Nigeria Content Online

Veteran filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, has
defended the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, against
criticism over his suggestion that filmmakers should befriend pirates.

Mr Fashola had, while declaring open the
2010 Association of Movie Producers (AMP) Eko International Film
Festival at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, on Monday referred to
pirates as “our brothers and sisters”. He also told filmmakers to
constructively engage pirates in order to have a win-win situation in
the fight against the menace.

“Let us understand that, they do not
dislike you. It’s not that they have a personal quarrel with you but
there is an economic opportunity there and that is the best way they
have responded to it,” Fashola had said.

However,speaking during a courtesy visit
to NEXT on Thursday, Mr Kelani, who has lost substantial revenue on
‘Arugba’, his latest film, due to piracy, said Mr Fashola meant well.Mr
Kelani, who described the Lagos State governor as the number one fan of
the entertainment industry, said people have misunderstood the man as
he would never succumb to illegality.

“I know Babatunde Raji Fashola very well
and I’m privileged to know that he has great plans for the reformation
of the entertainment industry in Lagos. Personally, he has identified
with artists and he is the number one fan of the entertainment
industry,” he said.

Reforming the industry

The award-winning filmmaker, member of a
panel Mr Fashola set up to reform the entertainment industry in the
state,disclosed that the committee had submitted its report.

“He has great plans for the
entertainment industry in Lagos State. He is passionate about that
industry. The governor knows the importance of ‘Eko’, the city of Lagos
as a major entertainment hub in the whole of Africa and [his] government
is ready to claim the number position in the entertainment
destination,” Kelani said.

Kelani, who also spoke in support of a
number of film events and festivals across the country, said it is an
indication of growth that will also boost tourism in the country.

“It’s an aspect of packaged culture which leads to tourism. This is
going to drive tourism because everybody knows that at this particular
time of the year, it is Akure, this particular time, it is Ibadan, Port
Harcourt or Yenagoa.”