Charles Novia slams AY Makun, Kevin Ikeduba over Nollywood rants

Filmmaker Charles Novia has replied AY Makun and Kevin Ikeduba’s claim that Nollywood stars are guilty of envy and backbiting.

The 47-year-old made this known in a lengthy post on Instagram on Tuesday where he defended lifestyle choices and rivalry.

“I don’t subscribe to prescribed love or convenient brotherhood or sisterhood in the industry. That’s silly to even believe it will or should happen,” Mr Novia said.

Novia explained that rivalry and competition is a natural part of Nollywood and that it helps to build up the industry.

“If you want love, choose your posse.

“If you want cooperation, pay for it or show how beneficial it will be for everyone to cooperate with you on your idea,” he added.

 

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I have read some comments by some actors and others in Nollywood about fake lifestyles and practitioners hating on each other in secret and all that stuff. I don’t subscribe to prescribed love or convenient brotherhood or sisterhood in the industry. That’s silly to even believe it will or should happen. I don’t even see why those crying over interactive anomalies in Nollywood and the fake lifestyles are making a fuss. That’s the business, Damn it! It’s myopic to assume that your trajectory is everyone’s happiness. Bullcrap. If the industry were to be always one directional, it would be boring. There’s got to be real life characters carrying out the same things we portray in the movies. What the industry really need is a unity of purpose to grow the business. If the business grows and everyone prospers in their own endeavours within the business, who cares about the other person’s fake lifestyle? Faking it is part of the glitz and blitz life. There are always pretenders. There are those who will fake it till they die and never get to make it. There are those who will come round to being real eventually. It’s all a process of life, priorities, perception and personal inclinations. That’s why it’s an interesting industry to be in. And I don’t think this applies to only the film industry. My interactions with stand-up comedians show me that same rivalry is present as with the music industry. Rivalries are a natural process in the game. Rivalries and competition too build the industry somewhat, however unhealthy the short run of such rivalries are or how extended they are. It generates a sense of purpose. If you want love, choose your posse. If you want cooperation, pay for it or show how beneficial it will be for everyone to cooperate with you on your idea. Times have moved on. Banks and owners of banks are the biggest rivals in the corporate sector in our country but when it comes to their business, they throw rivalries aside and harmonise to the CBN on their positions. We have a lot to learn from hard nosed business people, not these cries of simulated ‘Kumbayas’ all over the place by people who are no less guilty of what they sometimes accuse others of.

A post shared by Charles Novia (@charlesnovia) on Dec 11, 2018 at 4:57am PST

This reaction is coming in the wake of several Nollywood personalities speaking out against perceived gossip, envy and backstabbing in the industry.

AY Makun, Mr Ikeduba and Iyabo Ojo have been the latest stars to speak against these ills.