"There is poverty in the industry, especially Yoruba sector"

According to some renowned filmmakers, the level of poverty in Nollywood is affecting their jobs.

Saidi Balogun, Antar Laniyan, Salami Adebayo, Yinka Quadri and Kikelomo Kuojo recently spoke to Encomium on poverty level in the Nigerian film industry, especially the Yoruba sector.

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According to Balogun, he currently hustles to survive. Blaming piracy for the current state, the actor said "Piracy has always been our major problem. Not only in the movie industry, it cuts across everything we do in Nigeria."

“Movie industry is not what it used to be. Most of us can’t charge professionally again. We just settle for whatever the producers are ready to offer," he added.

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Speaking on the current state of poverty, Laniyan said “Yes, there is poverty in the industry, especially the Yoruba sector of it. A lot of us are suffering."

"Our economy also has to improve because no one can think of buying quality movies when they have not fed well. And it’s when people buy our movies that we can be encouraged to produce more. If we don’t work, how do we live? And not everybody can beg. Not even at my age," he added.

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Speaking on the issue, Oga Bello said, "It’s worrisome, I mean, the poverty level in the industry due to the activities of pirates and poor economic situation Nigeria is going through now."

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Speaking on solution to piracy, Quadri said "our law makers should make a very strong law against piracy, not the one that a culprit would only pay just N10,000 after having pirated about N20 million worth of movie."

Recently, Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award winner, Mildred Okwo, tweeted that despite the millions of dollars swimming around the industry, crew and cast are still earning less than they earned 10 years ago.