He is not one of those faces you see on movie posters. You don't even get to read about him often except he drops a new work or except the discussion is on the state of the Nigerian movie industry. The fact that he operates from behind the camera has not reduced his stature as one of the most relevant players in the Nigerian movie renaissance dubbed Nollywood. Amiable and normally a calm and quiet person, Fidelis Duker is as relevant to Nollywood as sugar is to cake. In fact since he joined in a little near two decades ago, the personable and approachable scriptwriter, producer, director, festival director and programmer has remained very relevant and if you like indispensable. The immediate past President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria and the founder and President of the Abuja International Film Festival, a festival that has grown to become a must attend for moviegoers and industry players, Duker a native of Henshaw town in Cross River State who was born in Lagos and educated in the North has risen to become a devoted disciple of the vocation whose views on the industry are sought after and respected too. A practitioner who trained at the University of Jos, at the Yaba College of Technology, the Nigerian Television Authority College and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and who says he is attracted to projects that have the potentials of redefining Nollywood, a reason he founded the Abuja International Film and Video Festival which is in its fifth year and a reason he teamed up with some notable industry players to set up the ground breaking business initiative called Project Nollywood, Duker who is unusually a lover of his critics, holds that success comes from consistently making accurate predictors of the future and making intelligent choices too. Duker in this chat makes no secret of that fact that his involvement in the movie is a commitment to the growth and development of the Nigerian movie culture.

Early influence

A lot of things and people influenced my incursion into movie making. My first contact with movies was through the television which ironically gave birth to what is today Nollywood. I had been a lover of television drama during its golden years in the late 70's and early 80's with programes like Village Headmaster, Koko Close, Mirror in the Sun, Cock Crow at Dawn and Behind the Clouds among many others and I felt I could join this people, so around 1989, I went to NTA and one of the first person I met was Danladi Bako and then later I met the late Lai Aransanmi who put me through the basics of production. I worked on Morning Ride, Tales By Moonlight, Tele -Movies, At Your Service amongst others. It was also a privilege to meet the likes of Late Matt Dazie, then Dan Emeni, Chris Obi Rapu, Cordelia Eke, Nne Ukoha, Boudillon Bodio, Salome Eferemo and many other sound professionals in the NTA.......that was when i put my writing skills to test which eventually evolved into other aspects of production. Because I actually started from the basics as a production assistant but today I have devoted almost 20 years and I have also become a producer.

From acting to directing

I started as an actor. I actually tried acting with one of my earlier films, which was Nemesis where i played the lead but i knew from inception that i was not cut out for acting though people commended my effort but i did that because i wanted to prove a point and also i could not afford a star for the role then, an I am talking about 14 years ago. But since then I have not gone back to it. Maybe in 20 years time, after retirement i will do a few cameo appearances. But all the while in NTA i had been involved in Production processes - scripting, management, producing, and directing. So after Nemesis i never went back to acting again.

First professional job.

The first job I did was on Morning Ride with Danladi Bako where i was the Production Assistant. Then I moved on to become a Production Manager cum writer on Blossom an NTA soap opera produced and directed by Dalandi Bako. But my first job as an independent producer was Devils Empire which never saw the light of the day. It was released in 1993 after the production of Living in Bondage, Taboo and Circle of Doom. But i quickly recovered and made Skeleton in Ibo Language which was the first film for Hanks Anuku, late Funmi Martin, Amaechi Muanagor and others in 1993. Devils Empire would have been the first English film but it never worked out.

Memorable works

NOT MY WILL. It was well publicized. It was the first film that had a couple of first in the area of films to be premiered at the MUSON. I had a first in the area of Special effects which was handled by Simisola Opeoluwa, where a car explosion was computer generated; the music score by Sammie Okposo that produced Stanley Okorie also had a separate album. All this first became a norm, and at the THEMA award it had 16 nominations and only 2 awards and one special mention for Supporting Actress, Special Effects and Soundtrack. The film also had array of established thespians - Late Francis Agu, Funmi Martins, Felicia Mayford. The living like Segun Arinze, Franca Brown, Omoni Oboli, Jide Kosoko, Aluwe, Sam loco, Amechi Obi amongst others. Veteran cinematographer Pat Affun was on Camera.

