Nollywood

==''Nollywood at 20'' controversy==
In 2012, it was announced that Nollywood would be celebrating its 20-year anniversary. This year marked the 20th year after the release of [[direct-to-video]] movie ''[[Living in Bondage]]'' (1992), which arguably marked the boom in the [[video film era]]. The anniversary was eventually celebrated in June 2013.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name="autogenerated5">{{cite web |author=Husseini |first=Shaibu |title=A YEAR OF MIXED FORTUNES FOR NOLLYWOOD |url=http://ehizoyafilms.com/sportal15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=535:a-year-of-mixed-fortunes-for-nollywood&catid=23:ehizoya&Itemid=58 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906141153/https://hm.baidu.com/hm.js?209e33ca3cf2d8119025143ae0382b89 |archive-date=6 September 2021 |access-date=9 July 2014 |work=Ehizoya Films |publisher=Ehizoya Golden Entertainment}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated7>{{cite web | url=http://yabaleftonline.com/2013/12/group-wants-nollywood-renamed-to-naiwood-read/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127064630/http://yabaleftonline.com/2013/12/group-wants-nollywood-renamed-to-naiwood-read/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=27 January 2014 | title=Group Wants 'Nollywood' Renamed to 'Naiwood' | publisher=yabaleftonline.com | date=31 December 2013 | access-date=17 February 2015 | author=Olamide}}</ref>

The event was later revealed to be a decision of a segment of the industry and not a unanimously agreed event; the event was organized by Association of Movie Producers (AMP), an association consisting of producers of video films.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name=autogenerated5 /><ref name=autogenerated7 /> Since announcement of the "Nollywood @ 20" event in 2012 until its celebration in 2013, the event had sparked controversies from many stakeholders; most of whom believed the industry was much older than 20 years. Since Nollywood has been a term for the entire Nigerian film industry, it was argued that ''Living in Bondage'' cannot be used to celebrate the Nigerian film industry, stating that the film wasn't, in fact, the first Nigerian video film, neither was it the first "successful" video film,<ref>{{cite web |author=Ekeanyanwu |first=Nnamdi Tobechukwu |title=Nollywood, New Communication Technologies and Indigenous Cultures in a Globalized World: The NigerianDilemma |url=http://covenantuniversity.edu.ng/Profiles/EKEANYANWU-Nnamdi/Nollywood-New-Communication-Technologies-and-Indigenous-Cultures-in-a-Globalized-World-The-Nigerian-Dilemma. |access-date=20 February 2015 |work=[[Covenant University]] |publisher=Department of Mass Communication, College of Human Development}}{{dead link|date=August 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> much less the first Nigerian film.<ref name="autogenerated4">{{cite web |author=Angelo |first=Mike |date=30 November 2013 |title=Nollywood At 20: Organisers' Flaws… Top Names Erased From Award List |url=http://www.mikeangelonews.com/2013/11/nollywood-at-20-organisers-flaws-top-names-erased-from-award-list/ |access-date=20 February 2015}}</ref>

This controversial celebration also gave rise to reports that another segment of the industry, the "Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP)" are planning to rename the industry into another term which would encompass the entire history of Nigerian film industry, since the term Nollywood has allegedly become ethnically dichotomized.<ref name=autogenerated7 /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.informationng.com/2014/01/why-nollywood-has-to-be-renamed-to-naiwood.html | title=Why 'Nollywood' Has to be Renamed to 'Naiwood' | publisher=Information Nigeria | date=1 January 2014 | access-date=11 March 2015 | author=Tolu}}</ref> While it was argued by supporters of the event that it was the "Nollywood brand" that was being celebrated and not the industry, counter-arguments were made that the term "Nollywood" came into existence only in the 2000s, so explanations were needed on how the "Nollywood Brand" could be extended to the year 1992 which isn't specifically significant in any way, and why not just to the very first Nigerian film that was made.<ref>{{cite web |author=Bada |first=Gbenga |title=Hon. Rotimi Makinde sparks off controversy over Nollywood @ 20 celebrations |url=http://momo.com.ng/news/hon-rotimi-makinde-sparks-off-controversy-over-nollywood-20-celebrations/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101081220/http://momo.com.ng/news/hon-rotimi-makinde-sparks-off-controversy-over-nollywood-20-celebrations/ |archive-date=1 January 2014 |access-date=17 February 2015 |work=MOMO |publisher=Movie Moments}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=McCain |first=Carmen |date=30 July 2011 |title=NOLLYWOOD AND ITS TERMINOLOGY MIGRAINES |url=http://www.nigeriafilms.com/news/12913/10/nollywood-and-its-terminology-migraines.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906035110/http://www.nigeriafilms.com/news/12913/10/nollywood-and-its-terminology-migraines.html |archive-date=6 September 2015 |access-date=20 February 2015 |publisher=NigeriaFilms.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://wapbaze.com/movies/download-mp4-3gp-mp3/Nollywood |  title=Nollywood New releases in 2021}}</ref>

