Chude Jideonwo reviews Charles Novia\u2019s auto-biography, \u2018Nollywood till November\u2019<\/p>\n
Being a Review Presented at the Launch of \u2018Nollywood till November\u2019 \u2013 the Charles Novia Autobiography \u2013 on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at Terra Kulture, Lagos, Nigeria.<\/p>\n
There is an old debate, one that I find necessary: should a man who has hardly finished the first half of his life \u2013 let\u2019s put that at 40 \u2013 be writing a biography.<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t that rather presumptuous?<\/p>\n
My answer is mostly no, if that man\u2019s name is Charles Novia.<\/p>\n
But I only came to that conclusion after I had read every word of \u2018Nollywood till November\u2019, which is the first book on Nigeria\u2019s film industry written by an insider.<\/p>\n
I began reading what the author describes as \u201ca detailed narrative of my road to fame and glory\u201d, with the skepticism mentioned above. The fact that the author has a supreme sense of his self and destiny didn\u2019t help.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was incensed,\u201d he reports on the very first page, reeling off his series off accomplishments as he shares the story of a director, Solomon Nwoko, who belittled his talent and his experience when he set about his first movie, Deep Secrets. \u201cHe had a mindset and it was left for me to either do away with his services or prove him wrong. I chose the latter.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the time the author gets to that stage in his career where movie icon Richard Mofe-Damijo tells him, \u201cYour name is the hottest topic right now. You have done well. I am proud to know you,\u201d he had certainly proven every single detractor wrong.<\/p>\n
But this is not just a story of personal achievement; it is also a story of a collective glory. Novia, through this finely-narrated work, tells me a story I thought I knew. I didn\u2019t even know the half of it.<\/p>\n
It speaks to how Nollywood has risen and fallen every now and again like a wave, as Novia became the king of love stories from Bridesmaid to Cinderella, Lover\u2019s Day to For Your Love; how the industry began to conquer the rest of the world, and even delicious little gems like how he came to find out that Jim Iyke\u2019s accent, like we all had suspected, was faker than a beauty queen\u2019s eye-lashes.<\/p>\n
Straddling the space between critical and acclaim and popular fare, Novia became so successful that he had four hit movies back to back at some point, as he reports a marketer tell him.<\/p>\n
I, like many others, fell under the Charles Novia Think spell over the period from 2000: I particularly remember When Love Dies, the movie he made in 2003 which sold over two hundred thousand copies and took Novia to \u201canother stratosphere in Nollywood\u201d; I will die for You, a political tale that was one of RMD\u2019s finest showcases if there ever was one; and of course, the ambitious Missing Angel \u2013 complete with a first-of-its kind premiere and billboards across Lagos \u2013 which reportedly sold over one million copies and, according to him, has a shelf life that yet endures. To many people, he says,
\ncharacteristically, \u201cit is one of my Nollywood classics.\u201d<\/p>\n
His venture with November Records is another branch of an impressive story. He might not have worked that magic with other artistes on the label \u2013 Yemi Esho, Zubby Enebeli and Danny Dolor \u2013 but what he did with Majek Fashek, a project he took on after he attended a concert and found that Majek would \u201csuddenly stop and then go towards the right hand side of the stage and begin to rail against nobody in particular\u201d, is the stuff of legends.<\/p>\n
But, like I said, the primary power of the book might come from the way he interweaves his own personal stories; the fire that razed his office for one, to the larger narrative; for instance, the relationship between Surulere, Idumota, and Upper Iweka Road. And in telling that narrative, he answers so many questions many must have had, including the one he so eloquently captured on page 83: what went wrong with the lavish, flambuoyant delicious Nollywood of the Amatas and the Ejiros? As he tells stories of marketers as \u201cdemigods who created new monsters\u201d, Novia surmises that \u201call in all,\u201d the ridiculous ban on actors about in 2004 \u201cwas a no-win situation for all the parties involved.\u201d It is a powerful chapter.<\/p>\n
But, of course, the book has its faults. For one, if I got a dollar for every exclamation mark that Novia used in this 140-page book, I would by now be able to park my private jet beside Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor\u2019s!<\/p>\n
There is also a frustrating tendency to use the biggest words he could lay his hands on. Two examples: \u201cI moved the plot from the romantic surrealism I toyed with\u2026 to deep spiritualism tinged with a poignant emotional drama\u201d, and then, \u201c\u2026 one senses agrowing despondency which may simmer into an explosive fracas\u201d.<\/p>\n
Added to this, many parts of the story seem like the story teller fell unto the temptation of exaggeration. But, because that cannot beverified, at least not by this reviewer, and also because who amongstus can cast that first stone, one can only point to the fact that, suspected inflation aside, the heart of this story, its essence, is no lie. Novia has accomplished a story-book career. And he has a lot to be happy, fulfilled and grateful for.<\/p>\n
