Popular actor, Bolaji Amusan, better known as Baba Latin, has lamented that Nigerian film-makers are a breed who work like elephants but eat like ants.
Amusan said this in the context of the injury that pirates inflict on the sector.
According to him, time has come for the practitioners to show more concern by marching to the National Assembly, saying the National Copyright Commission and the law that established it were too weak to tackle piracy.
At a press conference by the Theatre and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Amusan, who is the President, said, “I have said it at different fora that the only way for we the practitioners to enjoy the fruit of our labour is for the National Assembly to enact a very strict and strong law that will protect us.
“The current law against piracy is a very weak law, it’s a bailable offence.
“When a pirate is caught today, you take him to the police station. At the end of the day, they grant him bail at a very ridiculous amount.
“We have so many Guilds and Associations in Nigeria, but we have one Umbrella body and we are trying to come together with the heads of various Guilds.
“Piracy is like cankerworm, it’s like cancer eating deeply into the fabric of the creative industry and if you don’t try to kill it, it wil
“We are working like elephants and eating like ants. A time will come when we will not be able to eat like ants.
“We are trying as much as possible to take the bull by the horn by going to the National Assembly.
“A few weeks ago, AVRS called all entertainers together and they moved to a few hotels and told them why it is wrong to air our production without paying.
“This is what we are trying to do now. We will gather ourselves together and we will match to the National Assembly
“All we want is a conducive atmosphere for us to strive. But how can we strive if piracy is ravaging the same industry?
“We want a more severe penalty for anyone that is caught pirating our job.”
TAMPAN will hold its annual conference in Abeokuta between December 16 and 18.
