Can we meet you please?
My names are Ndubuisi Godwin Amajor. I hail from Ossah– Ibeku in Umuahia LGA of Abia state. I did not have the benefit of any post primary education due to the demise of my father. Though I love education, fate played a tricky one on me. Hence my only regret in life is not being a graduate. I am a happily married man with four lovely children.
How did you become a member of the Nollywood sector of the creative industry?
Before joining Nollywood I had apprenticed in trade for 7 years eventually becoming a master by late 80s. As said by the wise , man is formed after ups and downs so I had to do something else .Before then I was a member of the drama group of Methodist church (Sunday school) children’s department that won trophies in Umuahia in the 80s.So by 1992 I joined the Miwa group which was a company set up by late Mike Orihedinma & Chief Stephen Alajemba ( Uwaezuoke d comedian). The Miwa Group had their television drama series that made them the rave of the moment then in Anambra. They saw the talents I had in me and made sure I remained with them which helped my journey into Nollywood. We shot so many movies but I will not forget a particular situation that happened when Amaco films asked the Miwa group to produce a film for him. They contracted the late Ndubuisi Okoh as director, Izu Ojukwu as a D.o.P while Emeka Hilary Umeasor now director was the Light and Sound man. Ndubuisi Okoh as a director asked for a continuity person from the producers . The producers handed the continuity sheet and clapper board to me, and that was how I became a continuity. Then came the battle of Musanga which we shot at Arochukwu Ohafia where I was in the crowd as part of the extras. Thereafter Mr Felix Okoro took me to Lagos for a film titled “Will Jesus come?”. I worked as a P.A after being a continuity on set. One day at an audition ground in Lagos Mr. Ejike Asiegbu advised me to go for crew work in every audition instead of acting, that he saw me going far from there since I was good. By then my friends, mates, colleagues like Mr Teco Benson, Ifeanyi Ikpoenyi, late Obi Madubuogwu, Mr John Okafor (Mr. Ibu) had from Onitsha came to Lagos. I thought they would help me then but they abandoned me not to mention Kingsley Okereke (Divine Vision) that I taught a P.A job. To be fair, Mr IBU had not found his feet so I joined Osuofia (Mr. Nkem Owoh) in a few movies like Amaco ( Agony of Roses) all in Lagos. We slept in Winis hotel lobby then where the likes of Hon. Tony One Week, Emeka Rollas, Julius Agwu and not forgetting Ochendo Smith do entertain us with gyration. After a while when I could not withstand the hardship in Lagos I went back to the east, Enugu to be precise. (1997 Asaba ,as Continuity, Late Ndubuisi Okoh directing, Izu Ojukwu DOP, Emeka Umeasor Boom) I was a crew/cast in King Jaja of Opobo, a crew/ cast in IGODO, Destroyers, Discovery, as a P.A. So much so I was adjudged the best P.A in Enugu back (NOV. 1998, King Jaja of Opobo in Enugu) then. Izu Ojukwu invited me to Jos to work for him on the Moment of Bitterness movie. I worked for late Ndubuisi Okoh in Amina film in Jos, but because of the IGODO film I left Jos back to Enugu and also worked on other films like Riches, The coming of Anti-Christ, The evil men etc. Emmalex Associates, one of the leading name in the industry gave me another opportunity by handing over to me the PM of some of his jobs. Other film producers sent PM jobs my way and it was from there I was promoted to the ranks of Associate producers. The urge to write stories came as I began to write and produce some of the films in the market then. Having left props and set to producing made me to think of joining AMP (Association of Movie Producers). In all I had over 65 films to my credit
When did you join the CDGN?