And of gratitude he has a lot: To Kingley Ogoro, who, from thebeginning of the story till now, is still a rock for Novia and other colleagues, he gives thanks. His wife and rock, Happy, whom he talks about again and again and again and again, he gives thanks. And to Don Pedro Obaseki, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, that genius Ojiofor Ezeanyache of OJ Productions (whose story it turns out requires a full book that
\nsomeone must tell someday) and others who have been crucial for this odyssey that is his, he gives thanks.<\/p>\n
But from the purity of his soul as an artiste comes the more affecting thanks \u2013 that for the talent he has worked with, and his joy,is beautiful to \u2026 read. \u201cDesmond (Elliot) did exactly what I wanted from him, if not more!\u201d he crowed of the movie Missing Angel. \u201cBefore long, he \u2018became\u2019 the character. I was thrilled.\u201d<\/p>\n
But if he can be grateful, then, by God, he can also get angry \u2013 and even. And, oh my goodness, his willingness to draw blood reminds me of another impressive Nollywood movie, Scores to Settle.<\/p>\n
However, this comes from another powerful narrative tool that he employs so deftly \u2013 honesty. What he thinks of Stella Damasus and her rivalry with Genevieve Nnaji, he tells; what he went through in the hands of Sypder, the creative, uhm, business storyteller that was his first marketer, he says; just how he feels about the \u201cnotorious\u201d
\nactress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and her legendary \u201cwahala\u201d he shares \u2013 and oh, what a delicious story he tells.<\/p>\n
But there is no place where this honesty is more useful than when he shares the stories of two ambitious, but impressive, even historic projects that would have transformed the Nigerian film space \u2013 the Film Market and Project Nollywood. You have to read the book to hear
\nthe stories.<\/p>\n
Sadly, the book tapers off towards the end, doing a great disservice to what was until then one helluva story. After the \u201cepic\u201d tale that was Project Nollywood, its as if the book suddenly lost interest in itself \u2013 tired, wistful, almost sad.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t get it twisted, as musician D\u2019banj would say, that last chapter is engaging \u2013 he tells of Benin City where his talent was first discovered, of what a profound effect programmes like Hotel De Jordan and Pot of Life had on him, his odyssey through stage and the NTA, his influences from Michael Jackson \u2013 for whom he has a touching affection \u2013 to Teddy Riley whom he calls his \u201ccreative mentor\u201d. It is an interesting, humorous, engaging end to this 140-page work.<\/p>\n
However, for a man who migrated from Benin to Lagos when he was only 19, armed only with his luggage in hand and dreams in his heart, it wasn\u2019t good enough. I expected this to end on a high note \u2013 with an eye towards the future, and more trails to blaze, more mountains to conquer; the world at his feet.<\/p>\n
Did Novia deliberately end this book on this note of nostalgia? I\u00a0cannot say. But it is very instructive, and for me, deeply worrisome,
\nthat the book ended up abruptly after the costly adventure with our\u00a0friends at EcoBank. Incidentally, this is around the same time that
\nNollywood seemed to have become the subject of \u2018Is Nollywood dead\u2019\u00a0essays in the newspapers.<\/p>\n
Is this, therefore, an ominous sign? Is Novia tired? Is his heart broken? Is he disappointed in the industry over which he reigned? Is he worried for the new generation of \u2018New Nollywood\u2019 film-makers? Does he see danger ahead?<\/p>\n
I am asking this question of Novia. But it is not just him I ask, because this story is not his alone. I am asking many of you in this room \u2013 Nollywood\u2019s innovators and tastemakers. I am asking the Zeb Ejiros and the Fred Amatas, the Kingsley Ogoros and the Segun Arinzes \u2013 what next?<\/p>\n
Yes, as one who grew up under your influence, and who used to be a raving fan of your industry, I think understand. You may be disappointed, you may have fought too many battles, and it must be hard to continue to confront the many challenges of being a film-maker in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
But you\u2019ve changed the world before.<\/p>\n
That was Phase 1. That story has now been, fittingly told by the iconic Charles Novia. We all now await your second act. This curtail will not be drawn. Not yet.<\/p>\n
Not now. Not anytime soon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chude Jideonwo reviews Charles Novia\u2019s auto-biography, \u2018Nollywood till November\u2019 Being a Review Presented at the Launch of \u2018Nollywood till November\u2019 \u2013 the Charles Novia Autobiography \u2013 on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at Terra Kulture, Lagos, Nigeria. There is an old debate, one that I find necessary: should a man who has hardly finished the first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3008,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[155],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ping"],"yoast_head":"\n