Hunger is increasing in Nigeria –Mursty Adinoyi
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| Adinoyi |
What are your plans for this year 2020 that’s just starting off?
Actually, I set a long term plan
for myself. In addition to our flagship programme, Hitlist & Cruzin, we have AIT
Music+ and then, we are expanding the map of Hitlist & Cruzin to go to other states, not just the usual
states people have been seeing us and I intend to get even better myself, treat
my staff very well, pay their salaries and we hope that this new VAT regime
will not affect us because a company like ours needs to have some good money
before we can employ more hands and I guess, I think I’ll use this opportunity
to appeal to the federal government that they should consider media-related
companies tax-free in Nigeria because local TV stations, I’m talking about our
terrestrial TV stations, and independent producers are capable of employing
more hands. But if you tax this sector too much, there’ll be no much money to
even sustain what they have talkless of bringing in more hands. So, if we’re
actually looking at development, then we know that we need to put almost
everything on TV. TV can help us to develop this country. For instance, you can
create a programme for army retirees. Instead of going to look for money
elsewhere, the training this man had when he was vibrant as an army officer,
there’s a way you can create a programme around it, people will benefit from it
and then there’ll be much money for him and even the TV station airing the
programme and other participants. I’m telling you there are so many things we
can create, lots of things, even an ex-banker can create a programme. So we
need to think of developing Nigeria by Nigerians for Nigerians using TV.
Everything about us can be on TV and make money. Okada for instance can be used
for stunts. If independent producers can have good money with them and we are
tax-free, we can gather okada riders, create stunts, stage them, put them on TV
and make money out of it for development of the country. We see all these
things on foreign channels and we think they are just for the foreign market
but they are also applicable to us. Tyler Perry for instance has hundreds of
artists working for him. You know why? Because the environment is conducive, so
if we look into things like that, there are lots of independent producers that
can create good content for TV consumption that will engage over hundreds and
thousands of people. In that case, the unemployment rate that we’re talking
about will definitely drop drastically. So, so much needs to be done. Talk
about plans, I pray that all the ideas we have materialize. At our company
here, Emrose Adinoyi Productions, we don’t make a one-year plan but long term plans.
It’s our lifestyle and we’ll keep seeing what we can do to get better.
You’ve spoken very well and you called for the government to make the
local media sector tax-free. Now, people will know you’re saying that because
it’s your sector. If you want your sector to be tax-free and every other sector
also want theirs to be as well, what will happen then?
You see, I’m not saying tax-free
for cable TV, because it’s a paid TV. Paid TV, there’s a lot of money coming in
because people subscribe to watch. I’m talking for terrestrial TV, some of them
cannot even pay salary, alright? And talking of direct impact to your society,
it’s terrestrial TV, not pay TV, because the pay TV money doesn’t stay in the
country, so you need to tax them and get your money. Some of them, their staff
are not even Nigerians. But your terrestrial TV, their staff are Nigerians, and
they’re struggling to survive, and you’re taking too much from them again, that
means you’re weakening them the more, they’ll have to reduce their staff strength
and those they release into the labour market will become part of the
unemployed people in the country. So, if we’re actually looking at a better
country, policies that we’ll do for Nigeria should be those that will benefit
Nigeria companies. When I say tax-free, I don’t mean foreign companies but
Nigerian ones. Now we say 7.5% VAT, why not keep anything media-related company
2.5, alright, 2.5, and see a lot of development. You take fuel to 150,
transportation rose. Who are paying? Nigerians are the ones paying for this
hike in transport. So now that VAT has been increased, if you go anywhere to
buy anything, it’s gonna go up, so what N10,000 can get for you before, it
can’t anymore. So when you look at it, who are the beneficiaries of your policies?
Now, ask yourself, will this policy better my people? The answer is no. Will
you cause inflation? The answer is yes. So why not look at policies that will
make lives better? We only have one life. Nigerians have just one life. So ask
yourself, this space given to Africa, if we decide to develop it and make it
beautiful, no be we get am? The space given to Americans, the one given to
Canadians, that of Europeans, they make sure it’s fine, they make it beautiful
for themselves. British will tell you British jobs for British, alright, so
Nigeria should look at everything we do should first of all benefit Nigerians
first. Anything you know that this will not benefit Nigerians, please don’t do
it. I’m not saying there was no hunger. There was hunger before, but it’s
increasing, I’m telling you. N200 will buy you a lot, can last you a week, like
let’s say ten years back. Now, it cannot even take you from Ikeja to Oshodi.
Ask yourself, is that development? It’s not. Development is this. If I can
spend N200 last two years for one week, I should be able to spend 150 this year
for one week. That is development, meaning that there’ll be much money with you
to do more. So, it depends on us. If we like, develop it, for us, and if we
like, don’t develop it. And, why are we not moving? We’re not moving because of
all these policies that’re not developmental. Because if we have developmental
policies, we’ll definitely move forward. Government says that every country can
only get better by entrepreneurs, that’s those who are doing business, because
government cannot employ everybody, but if you now have policies that will
weaken all these entrepreneurs we’re talking about, then how do you expect to
have a better country?