Any parental objection

No, not really. My Mum actually supported my going into the theatre but unfortunately she is no more alive to see my successes. My father only had reservation at the beginning but subsequently he succumbed to my desire to pursue the trade. His reservation was that he saw no future in the business then but I knew Nollywood was going to succeed and that I will be a success story.


Beside motion picture

I have always wanted to be in the entertainment business but something else I would have wanted to do was to be a lawyer but I will want to see myself as a lawyer subsequently. A lawyer that will be involved in litigation because I know I have a flair for arguments.

Duker's take on Nollywood

Nollywood has evolved from its humble beginning a couple of years ago to a major industry that contributes to Nigeria's annual GDP. It is also instructive to mention that Nollywood from inception has been private sector driven and this has also contributed to the successes it has achieved and the imbalances that are presently noticeable in the sector. Some of these imbalances have been the hues and cry of the corporate sector that there are no structures but I beg to disagree because the Nollywood of today has stated to create its structures which are necessary for the kind of development we are expecting. I will also mention that Nollywood is a global phenomenon that the industry must begin to harness its potentials for success, early in the year JWT in the US came out with a report that Nollywood would be among the major events, activities, industries that will shape the structure of the world in 2008 and I think the industry needs to look at this study by JWT and see how we can harness the inherent potentials.

Given another opportunity at life

Of course I will do this all over. I have never regretted any moment in Nollywood as my career has been most fruitful and inspiring. Even if I return twenty times, I will return as a filmmaker who wants to change the course of humanity via filmmaking.


Growing up

I grew up in Lagos in the early 70's when everybody was its neighbour's keeper. My Dad was a Federal Civil Servant while my mum was a trader who traded in provisions. I had two siblings, my younger sister Philomena who now lives in America and my elder sister from another father who actually grew up with us. I grew up in Yaba, went to St Dominic's Primary school which was a mission school and that was were I had the first contact with the Bruce's from Ben to Roy to Guy and the entire family who attended the church. Life in Lagos then was fun as we were privileged to have a nuclear family. My dad also made sure we had all the fun, we rode bicycle as kids and we also played with kids from different background. Then our neighbours included the likes of Gov. Danjuma Goje of Gombe who was the Chief Admin Officer; Dr. D.K Olukoya the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire. I also went to the North for my secondary school. It was at Federal Government College Kano that I met so many people from different part. That was the beauty of attending Federal Government Colleges back then. Admission was purely on merit. In Kano I met some of the Abacha siblings; Isiaku Rabiu, Tony Anenih jnr, Funsho Alabi (My First Head Boy) and Gov. Popoola's Son among many others I can remember.
Abuja Film Festival

The whole idea is to celebrate Nigeria, especially at our independence through Nollywood movies. From a modest beginning, the festival has grown to become a force to be reckoned with. I am also happy that after we started two other film festivals cam on stream and that is BOBTV by Amaka Igwe and AVEX by Madu Chikwendu. So, the Abuja festival has given rise to other festivals. I agree we must travel out for other festivals, but we must do our own and bring people to Nigeria. Festivals go beyond showing of films; it also boosts tourism and it brings in foreign exchange to the country. It's just unfortunate that the Nigerian corporate world has not seen Nollywood as a serious business to invest in and support. Apart from the little support we get from here and there, we have had to personally fund the event. There was a time I sold one of my movies outright to fund the festival. It is a cause I believe in so much. I've been to all the major festivals globally from Cannes to Berlin, to Venice and others. So, I have an idea of what a festival is and I know it goes beyond the immediate returns. I want us to create an institution with the Abuja film festival, a lasting legacy that would outlive us. So to answer one of your questions, I think our independence celebration was another thing that inspired this festival. At independence, you will see all the sectors celebrating Nigeria except the movie industry, so we are now part of the independence celebration. It is our own contribution to the nation at independence and we chose Abuja for two reasons; it is the capital of Nigeria and also a very peaceful city. It is also an environment where our foreign delegates will see the best of Nigeria. Abuja has beautiful scenarios and clean spaces and quiet environment. It also gives our delegates a clean picture of what Nigeria should look like and not what Nigeria is. We are using Abuja as a yardstick to sell Nigeria globally. And it is going to be the permanent venue, we are not moving it. The idea is for Abuja to be synonymous with films.

