Veteran actress, Akofa Edjeani has highlighted the significant impact of film in decolonizing the African mentality.
According to her, film possesses the power to effectively challenge the persistent influences of slavery and colonialism.
“…and again, if the colonial masters used film as part of their weapons in colonizing us, I think that the honor is on us to do the same, by using film to decolonize ourselves, the mental slavery is still there… we are not independent, we are still begging for things and so many things.”
During an interview with the media on July 1, 2023, Akofa Edjeani emphasized the historical use of film by colonial powers to maintain control over their colonies.
She called upon African governments to prioritize and support their local film industries in response.
Edjeani expressed her belief that film has the power to bring about significant positive change and create numerous opportunities if it receives the necessary attention and investment.
She questioned the disparity in financial support between sports and the film industry, highlighting the potential for job creation and revenue generation in the latter.
According to Edjeani, the film industry possesses immense potential and could surpass the benefits derived from sports.
“Look at how much money we pump into sports and most times we go and, we don’t really win, …so if we can pump all that money into sports, the bonuses that they get…but the film can even do better so they should pay equal attention to film as well.
“Sports yes, but how many jobs can it create and how much money is it bringing compared to if you give the necessary push to film, so, there are so many reasons.
“The job creation and the fact that it is education as well. You know it is that medium that you can use to showcase your heritage… film is that powerful tool to create that identity, we use film to change policies, we use film to change perceptions.
“Film is a tool that can attract tourists, so when you are talking about tourism, the best tool is to showcase your tourist attraction, and your heritage in film, and that will make people flood to your country just to see those places,” she added.