Nigerian Nollywood veteran actor, Emeka Ike, on Saturday said he was set to launch his Nollywood TV on the pay-per-view digital Satellite decoder, TStv.
Ike, a multiple award winner who has starred in over 300 movies made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
NAN reports that the veteran actor will unveil his Nollywood TV on a dedicated channel on the indigenous digital satellite television service operator, TStv.
He disclosed that the reason behind the TV station was to create more financial inflow for the film industry and to help it expand its horizon.
Ike said that aside from the popularity enjoyed by Nollywood, the industry needed to be more self sustaining and have a worthy market value
“We cannot overemphasise that Nollywood has created relevance in the entertainment world and made an impact in the world in general”
“Nollywood is not just evolving, but still hanging in the air without adequate support; so, a platform like Nollywood TV offers a platform to showcase our jobs more which cannot be achieved with this current situation”
“We need to move from getting crumbs from the rich man’s table to having a solid financial independence, Nollywood needs to push itself into heights at which other collage industries are in the world like Hollywood”
“We want a next level development in Nollywood that will be a lasting legacy to be proud of, something that will outlast our generation to the unborn,” he told NAN.
Ike noted that structures such as the Nollywood TV would further give the industry a face and exploration opportunities.
“We need a level in Nollywood whereby the structure can run fine. Setting up a structure like Nollywood TV on TStv will give us that leverage to explore more of the potentials in the industry.
“The cultural, ethics, values and presentation of Nollywood will further be expounded and we will be free from the servitude of the sponsors”
“What I will try to achieve is to help the industry and give it a face and structure to contain and be of benefit to all” he said.