By Nicholas Kalu, Abuja

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Femi Gbajabiamila, has urged the Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood, to use their platform to tell the best stories of the country.

The Speaker said the industry has the responsibility to tell stories that inspire goodness, motivate thoughtful acts, encourage fraternity, and uplift the human condition.

This was as the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ejezie Emeka Rollas, called on the Federal and State Governments, as well as high networth individuals, to invest in the Nigerian movie industry to enable practitioners tap into the unlimited opportunities available.

Both men spoke at the opening of a two-day leadership masterclass training for Nollywood actors at the GOTNI Leadership Centre organized in partnership with the Everight Diagnostic and Laboratory Services Ltd in Abuja on Friday.

Gbajabiamila said, “Beyond the questions of economics and profit, there is the issue of the critical role of Nollywood in influencing culture, defining national character, and promoting national identity. As actors and entertainers, you directly exert tremendous influence on the lives of hundreds of millions of Nigerians, who are impacted by the roles you play, the stories you tell and the realities you explore in your movies.

“This is power. And with power comes a responsibility to tell stories that inspire goodness, motivate thoughtful acts, encourage fraternity, and uplift the human condition. You also have a responsibility to tell the best stories of our beloved country. I do not propose to turn you into cheerleaders for a Nigeria that does not exist. But the stories of men and women thriving through adversity and innovating for prosperity needs to be told, and it falls to you to tell those stories.

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“I hold in my heart a fundamental belief that our highest aspirations for Nigeria can only be achieved by the combined effort of patriots working together to make real the vision of a prosperous and peaceful country. You have shown through your dogged pursuit of success that you represent the best of the Nigerian spirit. I call on you now to rise to the higher calling and join in the joint task of building a nation we will always be proud of.”

He lauded the movie industry, saying with talent, fortitude, and extraordinary resilience, they built a globally competitive entertainment industry despite the unique challenges and constraints of the environment.

He assured that the 9th House of Representatives stands ready to develop and advance practical, proposals to advance the cause of the entertainment industry and ensure that the industry continues to contribute to the socio-economic advancement of Nigeria.

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rep Ndudi Elumelu, said Nigerian films must deliberately promote unity as a people.

He said it should encourage actions that spur mutual understanding, harmonious co-existence and forcefully show the quest for peaceful society where economic and social activities thrive.

“I know this is a tall order, given the social, religious, political and ethnic-based challenges we face as a nation today. However, with the determination and zeal I see in this hall, I have no doubt in my mind that we will achieve these lofty goals,” he said.

He said with the training, the much needed strategic multi-sectoral effort to guarantee the desired rebound and repositioning of the movie industry in Nigeria, though long overdue, has begun.

“I commend the organizers of this training for their insight and vision to retool the drivers of our movie industry not only to efficiently play their roles of effectual propagation and promotion of our rich national heritage, ideologies and values but also to revamp the sector as an economic hub in our nation and the West African Sub region,” Elumelu said.

He said Nollywood ranks as the second largest movie industry in the world and the largest in Africa, providing over one million direct employment and much more business openings in the sectoral value chain, within and outside our country.

He said under the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration, the Nigerian movie industry received lots of multisectoral support and synergy which resulted in a record productivity boost and unprecedented return to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“Though there has been a serious decline from the 2.3% GDP contribution recorded in reports released in 2016, to 0.27 in the first quarter of 2019, I believe that with concerted effort and cross fertilization of ideas in trainings such as this, the industry will surely rebound.

“Furthermore, the movie industry is a critical hub of our national unity. Nigerians are passionate about the movies you produce as it sees their personal and shared challenges, struggles, anxieties, aspirations and achievements in the lives of the characters you aptly portray.

“In the same vein, our movie industry, more than any other social platform, remains critical in molding of character and modeling the trajectory of social preferences and predilections, especially among our youths, women and children,” he said.

Managing Director, Everight Diagnostic and Laboratory Services Ltd, Mr. Everest Okpara, said over the years, they have stood out as a point of reference in the medical diagnostic industry and have continued to extend its reach through excellent services, innovation, total quality management & control, resourcefulness and team work.

“It consistently produces reliable, timely and accurate medical diagnostic results,” Okpara said.

He said as the leading provider of medical diagnosis in Nigeria, Everight Diagnostics believes in leadership to inspire change for impact which is why they chose to support the Actors Guild of Nigeria.

“We commend their huge contribution to the entertainment industry within and beyond the shores of Nigeria and we implore and encourage everyone else who can support the Actors Guild of Nigeria to kindly indulge,” he said.