UNESCO pledges support for Nollywood

Abdourahamane Diallo, Head of Office and Country Representative of UNESCO in Nigeria, says the organisation is willing to provide technical support for developing Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry.

He stated this at the exclusive premiere of ‘When Wolves Cry’, a movie on the negative effects of fake news.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that government functionaries, members of the diplomatic community, and stakeholders in the film industry attended the event organised at the UN House on Thursday evening in Abuja.

The movie, an advocacy film from 2ET Media Network, is produced and directed by Emmanuel Eyaba, an award-winning Nollywood filmmaker.

Mr Diallo said the premiere of ‘When Wolves Cry’ mirrors the aspirations of UNESCO’s 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Cultural Expressions.

According to him, the convention was designed to support member states in creating an institutional and professional environment conducive to the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions in various forms and domains.

He said this includes, but is not limited to, video, film, books, designs, culinary arts, crafts, fashion, motion graphics, and theatre.

“This is an opportunity for me to also let you know that UNESCO is ready to provide technical support towards the development of the Nigerian film and video industry.

“In continuing support to Nigeria to develop implementable policies, UNESCO organised the first National Dialogue on the Cultural and Creative Industries and the Sustainable Development Goals in October 2023.

“UNESCO is also the lead technical development partner for the ongoing review and update of Nigeria’s cultural policies.

“Furthermore, UNESCO is the principal implementation agency for the UNESCO-EU programme, advancing evidence-based policies and actions and supporting policy-making to enhance the contribution of creative sectors and industries to sustainable development.

“I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate 2ET Media on the great work done on ‘When Wolves Cry’ as well as on other projects you have undertaken,” he said.

NAN also reports that ‘When Wolves Cry’ is centred around an intriguing fake news story that almost pushed the government of Cameroon and Nigeria to war after a diplomatic tit-for-tat.

The plot centres on Raymond Chukwudi (Ray C), a handsome actor looking for a big break in his career.

Ray C was involved in a series of allegations, including a rape case, and the ripples of drama that follow are what make the movie an intriguing blockbuster to watch.

The movie’s cast includes Francis Duru, Steve Eboh, Sydney Diala, Happy Julian, social media influencer MC Mbakara, Alex Nwankwo, and ace Cameroonian actress Syndy Emade, among others.

The star-studded film, which is acted in English and French and fully subtitled in English, features seasoned actors from four countries: Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin Republic, and Togo.

Earlier, Eyaba, who is also the Chairman of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), FCT chapter, said the project was conceived out of his passion for producing advocacy films that addressed societal ills.

“When Wolves Cry is actually a Pan-African project in the sense that it features actors from four different countries of Africa.

“Governments and institutions have consistently called for increased awareness of the dangers of fake news because of its negative effect on society.

“To puncture the spread of fake news, we plan to screen the movie in the biggest film festivals and cinemas, as well as tertiary and secondary schools across Nigeria,” he said.

(NAN)