Igbo Movie Makers Choose Nwanganga Again as President

The Igbo Movie Producers Association of Nigeria (IMPAN) on Sunday re-elected JohnPaul Nwanganga as President for another two years.

Other new executives are Ngozi Okeke as Vice President, Paul Ibeh as Secretary, Joyce Ikem as Assistant Secretary, and Ifemamma Rita as Financial Secretary. They also include Izuchukwu Orjioke as Provost and Uchenna Okoro as Director of Socials.

Okey Zinja, the Chairman of the IMPAN National Electoral Committee, announced the results at the election held in Enugu. He praised members for their dedication to the electoral process. Mr Zinja thanked those who came from different parts of the country to vote despite many challenges.

He congratulated Mr Nwanganga on his victory and encouraged him to take the group to greater heights. “You are our president before, and you emerged again. We believe in your leadership to take the association to the next level,” he said.

After the election, veteran actress Nkiru Sylvanus called the exercise a big step for the association’s leadership. She said elections are very important for any organization’s leadership.

“It is impressive that we are electing new executives, and I believe everything went well,” she said. Ms Sylvanus highlighted the need for Igbo filmmakers to share more real stories about Igbo history, culture, and heritage.

She noted that many parts of Igbo history are still untold and that the association is focused on promoting stories that show the strength, culture, and identity of the Igbo people. She added that making quality historical films needs cooperation and investment from stakeholders, not just individual filmmakers.

Veteran actor Ferdinand Ohanekwu also spoke, saying the election was a good move for the association. “I am happy because the election has produced the legitimate leadership of IMPAN. I expect that the new executives will perform even better than before and reposition Igbo movies to compete well with other Nigerian film sectors,” he said.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Nwanganga thanked members for re-electing him. He called the trust placed in him a great honor. “I feel highly honoured. Considering my age, I see this as a privilege to lead Igbo filmmakers in the country once again,” he said.

The president remembered how Igbo filmmakers helped grow Nollywood. He pointed out that the success of the film Living in Bondage brought Nigerian cinema to the world's attention. Mr Nwanganga promised to promote the Igbo language and culture through films. He said the association will work harder to keep the language alive amidst fears of it disappearing.

“I am open to collaborations that will help promote Igbo language, culture, and heritage,” he said. He also vowed that the new administration would research Igbo history to create detailed films that truly reflect the Igbo people's history, traditions, and cultural identity.