Considering how passionate you are about Nigeria, do you have a
programme that talks about Nigeria’s issues, or do you plan to have such a
programme if you don’t now?
The issue is everybody have been
taking about the issues. So even if you have a programme talking about
Nigeria’s issues, don’t think that will make any change because, watch a
programme like Kakaaki for instance
in the morning, watch Channels as well in the morning,
you’ll see all these stuffs ongoing. Watch Focus
Nigeria on AIT as well, you’ll see
all these discussions ongoing. Is it effecting any changes? It’s not. America
designed democracy to fit their system. Fine, democracy is the best, but we
have to find a way to make sure that democracy works for us, because the way it
is right now, believe you me, I don’t think it’s working for us. Because they
say government of the people by for the people, am I right? So now we need to
look at policies that would … how do we select leaders that rule us? Now, you
say that school cert holder can vie for any position. But it should be added in
the constitution that before you vie for any political post, your children
should be studying in Nigeria. If we have that as part of the requirements for
public office, believe you me, you’ll see a lot of changes. These guys, their
children are not schooling in Nigeria. And the worst part of it is that Nigeria
schooled these people. They had free education, 70s, 80s, it was free, but
these days you pay so much and still, when you’re out, you’re not even sure of
a job. Then you look at small, small companies that can even employ you to get
job, they are reducing staff strength because of government policies. So when
you look at all these things, you’ll know that all of us need to talk and make
sure that things are done right. We need to face reality. Government needs to
see beyond immediate gain and make policies to help grow Nigeria companies and
also make plans for our daily growing population. The Boko Haram of today is
the result of almajiri of 70s, 80s and 90s. No well-educated person will do
Boko Haram. Now look at across Nigeria, so many out of school children, many
graduates no job and the private companies supposed to engage this volume are
just trying to survive. Many companies keep downsizing and now VAT increased. I
pray something is done fast to engage this population, if not, crime rate will
increase beyond our imagination. Don't forget an idle mind is the devil’s
workshop.
Now, what’s the singular thing that can drive us forward the most? Some
people say it’s the power sector, that if we have uninterrupted power supply,
Nigeria will move forward. Do you agree with that, that it’s power that should
be developed first, or something else, transportation?
Development shouldn’t be just one
thing. It has to cut across, alright? But yes, when you look at the scripture,
it said, first there was light, so taking it from that angle, number one thing,
light is important, cause if we have light, other things will grow. But it’s
not just about having light. Transportation, the train needs to be connected to
every state so that instead of everybody moving to Lagos, you can even stay in
Kogi State and do your business and if you have to come to Lagos, you come by
train. Two hours you’re in Lagos, two hours you’re out of Lagos. There’ll be no
congestion like we have in Lagos now. So there are so many things that need to
be done. Even government policies that we’re talking about need to favour
Nigerians for Nigerians. And anybody that wants to contest for public office,
their children must be in Nigerian schools. So, if all those things are in
place, things will change.
Now as a businessman into TV production, can you tell us what your own
challenges are from infrastructure?
There are so many challenges.
Don’t forget that Hitlist & Cruzin,
we go out, looking for winners to take on cruise. You hit the road, you see bad
roads. You get a good car, before you know it, it’s gone, why, because the
roads are bad. Some major roads are bad, how much more the side roads? So the
challenges are enormous. Enormous. Like running on generator when the money
should be used for something else. Is that not a challenge?
Many people are running away from Nigeria to Canada and other developed
countries due to these challenges you’ve mentioned. Do you have that plan
yourself, and if you don’t what do you feel about those doing so?
You see, if your father’s house
is not painted, instead of looking for a rent apartment, look for money and
paint it, that’s my own belief, alright? Fine, so many young guys are leaving
the country. Why, because they’re looking for greener pastures. You can’t blame
anybody, but for those of us who believe in the Nigerian dream, we have to as
well contribute which of course is why I’m telling you the things that should
be done, so if those things aren’t done, of course we have to speak out, as I’m
doing now, instead of me leaving to Canada or anywhere in the world, right,
it’s better I stay here and add my own quota and see if we can make it better.
And again, one thing we should all know is this, life is stage by stage, we’re
forties right now, it’s just very unfortunate that Nigerian system tells us
that forty, we’re young, we’re actually not young. Very soon, leadership will
fall into our hands. So we need to be consciously telling ourselves the truth
so whoever amongst us has the opportunity tomorrow to be in there should do the
right thing. If we’re doing the right thing, people will not travel to other
places. Even if they travel, they’ll just do for the fun of it and come back,
they won’t abandon Nigeria, but if we’re not doing the right thing, believe you
me, people will find a way out, cause everybody want to survive, the
politicians want to live good life, so also every other person wants to live
good life, you want to have your house, have a car. Everybody deserves to live
a good life, so where you can get that good life is where you’ll go. But if you
know that you can make impact, alright, in where you are, it’s better you make
the impact. If we’re not opportune now to be there to change it by ourselves,
but at least let’s speak out, let’s tell them that look, this country will be
developed by us so enact policies that will enable entrepreneurs to excel so
that small, small companies can absorb a lot of people so that we can have
unemployment reduced to the barest minimum.
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