By Okey Maduforo
The Nollywood industry is fast returning to Anambra State years after most movie outfits fled due to insecurity and the absence of good filming locations.
To this end, the cast and crew members of the industry have chosen the newly constructed Solution Fun City as their first cosmopolitan location for churning out movies.
Disclosing this in Onitsha, one of its leading members, Mr. Stephen Anajemmba, aka Uwaezuoke, noted that many of their members had fled to Asaba in Delta State to do business, thereby developing the area to the detriment of Anambra State.
Anajemmba, however, announced that many of their members are now returning to Anambra State, as he and his cast and crew have done in the past two years, due to the improved security provided by the Governor Charles Soludo-led administration.
“We have been on a tour of Anambra State to see for ourselves what the governor is doing, and we never knew that a government could do this for us,” he said.
Anajemmba lamented that the Nollywood industry had initially chosen Agbakoba Park in Onitsha as a location, but the then-governor of the state discouraged them and dismantled the park, prompting them to relocate to Asaba in Delta State.
“They ran to Asaba because of what that governor did, coupled with the insecurity in Anambra State.
“They went to Asaba and started developing that area out of fear of being kidnapped at film locations. But Governor Charles Soludo has greatly improved the security situation in Anambra State, and many of us have started relocating, including me and my members.”
At the Solution Fun City in Awka, Anajemmba described it as a very suitable location with the perfect ambiance for film production. He added that while the state government commences the construction of a new Nollywood industry location, they have adopted the Fun City as their temporary filming site.
“Yes, the Solution Fun City is a very beautiful place, and it has all that we need for several productions. We are going to use that place as our location.
“We have other beautiful locations in Anambra State, whether for village settings or modern backgrounds, and we urge other members of the industry to come home, just as many of us have done. The things you are searching for in Asaba are bountiful in Anambra State due to the efforts of the governor,” he said.
