The Nigerian film industry otherwise called Nollywood may be facing its biggest threat ever since it birthed over three decades ago. And this threat is coming from an unlikely and unexpected ‘foe’-skit makers.
Like the proverbial green snake under a green grass, Skit makers ‘slithered’ unto the entertainment landscape of the country and are now the centre of attention.
An average Nollywood movie takes between a week or two to conclude shooting on, and post production takes some couple of days. Huge resources are deployed and producers set aside millions to achieve one production. But with a fairly good mobile phone, a maximum of three cast and crew members, a skit can be achieved. The longest skit and or prank video is about 15 minutes with the shortest about three minutes.
The interesting part of the story is, Nigerians download and watch more of these skits nowadays than those long and most times “boring” Nollywood movies with predictable storylines. The skits are not only short, they are funny as well.
Mr. Egede Ike, a resident of Lagos has this to say: “My children help source and send comedy skits to my WhatsApp, from their phones. They also use my phone to follow some of the skit makers like Mr Funny(Sabinus), Untouchable Comedies among others. When I am free, especially in the evenings, I watch a lot of comedy skits and prank videos.”
And why is Ike no longer into Nollywood movies? “My brother, Nollywood movies are too long these days and it is always about one king and kingdom and heir to the throne bla bla bla. I am tired. Pay TV is not helping matters
too. DSTV keeps repeating these movies on their Nollywood channels, if not for my children’s sake, I would have stopped paying my monthly subscription. I am contented with these comedy skits my kids introduced me to”, he submitted.
But for Mrs Joyce Adeniran, comedy skits are funny, short and to the point but it has not stopped her from watching Nollywood movies. “I agree that these skits are a new source of entertainment for most Nigerians, you can watch as many as 10 daily and you won’t use much Data, but I still watch Nollywood movies. My husband anyway, never liked Nollywood films, he prefers American action movies and prank videos by Nigerian pranksters. In all, I agree that skit makers are really turning some Nigerians away from Nollywood movies, but the sky remains wide enough for all birds to fly, if you know what I mean.”
One thing this reporter noticed was that skit makers are making the kind of money Nollywood stars made when they started out decades ago. Companies, especially sports betting outfits are investing heavily in skits production as a sure and fast way to reach their target audience. The pranksters are busy giving out thousands of naira on a daily basis to people who either pass or fall for their pranks. They are buying up property in choice areas of the city they reside and they are not hiding the fact that they are making money. They flaunt expensive state-of-the-art cars, and wine and dine in high brow restaurants.
A prominent Nollywood producer this reporter spoke with, who pleaded anonymity, dismissed the perceived threat skit makers and pranksters pose to the movie industry in Nigeria. “How did you arrive at that conclusion(that skit makers are a threat to Nollywood)?, he queried. “Everybody is doing his own thing, Nollywood as an industry is doing really great at the moment like always. Yes, we are in a post Covid 19 recovery period, but just like other sectors, Nollywood is picking up its pieces and trudging ahead. We see no threat from anybody and least of all, from skit makers and pranksters. Truth is, only people with some form of shallow reasoning, forgive my choice of words) take these skit makers and pranksters seriously. Again, I apologise for my choice of words.“
What however this somewhat arrogant producer does not know or perhaps too arrogant to admit is that, most Nollywood stars are now into skit making. From Charles Okafor, Destiny Etiko to Nnamdi among others, they now regale their fans with short skits these days.
As things stand, the coming days may decide who the winner of this ongoing but silent battle between skit makers and Nollywood producers.
By Mava Joshua John
