Nollywood actor, Desmond Elliot has called for the federal government to place a ban on foreign films so that local films can thrive.

Desmond Elliot made this remark during an interview with Nigerian cable television channel, HipTV.

The lawmaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, wants Nigerian Government to be intentional about the film industry and handle it “like you’re importing rice” by placing a ban on foreign content.

He says, “First they need to create an enabling environment for this industry to thrive. Secondly, they need to consciously, intentionally focus on building the industry. Treat it like you’re importing rice. Okay, you know, so you ban all foreign content. You know, make it difficult for foreign content to come in, so your local content can grow.”

“That is why we need to turn to a sector like entertainment with enormous economic potential to grow the economy and move it out of recession.” he concluded.

Mr Elliot is a strong proponent of the diversification of Nigeria’s economy through the film industry. In 2017, he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the film sector had the potential to move the country out of recession if properly harnessed.

Reactions

Following Desmond Elliot’s comment, Nigerians have reacted via twitter, as usual, some positive and some negative.

Tise.jay says,
Desmond Elliot thinks foreign movie is like foreign rice that the FG banned. It’s not.

Advantages of manufacturing local rice:
1. Increased rice production will help food security
2. Agric. production increases (No. 1 rice producing country in Africa)
3. It creates employment

King No No says,

We did not ban Foreign Music for NG Music to grow Desmond Elliot. NG Music evolved, grew & today Wizkid & Co are in Beyonce’s Album. If Nollywood can stop the constant fetishness, showing of bumbum & take their time to write creative story lines they”ll surely grow!!!

Snr Olisa says,

Desmond Elliot was the same man that built a toilet as an achievement 🚮🚮 why won’t you expect trash from him???

Me to Desmond Elliot, bro,
@deselliot
I think govt should ban your kind of accent so that the country’s accents’ can grow. We should try to domestic global knowledge and also try to globalize domestic knowledge

– Claude Ake

Village Boy

Should we tell Desmond Idiot, sorry Desmond Elliot that we don’t import foreign films, we stream or download them. For government to even come close to clamp down on foreign movies, they have to ban internet, Netflix, Showmax, Piratebay etc