By Rita Okoye
Veteran Nollywood actor, Chinedu Ikedieze, popularly known as Aki, has applauded the resilience and creativity of Nigerian content creators, describing their efforts as a powerful antidote to the nation’s current economic hardship.
Speaking during a chat with Saturday Sun at the official unveiling of Akwaamaka Studio in Festac, Lagos, Ikedieze who also doubles as a content creator reflected on the challenges and sacrifices behind the seemingly effortless videos that entertain millions of Nigerians daily.
“It’s a whole lot of work. Content creation is an entire industry on its own, and we have to give kudos to everyone doing it. Sometimes, I stay up till 3 a.m. editing videos that I need to post the next day. It’s totally different from conventional acting where you have scripts and preparation time. With content, inspiration can come suddenly, and you just have to run with it. Sometimes, my wife and I shoot videos until 2 a.m. just to meet deadlines. We try as much as we can to put smiles on people’s faces despite the harsh economy. The Nigerian government should recognise and support the growing digital creative industry,” he stated.
Ikedieze also praised the newly unveiled Akwaamaka Studio, describing it as a game-changer for Nollywood and the broader creative sector.
He said: “I was more than amazed by what I saw. This is the best studio I have seen in Nigeria so far. They have virtually everything here. You can shoot an entire movie in one location. The quality, the design, the nature-themed sets… it’s out of this world. High Chief Stanley Obodoagwu, the CEO of Akwaamaka brought nature to life, and for filmmakers, this is going to cut costs significantly.”
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