Month: October 2021

By Prof Hope O’Rukevbe Eghagha

There are times when one’s workplace is akin to a war front. That is, there are always battles to be fought, won or lost. With each loss or victory, enemies are created. It does not matter that the victor was right. Once he wins a battle, he creates enemies. And makes a few friends perhaps. Most of the battles are not necessary. They are often petty. Divisive. Deadly. They are not always strictly in the line of duty. They are not on principles such as what suits the organization best or what approach would be less challenging for the group. The battles emanate from petty jealousy, self-aggrandizement, inflated ego, and envy. Such battles affect both men and women. They are often deadly. They sometimes result in backbiting, planting evil stories, spreading false rumours, backstabbing, gossiping to the Chief Executive, and outright lies against persons. In African countries, sometimes the use of juju and other diabolic means such as enchantment and witchcraft are not ruled out. Ask pastors what their ears hear from adherents!

Sadly, it is not only in workplaces that envy exists. It exists in any group of persons assembled or related for any cause- familial, political, religious or commercial. Sometimes, in a church or mosque, petty jealousy snowballs into a conflagration and people change the location of worship. A pastor or a member becomes casualty sometimes. Faith is undermined. When petty jealousy creeps into church administration, God and His benevolent guiding principles are forgotten by the combatants- they fight to finish. In a family, the man who is the only successful person in life needs divine help to save him from wicked arrows from siblings or cousins. Have you witnessed some deadly intra-family fights resulting from jealousy and greed and small-mindedness? Sometimes it is so bad that even in death enmity continues! Truly, Jesus Christ, the Righteous declared: a man’s foes shall be they of his own household!

Sometimes envy and petty jealousy also creep into relationships among friends. It is often said that twenty friends cannot play together for twenty years! This saying becomes meaningful when you see a friend gradually become an enemy through word and deed. Except you are perceptive, you may not realize the slide or degeneration or transmutation in time. It slips through snippets of statements attributed to supposed friends which filter into your ears through third parties. For example, it was at the wedding ceremony of my son that I realized that one of such fellows, a crafty, wily devil, was a friend no more! Other manifestations followed. But it’s better that one knows his enemies, what the Pentecostals call ‘friendly enemies’ and decide on how to relate with them!

Envy of one for the other is as old as man on earth. It accounts for the first recorded murder on earth if the Bible is our guide. Cain killed his brother Abel. Abel, we are told, had offered a better sacrifice than that of Abel. God accepted Abel’s. Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because it was ill-conceived. In the Abel-Cain case, there was sibling rivalry. And as we know, sibling rivalry still exists in families across the world. It manifests in different ways especially when one or some are more successful in life than others. It is in poor families. It is in rich families. Some siblings have sworn never to set eyes on each other forever! Can you beat that? Children from the same womb? Indeed, that desire to maim, destroy or kill a rival is still very much with man.

In the office, it gets worse as people rise in their career. The top is usually slim. In an organization only one person gets the top job. But before you get there, there are battles. There are many people who could get the plum job. Sometimes, the set criteria point in the direction of one person. In Nigeria, if that person is not from the favoured group, there is no guarantee that they would get the job. As a result, there is intense jostling. For example, where there are five deputy directors, seniority is decided by date of first engagement or promotion. The person who is second in line may have vaulting ambition and may resort to elimination means to clear the path for himself. This could be dangerous. There have been too many mysterious and sudden deaths when there is a struggle for a position.

Sometimes envy arises not from what a target had done or said. It arises from the evil heart of the other man. It is involuntary sometimes. Why you? Why not me? They seem to ask no one in particular. It can also be planned and schemed over a period of time. If we remember that not everyone is happy with our success in life, perhaps we would be more circumspect in revealing plans to so-called associates and friends. In some instances, small-minded friends or associates would simply be interested in embarrassing or maiming you once they think or perceive or see that you are ahead socially and financially. Nollywood Films often depict aspects of envy and jealousy among friends, families and associates. Although often presented in a melodramatic style, the incident of a successful man dying in mysterious circumstances after extended family meetings or a man falling ill just when it is time to climb the final step of the ladder is as common as it is as scary in typical African settings. This by way no way suggest that there are no good friends!

As much as possible, one must be conscious of people around them as they make career growth. Too much disclosure could be deadly. Plans should be kept to oneself. Sharing food or drinking office tea are opportunities for some wicked actions. Our people say that food that has been ingested is difficult to vomit. So, as much as possible, rising persons should be careful of their drinks and food. In extreme cases, rivals, known and unknown, resort to physical elimination. For this reason, travel plans should be kept close to the chest. Above all, prayers of protection are essential in a country as ours in which God is worshipped on Sundays and ignored during the week by millions. When a workplace or church environment becomes toxic, if we can let us move to another branch. If it is in church of course there are laid down principles about inviting the person for a discussion, getting a third party involved and treating the person like a gentile. But a change of environment or avoiding proximity is a practical way of reducing danger.

