Would you mind me revealing another eye-popping fact? It is not a ‘malaise’ exclusive to our burgeoning film industry.
Around the world and in top-rated film making capitals of the world like California, Berlin, Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro and London, the adult film industry operates in its secluded but vibrant sphere, churning out ‘hit productions’ and making stars out of those whose job it is to get naked and have s*x with the passion of a consummate actor interpreting his or her intricately-woven role. From the commercial standpoint, pórnography is big business.
In 2001, Forbes (yes, the same Forbes that ranks billionaires such as Aliko Dangote, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet) released statistics which revealed ‘the US Pórn Industry grosses between $9 billion and $14 billion annually’.
A margin still maintained till date, making the US the lead nation in the adult film industry.
The down side..? Besides the obvious occupational hazards, one of which is stigmatisation (imagine a pórn star’s child in school on parent’s day where networking and applying work skills sometimes come to bear *rolling my eyes*) and risk of sexually transmitted diseases –although the industry has rules and medical standards it adheres to religiously, the actors are at the bottom rung of poor compensation for all that skin they show.
Now, if you can wrap this basic truth around your head, then permit me to get on to other issues. Systematically and gradually, pórn film actors, directors, are leaving their corner of ‘shame’ and ‘disrepute’ to mingle with civil society, at least outside Africa, and no one is killing anyone or passing a stern legislative bill to ban pórnographic content from Nollywood (judging from the anti homosexual bill, inevitably, we’re heading that path shortly).
Heck, even Marc Jacobs, one of the world’s top fashion designer and a brilliant one at that if I must add, is dating a Brazilian pórn star and the lovebirds make uninhibited public appearances together. However, situating the pórnographic dilemma properly on home soil, the blanket belief is that some things are alien to African culture (i.e. unAfrican) and simply unacceptable.
If you are one of those who hold this view, for your blood pressure sake, jettison the mindset sharpsharp. The very reason –commerce– which birthed Nollywood and propelled her to become the leading film industry in Africa is the same force behind the slowly emerging adult film industry.
Already, Ghana’s Ghollywood is churning out soft pórn movies like rabbits on heat under the most incredulous and tactless names –Hot Fork, Adult Only, Dóggy Style.
Nollywood, not to be beaten to its pioneering status, has jumped into the fray with gusto recently releasing Room 027 and advertising the screening of same to be held privately attaching telephone numbers to ‘call to book a seat for the screening’. How does any of these develop or improve our industry?
As far as my mind can compute, not in any clear-cut manner. Conventional Nollywood is struggling to find its commercial rhythm and build enduring structures of film distribution; introducing adult films into this present melee will definitely whittle down the considerable mileage neo-Nollywood stakeholders have achieved thus far in organising our film industry.
So, I’m appealing to the money hungry directors, fame-desperate starlets and wanna-be studs- please cool your raging libidos because Nigeria is not as pórn friendly as other parts of the world.
You’ll be making too many enemies on your way to financial empowerment – starting from your own household, and be assured, infamy is sure to dog your every move.
By Adenrele Niyi / National Mirror