By Michael Efe Aniboh
WITH the increasing struggles to make ends meet especially in Nigeria, people hardly have time to for themselves and even more time to sit out those long Nollywood movies, anymore, investigation has shown.
Against this backdrop, people may have found solace in short comedy skits that are abound online. “Who has time to download and watch those long Nollywood movies anymore?” Mr. Frederick Imasuen said when asked the last time he saw a full movie.
Imasuen, a business owner said he hardly had time for himself these days as he is trying to grow his business. “The little time I have, I use it to go to the reels section and watch different comedy skits and pranks, laugh and go back to work. That should not take me more than 10 or 15 minutes. When I get home, I watch the news, play with the kids and sleep. The economy of the country at the moment does not permit one to have the time to sit down and watch those long Nollywood movies anymore. An average Nollywood movie is either one and a half hour or more, no. I don’t have that liberty of time again as I am the bread winner and my wife is out of job at the moment.”
Asked the last time he went to the cinema to see either a Nigerian or foreign movie, he said: “I can’t recall the last time I went to the movies when I have a smart phone and internet data. Like I told you, these skits make up for those long Nollywood movies. In fact, I am grateful to all those numerous skit makers, they are doing a great job, although, not many of them are funny, but they are trying.”
Another skit lover who simply identified himself as Emmanuel, said he spends about 30 minutes watching skits and pranks in the morning and at night. “When I wake up, around 5am, I take about 30 minutes to watch newly released skits and pranks, take my bath and leave for work. I close late from work, but around 10pm, I repeat the skits released in the day and my day has ended.” Emmanuel works as an office assistant in a first generation bank.
Mrs. Iyanu Hidayat, a food vendor however said she juggles between watching Yoruba movies and comedy skits even as she agreed skits are more convenient to watch these days. “I can watch a short skit in less than a minute before a customer will show up and laugh, but you can’t do that with a long(feature) film. You will have to pause and then come back to it later. These pauses take the excitement out of watching it(movie). But for a short comedy skit, you can watch it repeatedly and it won’t take your time. However, I still find time to watch a Yoruba movie or two on Sundays when I am not open for business and I have no social engagement to attend.”
A prominent Nollywood producer who does not want to be named because “I don’t want to hurt practitioners”, however disagrees with the assertion that skits are a threat to Nollywood movies. “The sky is wide enough for all birds(practitioners in the industry) to fly. Skits will never threaten feature films. There is a large number of people that watch both and I make bold to say, more people still watch movies more than skits. Just take a look at how cinema halls are packed to the brim anytime a new Nollywood movie is making a cinema run. And the good part is that, those who watch movies still watch these short skits. It is a win-win situation for everybody,” he confidently submitted.
But when reminded of some Nollywood actors and producers veering into skit making at the moment, he described it as a good omen for the entertainment industry. “In the entertainment industry, you don’t remain stagnant, as a practitioner, you constantly reinvent yourself. You widen your horizon. That is why it is called SHOWBIZ. If skits are bringing in money, you get involved and find a way to eat out of the cookie jar. I applaud my colleagues veering into skit making, in the long run, the audiences are entertained and money is made.”
-Aniboh is freelance travel movie journalist and art critic
Leave a Reply