By Benjamin Njoku
Frontline filmmaker Teco Benson, MFR, has decried the rate at which what he calls ‘commercialization of awards are currently sweeping across the Nigerian entertainment industry, urging the practitioners to frown at the ugly trend.
The filmmaker raised this alarm in a commentary titled “Merit-Based Jury Awards vs. Monetized Audience Voting: Preserving the Integrity of Creative Excellence,” which he posted on the filmmakers WhatsApp called Film4Life International.
According to him, the essence of awards in the creative industry has always been to recognize and reward excellence. Unfortunately, in recent times, the reverse is the case, as a new wave of commercialized awards has emerged, endangering competitiveness and striving for artistic and technical excellence.
He wrote, “Film academies and industry organizations established award systems to celebrate outstanding works and the creative professionals behind them. These recognitions serve as a benchmark for quality, inspiring filmmakers, actors, cinematographers, editors, production designers, and other practitioners to continually refine their craft and strive for artistic and technical excellence.
“However, in recent times, a new wave of commercialized awards has emerged—one that prioritizes revenue generation over genuine merit. These awards operate on a monetized audience voting system, often in partnership with telecom operators.
“The process typically involves nominating multiple individuals and assigning each a voting code. Fans and supporters are then encouraged to vote at a financial cost, with nominees even urging their followers to cast multiple votes by paying several times over to increase their chances of winning.
At the end of the process, the winner is not necessarily the most talented or deserving but the nominee who could generate the highest number of votes—essentially, the one who could mobilize the most financial backing.
Benso, however, urged his colleagues to reflect on the implications of this shift, stressing the need for re-assertment of the value of credibility in awards, while upholding the standards that inspire industry-wide growth and artistic integrity.
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