, sometimes when you witness the process of production, you wonder that a one-minute exposure, they might be there working on it for hours until they get it right. I’m surrounded by geniuses; these are people who make something happen out of nothing.”

Aderinokun then urged Nigerian creatives not to despair in spite of the obvious lack, but to continue breaking barriers and doing what they were good at, saying there was so much yet to be done.

“Now, where are we going?” he asked, “I think there’s still a lot of work to be done. We are using this occasion of Francis’s birthday to urge all of us to say there’s a lot of work to be done. We can build this industry into something that would rival Hollywood. After all, how did we get here? We got here with nothing. So if we can get here with nothing, with something, you can now imagine how far we can go.”

Earlier, Chief Aderinokun had made light of his role when he wondered why he was chosen to chair Onwochei’s 60th birth party, saying, “I’m neither a dancer, an actor, a creative person, but I keep very curious company. And one of those curious companies is Francis; they drag me here and there, back and forth. It’s a miracle that I’m still in one piece. So, I think today is a day of celebration for us and Francis. I’m here surrounded by professors and Mahmoud Balogun, and these extremely talented and gifted human beings. The room is full of a galaxy of luminaries and stars.”

While unveiling Onwochei’s Evergreen, Aderinokun describes it as “a story of resilience against all types of odds,” adding, “I particularly recommend it to places of knowledge about Nollywood, libraries, policymakers and all those who determine our future.”

Onwochei was full of gratitude to his friends and family who had come out to celebrate him on his birthday. A scintilating cultural performance from Onwhochei’s native Ubulu-Uku serenaded the actor and his family into the hall, with the party also being enlivened by a live band that pelted old, nostalgic tunes to entertain the guests.

Francis Onwochei (left) and Chief Kayode Aderinokun unveiling the new book Evergreen