Movie directors in Nigeria under the aegis of Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) have released the first volume of History of Nollywood, an academic journal that documents the history of one of the world’s fastest-growing movie industry with an annual output of nearly 2,500 films.
The journal, produced in partnership with Igbinedion University Okada, was presented to members of DGN at the guild’s annual national convention held at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City, Edo State.
Speaking on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the convention themed “Charting New African Narratives”, President of DGN, Dr. Victor Okhai, stressed the importance of documenting the history of the film industry in Nigeria and ensuring that “we tell our story”, saying the journal was a means to achieve that pertinent goal.
“Mungo Park was said to have discovered the River Niger, but our ancestors were already here before he came. That mistake will not repeat itself in our lifetime,” Okhai said.
“We decided that we will tell our story and no one else better than the Directors Guild of Nigeria,” he said.
The DGN President described the glee with which papers for the journal were sent as unprecedented.
“The papers we received were unprecedented and we have two volumes of this publication you are seeing here. The one presented now is volume 1,” he said.
Okhai said the journal has 20 well-researched articles by academics from 15 universities across Nigeria and was published by the University of Port Harcourt.
He described the journal as a record-setter, stating that DGN has come to write and establish the history of Nollywood.
“It will help our academics to do research, so when we tell our story, it will be us that people in the West will quote and not Mungo Park that they will quote,” he added.
Volume 2 of the journal is set to be presented at the next DGN meeting at the University of Port Harcourt later this year. The body plans to make publication of journals about Nollywood a frequent practice, at least once or twice annually.
The opening ceremony had in attendance members of the DGN and other dignitaries from various parts of the country, including Enugu, Delta, Lagos, Abuja and Edo State.
The convention began on Thursday, July 13 and will end on Saturday, July 15, 2023. Programmes planned for the convention include DGN academic conference, induction of new members, medical check-up, interactive sessions, DGN elections, Annual General Meeting (AGM), and Gala/Award Night.