The final point to be made is that nemesis awaits anyone who schemes evil against an innocent person, whether at the workplace or in the family, in church, mosque or business premises. Sadly, workers in the universities, including some professors, are not excluded from this penchant for destroying people through all kinds of evil schemes, means and shenanigans. Indeed, one professor was once reported to have said to a colleague during a squabble: ‘remember that you have only one child!

In all of this, we all must remember Emerson’s observation, made popular by Thriller Writer James Hadley Chase, that ‘nemesis, is that recoil of nature, never to be guided against, that ever surprises the most wary transgressor! Anybody who destroys another will pay for it ultimately.

BEST PICTURE NOMINEES

VOICELESS (Nigeria)
MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya)
A DANCE TO FORGET (Nigeria)
HEROES OF AFRICA (Ghana)

BEST ACTOR MALE NOMINEES

JORGE LUIS CASTRO (OCEAN) Russia
ADAM GARUBA (VOICELESS) Nigeria
SEUN AKINDELE (DESPERATE PROPOSAL) Nigeria
BERNARD ADUSE POKU (HEROES OF AFRICA) Ghana

BEST ACTOR FEMALE NOMINEES

UFUOMA MCDERMOTT (MR & MRS OKOLI) Nigeria
LARA LAZARETTI (NOVEMBER) Portuguese Brazil
NANCY ISIME (A DANCE TO FORGET) Nigeria
ASABE MADAKI (VOICELESS) Nigeria

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR MALE NOMINEES

TONY AKPOSHERI ( Mr & Mrs Okoli ) Nigeria
NANJIE RAMESH (BROKEN POT) Cameron
SANI MU’AZU (VOICELESS) Nigeria
FREDERICK LEONARD (VENDETTA ) Nigeria

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR FEMALE NOMINEES

NGOZI EZEONU (A DANCE TO FORGET) Nigeria
YANA IVANOVA (GRAND CANCAN) Russia
REKIYA ATTA (VOICELESS) Nigeria
MA-BI ETONGO CELESTINE (BROKEN POT) Cameroon

BEST DIRECTOR NOMINEES

ROBERT PETERS (VOICELESS) Nigeria
GILBERT LUKALIA (MISSION TO RESCUE) Kenya
FRANK GHARBIN (HEROES OF AFRICA ) Ghana)
MIKHAIL KOSYREV-NESTEROV (OCEAN ) Russia

BEST SCREENPLAY NOMINEES

JENNY AGUNLOYE OKOLIKO (VOICELESS) Nigeria
KOSYREV-NESTEROV (OCEAN) Russia
NAJID ALFRED TOOFE, STANFAME AJALAJA (MR & MRS OKOLI) Nigeria
FRANK GHARBIN (HEROES OF AFRICAN) Ghana

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY NOMINEES

JONATHAN KOVEL ( VOICELESS ) Nigeria
OLEG LUKICHEV (OCEAN) Russia
VINCENT BAFFOUR (HEROES OF AFRICA) Ghana
VICTOR OMBOGO (MISSION TO RESCUE) Kenya

BEST STORY NOMINEES

HEROES OF AFRICA (Ghana)
OCEAN (Russia)
BROKEN POT (Cameroon)
VOICELESS (Nigeria)

BEST CAST DIRECTOR NOMINEES

OCEAN (Russia)
HEROES OF AFRICAN (Ghana)
VOICELESS (Nigeria)
MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya)

BEST FILM EDIT NOMINEES

VOICELESS (Nigeria)
NOVEMBER (Brazil)
MR & MRS OKOLI (Nigeria)
MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya)

BEST SOUND NOMINEES

HEROES OF AFRICA (Ghana)
VOICELESS (Nigeria)
MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya)
NOVEMBER (Brazil)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN NOMINEES

VEGAS (USA)
VOICELESS (Nigeria)
A DANCE TO FORGET (Nigeria)
OCEAN (Russia)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE NOMINEES

VOICELESS (Nigeria)
A DANCE TO FORGET (Nigeria)
NOVEMBER (Brazil)
DESPERATE PROPOSAL (Nigeria)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG NOMINEES

A DREAM TO FORGET (Nigeria)
OCEAN (Russia)
NOVEMBER (Brazil)
TWISTED (Nigeria)

BEST MAKEUP COSTUME NOMINEES

DESPERATE PROPOSAL (Nigeria)
PIOUS LOVE (Nigeria)
HEROES OF AFRICA (Ghana)
A DANCE TO FORGET (Nigeria)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS NOMINEES

