Former Chairman of the Nollywood Core Producers, Alez Eyengho, has described the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria as a mini MOPICON – the proposed Motion Picture Council of Nigeria.
He made the remarks in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Tuesday December 15, during the ‘TAMPAN Academic Conference’ held at Mauve 21 Hotel, in the Ring Road area of the city.
Eyengho noted that TAMPAN’s influence and impacts traversed all sections of the industry.
As a result, he wants it to network with other groups beyond the Yoruba world.
Eyengho said, “TAMPAN is too big to be boxed into the Yoruba ethnic group. It needs to broaden its horizon to truly reflect its national importance. TAMPAN is a mini MOPICON.”
The producer commended the TAMPAN President, Bolaji Amusan, popular known as Baba Latin.
He said based on his exploits since he assumed the leadership of the association, Latin had proved that he was a force to reckon with.
As a result, Eyengho gave the popular actor and comedian another name: Igi Nla, which, according to him, is the Big Tree that Sango the god of thunder dare not touch even when it is mauling the Araba or Iroko tree.
The conference, which was well attended by leaders in the industry and rising talents, discussed various areas that can move the sector forward.
In attendance were leading film-makers such as Adebayo Salami (Oga Bello), Jide Kosoko, Lanre Hassan (Iya Awero), Ebun Oloyede, Odunlade Adekola, Femi Adebayo Salami, Muyiwa Ademola, Damola Olatunji and Joke Muyiwa.
Veteran scholar and dramatist, Professor Bode Sowande; lecturer at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Dr Mrs Fadekemi Adagbada, and film journalist and juror, Shaibu Hussein; and Managing Director of FilmOne Entertainment, Moses Babatope, dissected critical areas that included protection and commercialization of intellectual property, alternative distribution, subtitling, concept and project development as well as … of dealing with spiritual or cultural works.
