[img]http://www.nigeriafilms.com/thumb2.aspx?img=Y29udGVudC9jb250ZW50L0VtZWthSWtlQmlnci5qcGc=&s=MTEvMjYvMjAxMA==&w=600[/img]


Who doesn't know Emeka Ike? The Nollywood lover boy/badboy is one of the stars you must have missed on your TV screen for quite a while due to the alleged lull in the industry. Morakinyo Olugbiji had a chat with the father of three in Lagos on Sallah Day.

It's been quite a while I saw u feature in a new movie,

No body is making any movie in Nigeria at the moment and that's why you have not seen me featured in any lately. I'm trying to re-strategize. Part's of the problem has to do with the problem in AGN and I'm hoping that once the court delivers its judgment, I will take back my position in AGN as President. Then, we will restructure everything in order to restore the industry back to its rightful place.

So you are still in the AGN struggle?

Yes, the struggle is not over until it's over. I and my team are a law abiding people and for us the only way to go about issues that bother around legality and illegality is to go to court. any other measure you take is illegal and criminal and not acceptable. And as we speak now, there is Status Quo the court has ordered that nobody should do business with anybody parading himself as AGN's president. So, having anything to do with anyone claiming to be the president of AGN is doing so at his or her own risk pending when the court will determine the right president of AGN.

What i hear every now and then is that the movie industry is undergoing a lull, what's your opinion?

One can not underestimate that fact. Nollywood is not undergoing a lull as a matter of fact, the industry is dead right now. if you know how much Nollywood has been trampled upon you will know that there is no movie made right now that is structured on the Nollywood you and i use to know. What you see going on right now are perhaps the small boys around the industry in those days making some of the few movies you have around now. They love the art and since they have not been given any chance decide to call their friends together to do some low budget films. They try to feature a couple of known faces. They are just trying to sustain the business that has been crippled, bastardized, trampled upon and hijacked.

You have been known to always play a bad boy or lover boy role, but i think you are getting more matured even though the look is still there, will your roles in movie change now should a script come your way?

Well like you said, it's true that I'm looking more matured. I will also want you to know that I have now broken into Hollywood too. Talking about the roles I use to play, if i still look the role why then can't I play the role? I just came back from one of the sets of a movie which i did in Hollywood with Hakeem Kazeem who starred in Hotel Rwanda, Jimmy Lewis of PHAT Girls and a host of other top Hollywood personalities. It's titled "Feat of Destiny." It also featured Kera O'Brian of Law and Order. She was my girlfriend and manager in the movie.

You said that Nollywood is dead; don't you think that is too much of a conclusion?

It is dead! By every instrument of measurement Nollywood is dead. If you are an industry that produced a hundred movies monthly in the past and now you don't make seven movies in a month then you have a problem; that's 7/100. That's a failure. Forget the fact that a few like Desmond Elliot, Uche Jumbo, Monalisa Chinda, Stephanie Okereke, Emem Isong and a few others are trying to release movies. Theirs is just a solo struggle of some artistes who love what they do. You see, those are not even producers; they are the talents. So at the end of the day, the real producers themselves are not making movies any more. Where are the likes of Chico Ejiro, Zeb Ejiro, Fred Amata, Paul Obasele, Jetta Amata, Teco Benson, Fidelis Duker and others? I heard the other day where Chico Ejiro was saying 'people are now going to the Cinemas and the industry is churning out good films', but ask him, which movie has he taken to Cinema in 10 years? They said Paul Obasele is doing Eko Festival or whatever, what film has he produced in the last ten years? These people are no longer making any input to the industry and that's negatively affecting the industry, yet they are the producers. The industry is being manipulated by a few who know how the industry works and have decided to joined forces to go to the government in the name of representing Nollywood without even letting others know about their acts. That's criminal. So by now you should know that Nollywood has stopped making movies in Lagos . That's basically why we've not heard Idumota or Ebinpejo Lane on your TV in a long time. So that's how long it was for Lagos . Equally, Onitsha ; Iweka Road , Pound Road and others. That's how long it was for that area. The only few people in business now are the Yoruba film makers. And they need to really watch it before they start to face the same problem the Igbo movie makers are facing. Also government was part of the killing. When the existing Nigerian Film Censorship Board Chairman rose up one day and say that if you are a distributor of movies, stop distributing until you pay me 5million Naira. That was a red alert. He scared them away. Now, what you have now are people watching DSTV Africa Magic yet everyone was watching, no body talked. The movie industry Emeka Mba met in its buoyancy; he came in as the DG of film censorship board and killed it. Do you know that Emeka Mba was the content provider for Africa Magic?

So I guess it's no longer accurate to say Nollywood is the second largest producers of movies as UNESCO positioned it?

