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Monday Polly: Looking Through Stained Eyes 2

Femi Agbayewa

Contributed by CZA on 3/24/08

Last week was part one of the one on one discussion with film director Femi Agbayewa on his view of life, liberty and the pursuit of the African American dream. Continue with us as we get more in depth on the issues that we all should raise an ear to.

CZA: In what ways could we strengthen the communication between the continents?
Femi: It’s already being done by forward thinking individuals all around the world. That invisible wall that kept us apart for so long is being dismantled brick by brick and relationships are being created that will hopefully inspire the next generation of Africans and Americans. Something that I see that is being done that is beneficial to this movement is the abject idea that Africa is so poor that all hope is lost. That couldn’t be further from the truth, and as I mentioned earlier, Africa is culturally wealthy and fully capable of taking advantage of good opportunities. We want to cast from us that image forever. Misconceptions have no place in building a better nation and world respectively.

CZA: What do you feel does NOT need to happen? What might be adverse to the positive movement and growth we’re seeing?
Femi: We don’t need to reinstitute the same flawed system. That’s one of the biggest challenges I see. We’ve tried being isolated but it hasn’t worked. Africa and America are intertwined. I really feel that at the end of the day, the missing pieces of each land can be found in the other. We need to commit energies into that positivity and firmly ground ourselves in the ideal of creating something that we can both enjoy. Currently we’re in a world where material wealth is more important than social wealth. We’ve already tried that and it hasn’t worked.

CZA: The film industry in Africa is one that generates millions of dollars each year and is only behind Hollywood and Nollywood as far as attraction. In the next few years, I believe we’ll see it continue to grow and gain even more recognition. Obviously there’s going to be some trying to proverbially “tap” it. What are your thoughts on that?
Femi: I had a choice. Almost similar to a basketball player leaving high school, if he’s good enough he can either go to college or straight to the pros. I decided to go the Nollywood route to make a statement that Africa is no less a grand country than any other on the planet. I wanted to people to associate my movies with Africa and to give its people an identity that they can hold fast.

CZA: That’s very important; the average person doesn’t care where their entertainment comes from as long as they get it. Allowing fellow Africans to claim your movies as their own and representing for them gives them another source of strength and pride.
Femi: Absolutely. Even with the presidential race going on now, people in Africa are just as interested in the goings-on as the citizens here—maybe more so because this could potentially be a moment in history unlike any other. I think that we’re ready for a black president—no, as educated people, we NEED to see a black president because that is a show of how far we’ve come. Should Obama win, there won’t be any crutches that people can lean on anymore. Blacks are equal citizens, enough so to attain the highest office in America. I want him to win because then every limitation that was either held or thought to be held is gone. Literally, we can be anything that we want to be and that will be evidence.

CZA: After change has come, do you think that it will last?
Femi: It will because it has to. Of course there will be the detractors, who are satisfied with the status quo, but there are those that will stand for what they believe in and it will maintain with the continued efforts of cats like you who aren’t afraid to endorse what you believe to be right. The age of the minority benefitting off the sweat of the majority is quickly coming to a much needed close.

Special thanks to Femi for sitting down with me on this and I hope y’all enjoyed it. We’ll be right back to business as usual next week so slide on back so we can chop up more good game. Until then, stay prosperous and positive.