The unfortunate death of veteran Nollywood movie Producer, simply known as Andy Best, few days ago indeed came as a huge shock to millions. His death no doubt is such a huge loss to Nollywood, leaving an irreplaceable vacuum in the industry, which will extremely be difficult to fill up the gap any time soon. His shoes in the industry is so large that finding yet another foot to fit in perfectly is like a long walk to freedom.
Without mincing words, many Gen Z fans of Nollywood have no knowledge or adequate information about this fallen iroko tree in Nollywood. Andy Best is one of those who started the journey to placing the industry at the enviable and lofty height it is enjoying today, both locally, continentally and internationally.
Andy Best were among the early investors who took the risk of putting in their wealth at stake, for the sake of growing Nollywood, especially at a time when the industry wasn’t this lucrative as now. Without global acceptance, few patronage, limited marketing and distribution avenues. They largely depended on cassettes and later, CD plates as the main available avenue of distributing their movies.
A time when pirates are on standby, patiently waiting for producers to release their movies in the market, then they get down to work; duplicating the movies in as much numbers as they can, and equally pushing them into the market.
In the early 90s and 20s you can imagine how many homes have electronic gadgets for watching movies, then you will understand what they faced in the hands of pirates. Yes, a limited marketing and distribution Channel, then flooded with both contents from producers and pirates, and in the end discouraging returns comes to the Producer.
But in the face of all these, Andy Best was among the few then, who refused to be discouraged and run away. They kept investing in the industry, I’m spite all the hurdles.
Meanwhile, while all these went on, government wasn’t helping at all. No financial assistance to filmmakers and producers, be it even loan facilities. On the other hand, no tangible structure or mechanism on ground to combat the overwhelming spread of piracy. Yet, person like Andy Best kept trusting and believing in the future, and never stopped investing.
While equally grooming and making movie stars and great actors in the process. Many of your favourite legends and veterans in the industry were made as a result of efforts from people like Andy Best who refused to give up. You can imagine if Andy Best and his colleagues back then decided to run away from the industry as a result of these hurdles, probably the industry would have collapsed or still struggling to rank top.
On the other hand, it was great and the quality of movies from producers and filmmakers like Andy Best that actually made Nollywood what it is today. You remember the movie “Lion of Africa” starring Chief Pete Edochie, Late Chief Pericoma, Chiwetalu Agu, others? They made our childhood fun and memorable, and equally catapulted the name Nollywood to the sky.
Other great movies from Andy Best include Narrow Escape, White Poison, My Father’s Cup, Ikuku (starring Nkem Owoh and others), Blood Money, Angel of Darkness, Biggest Boy in Town, The Priest Must Die, The Woman I Love, Safe Journey, War Without End, and too many others to mention. He equally has dozens of movies in the new generation Nollywood, in fact, he’s an old soldier who never dies.
Back then as a child, when you hear “The Name You Trust” then you know that Andy Best has cooked yet another delicious meal (movie), and you will surely sit up for the great story ahead. Popularly known as Akudinanwa, Andy Best has left great legacies in Nollywood, of which generations to come will still be touched by the skin soothing breathe of his legacies in Nollywood.
Many big names in Nollywood have paid glowing tributes to the deceased, and below is one of them from veteran actor, Mcsmith Ochendo, who also featured in Lion of Africa.
Continue to rest in peace Andy Best (Akudinanwa).
(Written by our guest writer Okwor Maxwell Onyeka, author of How Love Conquered The World, Conquering The Needles War Surrounding Feminism Ideology, Forbidden Son, Vengeance of The Spirit, and other great books- onyekaondeck@gmail.com)
Photo Credit: Instagram/Andy Best (Akudinanwa)