We are number two because at the time UNESCO gave us that recognition and that was exactly the time the industry was about going down. You know, we started dying when Africa Magic entered the business. My colleagues were not in the know of what was going on; they kept wearing dark shades and blowing big grammars on the pages of newspapers.' Africa Magic is wonderful, it's this, it's that, blah, blah, blah.' but today, Africa Magic has taken their product to their end users. Do you get the logic? The man that buys the 'Akara' (bean cake) doesn't come to buy from you again, he goes to somebody else to buy the Akara which you produce yet you don't get the money. That's how the death of Nollywood started. Now, Africa Magic's networking has gone round the whole of Africa and beyond. And because the film censors board helmsman is getting returns from Africa Magic, there is no way the exploitation can stop. How can HiTV pay royalty when Emeka Mba is perhaps a friend of HiTV? Almost everybody handling the regulation of the Nigerian film industry is there to play politics and embezzled as much as they can.

Now the image of the country which we've managed all these years has been rubbished, misconstrued, maligned, disgraced and tarnished. What do i mean by that? Now, they make movies on Africa Magic where you have South-Africans answering Nigeria names and acting the roles. And the sad thing about it is that they are treating Nigeria 's core Niger Delta Issues. You hear them using their South-Africa accent to say that Nigerian leaders are corrupt. And I'm asking, what's the DG of the Nigerian censorship board doing? There is a movie on MNET called Jacob's,  Trouble or what do they call it where they discussed the Niger Delta issues and I'm wondering who vetted that script. What's the rebranding Nigerian message in that script? An Emeka Ike or any other major Nigerian actor will avoid rubbish the image laundering effort of the government but the country is the case in this movies i just mentioned. Dora Akunyili or Goodluck Jonathan cannot see everything, but he has placed somebody there who has refused to do is job. And the likes of us are not involved in the politics going on so there is little or nothing we can do. We don't even get royalties but go to Ghana, there people are being paid their royalties.

Talking about the 200million dollars promise from Jonathan, what do you think?

Talking about that promise being relistic, i don't want to argue it now. I want to believe that the president did what he did in good faith. In every country of the world there is money set aside for the entertainment industry. Now when you have a movie project that we further contribute to the development of the country, the government we assist you with part of the budget already set aside. They do that in South-Africa. if the same thing is what is going to happen , beautiful! but my only grouse about it is that i don't know if President Goodluck Jonathan gave that money to his brother Ben Bruce because he kept saying 'my brother Ben Bruce.' Also my question is who and who represented Nollywood that day? Even if there is a crisis in Nollywood letters should be sent to some core Nollywood stakeholders so we will know who is collecting the money on behalf of the industry


Source : http://www.nigeriafilms.com/news/9815/24/nollywood-is-dead-emeka-ike.html

Emeka is bitter because his career is dead. 

It's been quite a while I saw u feature in a new movie,

No body is making any movie in Nigeria at the moment and that's why you have not seen me featured in any lately

Too many good actors have taken your place, sweetheart. I understand it hurts, but it's a good thing. Nollywood may not be perfect at the moment but I find delight in the fact that it is not stagnating.
Goodbye to maladroit actors.

Missy ★ B:

Emeka is bitter because his career is dead.
Too many good actors have taken your place, sweetheart. I understand it hurts, but it's a good thing. Nollywood may not be perfect at the moment but I find delight in the fact that they are not stagnating.
Goodbye to maladroit actors.

Missy B,dont let the spirit of Mr cork possess u.Let us reply now.lol
Gbam!!!!!
I wud go look for his 'hollywood' movie sha.

ifyalways:

Missy B,dont let the spirit of Mr cork possess u.Let us reply now.lol
Gbam!!!!!
I wud go look for his 'hollywood' movie sha.

Lol! This is the effect of being married to Mr Cork - I post, I reply myself.

Out of mere curiosity, not  genuine interest, I'D like to see the 'Hollywood' movie too.
Honestly, Emeka Ike isn't a good actor. We/I overrrated him back then because of dearth of actors in his age bracket, that could match him.
Today, we have myriad of them, and I think Emeka can glue his butt to the couch while he learns from Van Vicker, Majid, Desmond, Jim, Uche Edochie etc.

. . .and the almighty Nl pig oinked. 
@Missy,I so agree with u.As per the Hollywood stuff,i wont be suprised it it turns out to be a waka-pass role
rofl

ifyalways:

. . .and the almighty Nl pig oinked.
@Missy,I so agree with u.As per the Hollywood stuff,i wont be suprised it it turns out to be a waka-pass role rofl

Lol! Come to think of it . . . It's a possibility. Let's just wait and see.

What do i mean by that? Now, they make movies on Africa Magic where you have South-Africans answering Nigeria names and acting the roles.

The Indians didnt complain when Ben Kingsley played the role of Ghandi nor Did the Ugandian's when Forest Whittiker played Idi Amin, but he has a point regarding the politics behind the scene,

But the best part of his arguement were Nollywood going from producing 100+ movies a month to 7 movies a month, About time they cut back on the crap been churned out

baby-boy:


The Indians didnt complain when Ben Kingsley played the role of Ghandi nor Did the Ugandian's when Forest Whittiker played Idi Amin, but he has a point regarding the politics behind the scene,

But the best part of his arguement were Nollywood going from producing 100+ movies a month to 7 movies a month, About time they cut back on the crap been churned out

That's not even credible until there's a source from which the claim can be verified.
According to Wiki and some other sites, the industry still produces 200 films.  . . Back in 2007, it used to be 100+.
According to a Unesco report last year, Nollywood makes about 2,400 films per year, putting it ahead of the US, but behind India.
Let's do a rough calculation . . .  2,400÷12=200
Where Emeka got the ''production of 7 movies a year'' idea is a wonder to me.