MISSION TO RESCUE (Kenya)
OCEAN (Russia)
JUDAS KISS (Uganda)
VOICELESS (Nigeria)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM NOMINEES

NYARA “The Kidnapping” by Ram Ally K (Tanzania)
MARIA KRISTU: The Buumba story by Paul.S. Wilo (Zambia)
SHUJAA WETU (OUR HERO ) by Tom Johns (Tanzania)
FURROWS by Julio Mazarico (Spain)

FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM NOMINEES

GOLDEN FISH,AFRICAN FISH by Thomas Grand, Moussa Diop from (Senegal)
GUNS, BOMBS & WAR: A LOVE STORY by Emmanuel Itier from (USA)
FREEPLAY by Ivan Torres (Spanish,United Kingdom)

SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM NOMINEES

YABÁ by Rodrigo Sena (Brazil)
ARCTIC by Josu Venero, Jesus Mari Lazkano from (Spain)
HALF-DROWNED by Nnadi Hillary Ikenna (Nigeria)

INDIGENOUS FILM CATEGORY NOMINEES

EFUNSETAN ANIWURA by Joshua Ojo (Nigeria)
ISHI ANYAOCHA by Jhonpaul Nwanganga (Nigeria)
THE WIDOW’S SON – HAUSA VERSION by Willie Workman Oga (Nigeria)
GRAVE by Adeshina Abiola Paul (Nigeria)

INDIGENOUS FILM ACTOR NOMINEES

YEMI SOLADE (EFUNSETAN)
CLARION CHUKWURA (EFUNSETAN)
WALE ELESHO (EFUNSETAN)
JESSICA RAYMOND (THE WIDOW’S SON – HAUSA)
CHIDIEBERE ANEKE (ISHI ANYAOCHA)

BEST SHORT FILM NOMINEES

MUM by Kenechi Oraghalum (USA)
BROTHERLY by Best Okoduwa (Nigeria)
ARIZONA 1878 by Manuel Jose Olaya MuÑoz (Spain)
CLICHÉ – REFLECTION OF A SILHOUETTE by Jesper Skoubølling (Denmark)

The California Film Commission (CFC) is one of several economic development departments within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development working to attract, retain, and expand business opportunities in California. The CFC supports a production-friendly environment to retain and grow production jobs and economic activity statewide, enhancing California’s position as the leading location for all forms of media content creation nationally and globally.

List of film festivals in State of California USA

48 Hour Film Project, Los Angeles
American Film Institute Film Festival – AFI Fest
American Film Market
Arpa International Film Festival
Artemis Women In Action Film Festival
Benicia Film Festival
Beverly Hills Film Festival
Broadway International Film Festival
Burbank International Film Festival
Calabasas Film Festival
California Independent Film Festival
California’s American Indian & Indigenous Film Festival
Cambria Film Festival
Catalina Film Festival
Cinematografo International Film Festival
Cinequest – San Jose Film Festival
COLCOA French Film Festival
Culver City
DaVinci International Film Festival
DigiFest Temecula
DocLands Documentary Film Festival
DTLA Film Festival
East Bay International Jewish Film Festival
Etheria Film Night
FilmOut San Diego LGBT Film Festival
Fresno Reel Pride Film Festival

Glendale International Film Festival
Golden State Film Festival
Holly Weird Film Festival
HollyShorts Film Festival
Hollywood Film Awards
HorrorHaus Film Festival
Humboldt International Film Festival
Lone Pine Film Festival
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival
Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival
Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
Los Angeles Film Festival
Los Angeles Television Festival
Malibu International Film Festival
Marina del Rey Film Festival
Mendocino Film Festival
Mill Valley Film Festival
Napa Valley Film Festival
New Media Film Festival
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA)
Newport Beach Film Festival
Ojai Film Festival
Outfest
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Pan African Film & Arts Festival
Pasadena International Film Festival
Pioneertown International Film Festival

Sacramento Film & Music Festival
Sacramento French Film Festival
Sacramento International Film Festival
Sacramento Intl Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
Sacramento Japanese Film Festival
Sacramento Jewish Film Festival
San Diego Asian Film Festival
San Diego International Film Festival
San Diego International Kids’ Film Festival
San Diego Italian Film Festival
San Diego Latino Film Festival
San Francisco Independent Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
San Francisco Silent Film Festival
San Luis Obispo International Film Festival
San Pedro International Film Festival
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Santa Cruz Film Festival
Santa Monica International Film Festival
Silicon Beach Film Festival
Sonoma International Film Festival
Sundial Film Festival
Tahoe Adventure Film Festival
Tahoe Film Festival
Topanga Film Festival
United Nations Association Film Festival
Valley Film Festival