Oreofe Willams to Bamiloye:Don’t compare gospel movies with Nollywood movies

The faith-based film maker and producer of ‘Awo Jesu’ film, Oreofe Williams has reacted to a recent post of evangelist Mike Bamiloye, saying Bamiloye shouldn’t in any way compare Gospel films with Nollywood films.

Oreofe made this statement yesterday while reacting to Mike Bamiloye’s post.

The film maker who described this as nepotism told Gospel Film News that all faith-based filmmakers should go on shooting films without such mindsets. “Don’t compare with Nollywood when you work but if you  choose to compare, compare your work with the truth of scriptures,” he added. 

He reitrated that comparing gospel film with Nollywood films has reduced the film to a mere competitive saliva.

“If a movie is good, it is good. To place it side by side with any work from Nollywood has reduced it to a mere competitive saliva.”

“How many from Nollywood are being compared with ‘faith-based’ works? In America, faith-based works are becoming the yardsticks for other professionals from Tyler Perry to the Kendricks,” he said.

The ‘Awo Jesu’ producer stated that “If you feel you are not inferior to anything, you don’t compare with it. You only do so when you feel extremely inferior and someone like me doesn’t need such ideology. I just do my works and I celebrate others too.”

“If you feel anything from ‘Nollywood’ is ‘darkness’, which I do not agree with, why compare your own ‘light’ with ‘darkness’,” Oreofe said.

He continued by saying: “It’s like saying ‘we have the miracles of Christ that could render the magic of Satan into Child’s play’. Are Christ’s miracles and Satanic magical realism the same?”

He further disclosed to Gospel Film News that such assertions wouldn’t mean anything to people like him.

“We shouldn’t even jump into public comparison with anybody or any group. I think this perception and interest already killed the original mission of those you write for,”he reintrated.

“We need to be careful about what we say when we mentor. Some human-made doctrines don’t last forever. Several years ago, only unbelievers wear ‘trousers and wigs’ and uncover their heads. Born-again sisters tie their heads with scarfs. Today, there are films from same people where born-again sisters wear wigs, uncover their hair, wear trousers ,etc. What are they telling those who watched them then. These are human-made philosophies. I’m happy I don’t know the addresses of such schools,” he stressed.

He noted that there is need for caution and the excesses should be minimized.

“There is need for caution and these excesses should be clamped down. Let’s be careful about what we dish out to the public. As time time goes on, a faith -based filmmaker will start telling the public his own film is better than that of another faith-based filmmaker,” Oreofe noted.

He also advised Mike Bamiloye to advertise his films adding that comparing gospel films with Nollywood films is like comparing the message of a notable preacher to the oratorical prowess of Barack Obama.

“Advertise your films. Tell people to watch yours as one of the best in Nigeria but it’s desecrating to say ‘the stories of the bible  could render the best of academic fiction into a child’s play’. It’s like comparing the messages of Bishop David Oyedepo or of Pastor E.A Adeboye or of Yongi Cho or of Rev’D Chris Onayinka with the oratorical prowess of Barack Obama. I’m sure they are not the same. For God’s sake, it is wrong and carnal, no matter who is saying it. I am sure, as a journalist, you quoted the reverred speaker out of context or he could have spoken out of some sort of enthusiasm. It, therefore, should NOT be made public,” he stressed.

Oreofe Williams further told Gospel Film News that either from the perceptive of watching the contents or the technicalities, what is wrong is wrong, saying it will only promote strife and rivalry. 

“If your film beats theirs down, leave them to check themselves and conclude. A father who has a beautiful daughter does not need to tell people his child is more beautiful than that of his neighbour.That’s nepotism, he concluded.

You will however recall that Gospel Film News published a post of Mike Bamiloye yesterday where he described a new gospel film,’Land of Fury’ as one of the best ever produced and that the film could turn any Nollywood film into a child’s play.