Amiable president of Zeb Ejiro Production Company Limited, is an accomplished and respected professional who has made tremendous contributions to the development of film industry in Nigeria. He has produced and directed many successful movies and soaps. They include: Goodbye Tomorrow, Mortal Inheritance, Domitilla, Sakobi, Conflicting Shadow, Intimate Strangers, Fatal Desire, Gentle Solution, Amadioha, Maniac, Faces of Evil and more. In this interview with our reporter, Lucy Ezeliora, he speaks on Nollywood and his family. Enjoy the Sheik of Nollywood
You are one of the founding fathers of the industry. What is your view of Nollywood?
I will be celebrating almost 25 years in Nollywood. The journey has been tough especially as it has to do with piracy. I’m delighted with the N3 billion grant to the industry by President Goodluck Jonathan. I pray it will be well circulated to all our members in the industry. It is a means of encouragement to many of us. Though the industry has done well; but I sometimes weep because this is not the same industry we built. Currently, it is down for the count and if care isn’t taken, it will extinguish. Training is lacking in the industry; most of the people you see today came in through apprenticeship. Apprenticeship is good, but it is better to go and get formal training, to improve on one’s skill. When you go through our storylines, they are so weak. You can tell the end from the beginning, no suspense anymore. You’ll find out that scripts are being written at locations. This is very unfortunate. You’ll see an actor in two movies and you can’t tell the difference. No characterisation. Also, there is the distribution network problem. You see, I thank God for the AGN president, Ibinabor Fibresima, who is my daughter in the industry. She is really doing a great job. Recently, she came up with a new initiative we rushed to buy into it. I personally gave her my commitment to the success of the programme. She is really making the industry proud. Unfortunately, there are people bent on killing the industry. It’s sad. No structures; no style, nothing to show for it. I have a movie I just shot; the sequel to Sakobi. I can’t release it because there are no structures.
Do you think the N3b grant will ever get to Nollywood?
Jonathan is a man of his words, and I believe he will not say what he cannot do. Officially, the money has been signed to us; they are just waiting for the right time to release it.
You once ruled the industry with your movies and soaps. But in the last couple of years, not much has been heard from you. What has been happening?
I am getting old as you can see and I need to pave way for up-coming directors in the industry. It gets to a point in one’s life when one gets bored doing a routine. I need something more challenging. I think I have gotten to that stage when going to locations is not too exciting anymore. I want to impact knowledge; which is why I am spending my time building film schools in Delta and Lagos States. The schools will be known as Film and Broadcast Academy. We intend to teach script writing, production management, directing and anything that has to do with film making and television broadcasting. This is where I have been channeling my energy to, recent.
Back to the beginning, how did you find your way into the movie industry?
(Laughs) I keep telling people, coming to Nollywood isn’t the main issue but making a success of it. My diversion into this industry was sheer luck. I was home one day and there was an announcement on television requesting for people who can write script for a 30 minutes drama. They requested it be specifically sent to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). The announcement said selected candidates would be trained and given jobs. So I wrote a play, “But My Ring on My Grave” which was a horror piece and sent it. Someone called me one day and told me to buy newspapers that my name was among the 27 persons invited out of about 5,000 people who applied from all over the industry. We were trained by NTA and BBC. That was how I started.
What year was that?
1985. We were trained in script writing, directing / producing. After the training, I created my first soap, ‘Ripples’. It ran for five years. Till date, it remains the longest uninterrupted TV soap opera on NTA.
After the training, did you work for NTA?
Yes. I stayed with NTA for a very short because I easily get bored. When I left, I was still writing for NTA on Village Headmaster, Second Chance and for other soaps. At a point, I got tired of writing. I needed something more challenging; so, I thought I should create my own soap opera. That was how Ripples came into being.
Why do people call you the Sheik of the Nigerian movie industry?
It was one of these tabloids that came up with the name. I guess it was because I was vibrant in various productions. At a point in this industry, I was the one calling the shots. My office at Aguda, Surulere, Lagos; then was the hob of the industry where the famous Nollywood stars we have today used to gather. If you wanted to be part of the industry then, you had to come there. I guess the tabloid saw all that and just arrived at the conclusion.
Are you working on any new movie?
Yes I am working on two movies. The first one has to do with rape while the second one is the follow up to Sakaobi which was released in the 90s. This is a movie I really want people to watch again because it has been edited and corrected in way that people will learn great lessons from it.
When are you releasing it?
I told you I have finished shooting, but will not release it because of the situation at hand. I have spent nothing less than eight million naira but if I release it in this market, I will go bankrupt. If the distribution structure does not take off immediately, there is going to be problems. This industry is suffering. Don’t let anybody deceive you that they are making money now. All the big movie-makers are just doing their best.
Tell us about your family?
I am from a family of five; my parents and three boys. Peter Red Ejiro is my elder brother while Chico Ejiro is our baby brother.
How come all the Ejiro brothers are in the movie industry?
My mum had a strong influence over us. She was addicted to the cinema and always took us along.
Is she a Nigerian?
Yes. The got married here before they took off to Equatorial Guinea, where I was born.
Can you describe your wife to us?
My wife’s name is joy. Just like my younger brother, Chico Ejiro’s wife. I mean they bear the same names. We have seven lovely children and doing well. She is a wonderful woman and a complete mother indeed. If I am given an opportunity to come back to this earth, I will marry my wife again because she is absolutely wonderful and my world.
How do you relax?
Walking, I love to do exercises a lot and that is why I still look smart despite my age.
So what is your relationship with your female fans?
Well I don’t drive woman away because I trust them more than men. As you can see, most of them call me daddy because of how I treat them. I prefer working with women that is why I am very close to the AGN president. She is my daughter and listens to me a lot.
What is your best colour?
Blue; ecause it’s cool on me and means royalty.
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