Missy ★ B:

That's not even credible until there's a source from which the claim can be verified.
According to Wiki and some other sites, the industry still produces 200 films. . . Back in 2007, it used to be 100+.
According to a Unesco report last year, Nollywood makes about 2,400 films per year, putting it ahead of the US, but behind India.
Let's do a rough calculation . . . 2,400÷12=200
Where Emeka got the ''production of 7 movies a year'' idea is a wonder to me.

Erm,i believe he said 7 movies a month

Missy ★ B:

I'm looking more matured. I will also want you to know that I have now broken into Hollywood too.

He was either on cheap crack, sleepy, hungry or simply daydreaming when he said this.

Basildon1:

Erm,i believe he said 7 movies a month

He did and I say it's false, until it's verified. If we're to go by the Unesco report . . . 
2,400 [movies per year] ÷ 12 [months in a year]=200 [ movies a month]. Note that other sources confirm this.
From where did Emeka get 7 movies per month?

I will also want you to know that I have now broken into Hollywood too.

FEET OF DESTINY

is not really a Hollywood movie but  more of a collaboration, 




Ok, word filtering down the grape vine is that, a "major" Hollywood/Nollywood production is about to commence on the "movie" FEET OF DESTINY, about the life of living legend Jay Jay Okocha. At first I was like WOW, then of course I had to further investigate. What I found out so far is that, the alledged director and the star of the movie "Emeka Ike" are presently in Park City, Utah at the Sundance Film Festival to gather some attention and press,

Apparently, they will be shooting on film, in New Orleans for 10 days, on a $2.5 million budget, hold on. Let's rewind, $2.5M Where exactly is that money coming from? who's funding this project? I gathered that the "producer" is Preston Holms, so I IMDBed him and found no such movie listed in his credit of upcoming projects. I also learned that 247 Productions (those of you in the DC/MD area) will remember the African movie series at the AFI, yeah that's the same company, anyway, learned that Dammie is somehow involved with this project. So far so good,

Please don't get me wrong, I hope all of this is true, but I'm afraid it's not all what it seems. Further inquiries led me to the "director's" website and what I read about it is not quite convincing. The write up was very very vague to say the least. I'm sorry, but a $2.5M production with a notable Hollywood producer will not roll under the rather like that, especially with a Nigerian cast and crew for the most part. And how in the world are you going to shoot a movie about Jay Jay, and there are no scenes in Europe or Nigeria,

So has anyone heard about this production? In fact, principal photography is supposed to start February 10th,

Also, one of my sources confirmed speaking to Emeka Ike on the phone, so yeah, he really is in town and they're at the Sundance Film Festival.

Is the movie out or the trailer available on the net?

it might go to the cinema first

I see!

Emeka Ike, shut the hell, will you!

^^
lol

. . . and who is emeka ike again

Missy B, why you do Emeka Ike this kind thing na??

You say Van Vicker act pass am??

I nor lie na.

ifyalways:

i wont be suprised it it turns out to be a waka-pass role
rofl

Even waka pass role for hollywood no go reach that village id.i.ot.

OLD Nollywood is dead, new Nollywood is emerging, where its not about the number of films produced, or straight to DVD flicks.

While he is not working in Nollywood, his collegues have become directors and have their own production companies. Maybe he should talk to Desmond Elliot,

Emeka is a rubbish actor, so he couldn't be carried along.

Why so much hate on Emeka Ike in this forum. This is just gross! For crying out loud, That dude still remains one of d best actors in d industry.

nice.one:

Why so much hate on Emeka Ike in this forum. This is just gross! For crying out loud, That dude still remains one of d best actors in d industry.

Ehn? As you fine reach, you nor sabi sumthing?

@Nice.one, I dont find him that good of an actor, just passable. He has virtually no depth at all.

That good kè? He's  Not good, to me. Same goes for Ramsey Noah.

Seriously, the dude cannot act. Remember his ''sexy eyes''? The way closes them slightly when he wants to convince/seduce a lady in movies?
Like, WTF man?

The only thing dead in Nollywood is Emeka Ike. I still can't wrap my head around why this guy never made it to the A-List. He had all the opportunities but choose to wallow in mediocracy playing childish roles. His camera presence was always very embarrassing to look at. Yet he makes the loudest noise

newintexas:

The only thing dead in Nollywood is Emeka Ike. I still can't wrap my head around why this guy never made it to the A-List. He had all the opportunities but choose to wallow in mediocracy playing childish roles. His camera presence was always very embarrassing to look at. Yet he makes the loudest noise

Mean!

When has Shittywood ever been alive?

The problem is entirely yours as, you're the only one that seem not to have noticed its existence.

Errr. . . I beg to differ .

What I am about to say might come as a huge suprise to you but I'll say it anyway. I along with Billions of people around the globe really could give 2 hoots about the existence of Crappywood