Has this been fulfilling?
I have found filmmaking most fulfilling both financially and career wise. Its interesting to mention that as at the time I came into the business of what is today called Nollywood, you could count the career producers and directors….names like Amaka Igwe, Zeb Ejiro, Okey Ogunjiofor, Bolaji Dawodu, Chico Ejiro, Tade Ogidan were easily known but today what you have is you hear one funny name and the person claims he is producer or director because he has entered the bush in Enugu or in Aba to shoot. This is a very unfortunate situation. That is why you see the kind of films they show especially on African Magic. In all I have had a very eventful career since I made my first feature film 15 years ago. There have also been trying times for me as a filmmaker where I invested in a project and lost but there was also times I invested and made money. Besides the business of film has also opened doors in different ways.

Politics of Moviedom

I discovered that a certain crop of filmmakers who pioneered movies in the late sixties and early seventies had no foresight for the future of the industry. That was why when our generation came in we started creating structures like Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Scriptwriters Guild of Nigeria (SWGN), ITPAN, ANTP, NANTAP and others. If not till the late eighties when the likes of NANTAP and ITPAN emerged, there were no associations or pressure groups when the likes of some of our elders were making films in the 70's. They were more concerned about their individual businesses at the detriment of the collective interest. The first set of indigenous feature film were made in early 70's but most of these filmmakers never saw a need to foster structures for the coming generation and when we came in with Nollywood, there were no structures to check the excesses of some charlatans and mediocre. So we now started the present associations and guilds, and when you look at it from ITPAN to present day AGN and the rest, you will find the same people in Nollywood politics, like mahmood Ali Balogun who was instrumental to ITPAN and NANTAP and the likes of Zeb Ejiro, Madu Chikwendu, Peace Fiberisima, Don Pedro Obaseki, Ejike Asiegbu, We wanted to change the status quo and also create a proper environment for practice of the trade.


Duker and DGN

Yes i came into the Directors Guild of Nigeria when the guild had no office, website, bank account and no member's list or welfare package. I met less than N25,000 in cash but when i was leaving, i left close to a million naira and i must say the new President Bond Emeruwa is somebody that will build on the structures i have left. i met a DGN where the membership structure was divided but i am happy to say that i came and put in place a DGN that had a broad structure from all the geo political zones.

Favourite food

I like Pounded Yam and Egusi prepared by my wife with assorted meat. But on a lighter note, i can take fried plantain and egg.

Enter Mrs. Temitope Duker nee Odukoya

Yes. The first day i saw madam i knew she was my wife and i knew we will live to understand each other besides she has been through thick and thin with me and she's the only one who understands me. I could be difficult sometimes but here is a woman who understands everything about me. She's a blessing to my very existence and I bless God for given me not just a wife but a true friend.

And Project Nollywood

Project Nollywood is a limited Liability Company fashioned after the DreamWorks SKG format. My partners as you know are Chico Ejiro, Fred Amata and Charles Novia who is the MD/CEO. we are into Production and distribution of Audio/Visual Contents and we have a partnership with ECOBANK and the whole idea is to create a proper and structured distribution platform which we have achieved through the films we have so far released under the platform and the films till date are toping the film business in Nigeria in quality and sales figure as they are above the average Nollywood films. Many reviews has shown these. For now we are still working as we are in discussion with some independent producers to distribute more films via our platform. By August it will be 1year since we took off and we will be able to provide our financial report on the partnership. But for now we are still in business and we have other projects apart from filmmaking which we will unfold soon.

By Shaibu Husseini