Alex Eyengho had noted in a 2012 article that the term "Nollywood" was absent during the formative years of both the [[video film era]] and the [[Golden Age of Nigerian cinema|Golden Age]].<ref name=autogenerated9 /> Seun Apara, in his article on ''360Nobs.com'' stated: "It's either the promoters of the event didn't do their research well or intentionally do not want to reckon with history".<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Adegboyega Oyeniya comments: "I don't know what they are talking about by celebrating 'Nollywood @ 20'; are they celebrating [[Ramsey Nouah|Ramsey Tokunbo Nouah]] or [[Genevieve Nnaji]]? Probably, they are celebrating fortune. These people should stop deceiving Nigerians".<ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite web |author=Oyeniya |first=Adegboyega |date=8 November 2013 |title=Nollywood at 20? |url=http://www.punchng.com/opinion/letters/nollywood-at-20/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108042346/http://www.punchng.com/opinion/letters/nollywood-at-20/ |archive-date=8 November 2013 |access-date=20 February 2015 |work=The Punch Newspaper |publisher=The Punch NG}}</ref> Some media outlets also reported that the event was a result of greed and selfish interests, as the organizers visited political figures to solicit funds in the name of the Industry, but allegedly shared the funds raised amongst themselves.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Another issue raised to fault the event is that the real "achievers" in Nollywood were not honoured, but rather the practitioners at almost the same level with the organizers of the supposed flawed event were honoured.<ref name=autogenerated4 />

Several filmmakers and stakeholders expressed their displeasure with the supposed false celebration; [[Kunle Afolayan]] commented: "The whole idea of ''Nollywood at 20'' does not make sense to me because the Nollywood that I know is more than 20 years. I remember my father shot a film about 37 years ago and I also grew up in the industry. As far as (I) am concerned, it's absolute crap".<ref name=autogenerated2 /> In another interview, he stated: "If Nollywood is the name that people decide to call the movie industry in Nigeria, then I am part of it. If Nollywood is what they say is 20 years, then I am not part of that Nollywood because I have been doing film business for more than 30 years now".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201408110152.html?page=2 | title=Nigeria: October 1 Will Open New Chapter in My Life - Kunle Afolayan | publisher=allAfrica.com | date=9 August 2014 | access-date=15 October 2014 }}</ref> [[Jide Kosoko]] also commented: "The Nigerian movie industry as far as I'm concerned is not 20 years. If we all truly belong to the same industry, then the industry I belong to is not 20 years. There is a need to tell the world the sincere story of our industry and don't rubbish the pioneers. As far as I am concerned, what they are celebrating is ''Living in Bondage'' and not Nollywood".<ref name=autogenerated2 /> [[Tunde Kelani]] stated: "how will Nollywood be celebrating 20 years and I am over 40 years in the industry?".<ref name=autogenerated3 />

President of [[Actors Guild of Nigeria]] at the time, [[Ibinabo Fiberesima]], admitted that Nollywood is more than 20, but gave what was considered an unconvincing statement on the reason behind the event, stating: "''It's about celebrating our own even though Nollywood is more than 20 years. It's been long that people have been celebrating us but right now, we are celebrating ourselves and giving lots back to the society. It's a good step we have taken especially now that the qualities of our movies have improved"''.<ref name=autogenerated2 />