Nollywood actor wants stiffer penalty for piracy

Dele Odule

A veteran Nollywood actor, Mr Dele Odule, on Monday urged the National Assembly to enact a law enforcing stiffer punishment for anybody or group found guilty of piracy or plagiarism.

Odule, who is the National President of Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers of Nigeria (TAMPAN), made the appeal in llorin on Monday while speaking with newsmen.

The Nollywood actor said that piracy, though a global problem, occurred at an alarming rate in Nigeria.
He attributed the high incidence to the low penalty meted out on the perpetrators and non-enforcement of laws against the offence.

“Film producers in Nigeria do not have retirement benefits like civil servants and ordinarily, their production should be their benefits after retirement.

“However, in a situation where these works have been pirated, they are doomed and have nothing to look forward to in future,’’ Odule said.

He appealed to the Federal Government to borrow a leaf from developed countries by assisting film producers in creating an enabling environment to operate.

The actor appealed that a large film village should be built, where actors would be required to pay a token to the government to achieve their mission.

He also solicited that loan facilities should be provided for actors at low interest rates.

The Nollywood actor disclosed that under his leadership as the TAMPAN president, plans had reached an advanced stage to professionalise theatre and film production in the country.

This, he said, was to guard against non-professionals bastardising their good jobs.