#NECLive8: Nollywood Does Not Need The Oscars, We Should Invest In Our Own Awards – Dakore Egbuson-Akande
Nigerian actress, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, has argued that Nollywood does not need an Oscar win, or any sort of validation from the Western world.
The veteran Nollywood practitioner made this assertion during a very interactive panel session at #NECLive8, Nigeria’s biggest gathering of entertainment stakeholders, which was held on Sunday, April 25, 2021.
“We need to understand the power that we have”, said Egbuson-Akande. “We need to get validation from ourselves, not from the West. We don’t have to win an Oscar, we have our own awards, let’s invest in them, let’s be more deliberate about how we want to enter the world conversation. We need to value what we have, we need to stop looking down on ourselves.”
She also noted that it was unfair to directly compare Nollywood with Holywood, considering how far the local industry had come.
“People like to compare us to Hollywood, and that’s not even fair”, she said. “Hollywood has been there. What has helped us is technology, sheer passion and ingenuity, and how we adapt to things. That’s what has made Nollywood what it is today. It’s the second-largest film industry in the world. Can you imagine the power in that?”
“There was a time when it wasn’t cool to be an actor or singer or photographer or fashion designer, and to see that change is something beautiful to behold. Back then, people would actually feel sorry for you if you decided to be an actor or singer, and at the time it was a valid sentiment because people were not really making any real money from the Arts. I feel like we’re undergoing a creative renaissance at this time, and it’s all excellence. We’re coming from a time when it was VHS, then we evolved to VCDs, and now we have cinema culture. Even the practice on set, the way we treat artists, has changed. It’s a great time to be a creative in Nigeria, and it’s beautiful to see”, she added.
To see more of Dakore Egbuson-Akande’s hot takes at #NECLive8, make sure to watch the video below:
You can still catch up on all the action, excitement, and key movements from #NECLive8. including the fireside session and live performances. All you have to do is visit the NECLive page.