In the year 2000 we went to Enugu to shoot an Emmalex film titled “By all means”. I was a P.M on the job and the fellow meant to handle props and set didn’t show up. The Asst. producer Mr Chuks Okpala (World Ebony)my good friend called me and said “ND you have been long in this job let me challenge you, take this script go through it write down the props then report back to me” To be candid I was shocked because I paid no mind on all those things, not knowing that one day I might be call upon to do it. So I took up the challenge, and I must have done very well scaling that hurdle because the E.P then made me his permanent props & set man. I did so many movies as props & set like Suspicion, Apology, Submission, Ukwa, Okochi, Spanner, Honourable, Atinga, Mothering Sunday, Aka gum. As at that time if you are doing epic movies the go to experts for property & Set was 13 Fatman led by a handsome, ever smiling, easy going and everything made easy Mr. Dagogo Diminas. Respects Sir! Any hard set he is there with his crew. Another is old Prof. Emeka Nwabueze (First image).They were the “imported white” men then. They were open and ready to help and answer us. If I call for advice, direction or assistance they obliged. God bless them it is very clear their foot prints is still speaking good of them. In my creative (OCT 2000 on the set of OBEDIENCE with My Presido DJ Sele) years, I trained Mrs Grace Ololo Okorie (Ololo concept -and wife to my brother and guru in the industry Hon. Gabazzini, father of many children), Stella Ihejirika Mrs. With due respect our National president(D.J. Sele) worked with me, though from OBEDIENCE Oct 2000 birth he came as a mystic and creative person . My vice president, Pastor Sammy Osajie and my State chairman Mr Ifeanyi Odiegwu (Anambra) and Ogonna Mbaonu all worked for me at a point in time. In fact then I was making waves in Enugu before Kingsley Okereke of Divine Touch and Ikechukwu Onyeka now director came in. I was a member of NANTAP, NAG & AGN before Anambra’s AMP came on board. by 2012–2015. When I was thinking on what else to do to argument my income & because of the cheat of our EPs to us as a producer. In all I still love props & set because it made me to look inwards in my home & environment to rearranged things by placing them where it belongs. Because of the sense of creativity, unity and they are organized so I opted for CDGN. I will say that DJ Sele was the one that propelled me to join CDGN because of my efforts in the struggle to have our (Anambra state) version of AMP(Association of movie practitioners) because of marginalization of the new actors/actresses in Enugu. So DJ Sele asked me to help him distribute CDGN forms and also organize the city in other to institute a guild in Onitsha because then in some of the movies I produced I handled props/set at the same time.. I think it was in 2002. Finally I picked my form in 2003 through Mr Ifeanyi Odiegwu who later became the CDGN 1st chairman Anambra state. I appealed that I would join the guild on condition I would not be elected into duty posts though I know I would serve in other capacities.
CONGA (Coalition of Nollywood Guilds and Associations) was an umbrella body for all the Guilds in Nollywood back then? Did you feel the impact of CONGA?
On “CONGA” I was not active then to know who was involved, when or it’s worth and impact
Has anything changed between then and now?
In our time we do things as a team, that is why I love Soibifaa Diminas slogan “One for all-all for one” but today we take peanut + insult because we are desperate to work, not to talk of back biting which is the order of the day. Now that we have a new leader, with social media trends and more opportunities, we are lucky.
How can the Guild move on to greater heights?
More training and retraining, more seminars and capacity building . And again we should be serious with our states chapter. The chairman and excos must bring to the table new innovations. Our Taskforce must work to fish out unregistered members on set and penalise them as a deterrents to others. I advise that while we are doing our job we should look for other things and lay hand, it helps. I want to thank the past CDGN leaders especially Hon. Mummy Iyen. I also pray for Hon. Sele and his excos for God to give them more wisdom, grace, and vision for exemplary leadership.
Can you give us the gist of an unforgettable experience you had on a set? What did it mean to you? How did it influence your professional practise?
The saddest moments : when on the set of Sanctuary, directed by Mr Earnest Obi, we had to break camp because of lack of funds. I was given an advance of N60,000 to start work but after breaking camp I was given the sum of N20,000 which was not enough for me to purchase as set & props. So whilst I had another job to deliver as an associate producer in Enugu I needed to finish this set. I am in Onitsha setting up the devil’s temple, the first day Mr Earnest Obi ,inspects my set and says “N.D you tried but this is my new concept and you must achieve this new change.” l asked for money but the producer asked me to manage till his E.P (Executive Producer) comes. I had to use my money, go back to market to buy ,carve, construct , arrange , just to do the needful and achieve an extra ordinary, fearsome temple having in mind to go to Enugu the next day. My assists and I worked all through the night to achieve the director’s concept. In the morning the E.P, Producer and artistes were like “ This is it!” The hall was dark, fearsome, with lights and smoke.. Thinking that the director would be happy ,hail me (and then I could jet back to Enugu) but to my greatest surprise he said “N.D, I can’t shoot here not because it isn’t fearsome but because I want it to be more fearsome!!!” My brother I slumped, and my assistants came to my rescue… They helped me by giving me malt/milk and sprinkled water on me. When I regained myself, I asked the director what additional things he wanted after which I requested for money, only for the E.P to say he had no money. The E.P asked the director to shoot on the set that way that he liked what he was seeing. The director refused insisting that I must do it his own way. I proceeded to my hotel room with my assistants, packed my bags, my new scripts and left for Enugu. I told my assistants that whenever I am asked for they should tell the director that I went to market and of course to demand my balance. That cant happen today , for that kind of stress would have led to a stroke because my BP shot up seriously.
What do you currently do?
Now I am into fabrication and installation of Aluminum doors, windows, and roofing. I also deal on Aluminum glasses with the name ” Bless Kings Aluminum” based in Onitsha Anambra state.
What was your best paying fee (with year) and lowest fee (what year)?
My lowest fee was on a film called SPANNER 1 because it was a child of necessity in 2003, was N30,000. ( today’s N140 000) Then my highest was in a film titled Sanctuary,N120,000 but was paid N80,000.( today’s N560 000).