Zainab SadiqBY ELSIE GODWIN
Let me start by congratulating everybody at TNS, including the readers (my humble self included). Two years is a long time to stay in business and remain relevant. I have been blogging for 4 years now, so trust me when I say staying true to your brand and growing it is not child’s play, especially in an environment where a Nollywood star will pay more attention to a gossip blog than to a platform with the right crowd they need. Kudos!
I cannot remember how I got to know about TNS but I somehow did. I’m a social media crawler among many other things, so well, I know TNS and I am subscribed!
Sincerely, TNS came as a breathe of fresh air for me at the time I stumbled on the blog. Most of the major blogs were really annoying and already getting on my last nerve, so I said to myself, why not find blogs that will feed you information you need then turn a blind eye to other blogs and their irrelevant gists – not mentioning their misleading titles. So I did and TNS serves my Nollywood needs.
The thing about building a brand is that you have expectations for yourself, you set goals and define what you want to be known for, but on the other hand, your crowd will, from the understanding of your brand that they have, also have an expectation and expect you to live up to it. Crazy right? I think not.
You say you have successfully channelled what your brand stands for when at least 60% of your audience understands your brand.
Having said that, I will talk about TNS from my own expectations. Yes they serve me news on Nollywood in general but do I think they are doing enough? Not yet! There are events I expect TNS to headline. There are discussions they should start. News they should break. I look forward to TNS becoming the hub for Nollywood actors to fall back. When there is a controversy around them, TNS should be that platform to get the truth or the truth the stars want us to know.
Secondly, sometimes I read a story and wonder why exactly it is on TNS. Let’s use a very recent example. I checked my email to see that Toke Makinwa ‘slayed’ at her book signing and it got me wondering? How exactly does her slaying at her book signing concern TNS? Don’t even give me the book, writing, stories and scripting gist. If TNS was going to recognize that aspect, then I expected to see two to three articles on Ake Festival. But I saw nothing, so No! We would appreciate it if we can focus on what TNS truly stands for. Except there’s something I’m missing, then someone should be kind to enlighten me.
Then to the reviews. Sometimes, these reviews come really late. After wasting my hard earned 1000/1500 to watch a movie, that’s when I see TNS reviews. Yes I know it is very possible that I will end up watching a movie after getting a bad review but at least, I will make sure it wasn’t on my account na. Help a girl and her hustle. This is why I stay glued to TNS.
However, I sure do have my favorite reviewer on TNS and her name is Ife Olujuyigbe. Her reviews make me feel she has part of my brain working in hers. Her use of simple English yet critically reviewing a movie draws me in. Of course I did not totally agree with her review of The Arbitration by Niyi Akinmolayan. Her review on that moview was a no no for me. That was an awesome movie. That she couldn’t keep up with corporate conversation doesn’t mean others will not.
And then we have Segun Odejimi! The blunt master with his two edged sword. Clearing bushes and burning bridges. No time to look time. I know what to expect when I see ‘by Segun Odejimi’ – some bitter hard truth we don’t like saying in public.
On a whole different scale, we all know there is some form of war in Nollywood, whether this war is real or imaginary, I don’t care, all I know is, there is a war. We have the war between New Nollywood and Old Nollywood, Yoruba Nollywood and English Nollywood, etc.
I think to an extent, that TNS has unconsciously been feeding this war. I remember the argument we had on Facebook sometimes back on the review of Kunle Afolayan‘s The CEO. A reader, though in trying to win a lost argument, asked that TNS do review of those movies we do not see in the cinemas. One of the TNS crew talked about people who are interested in such reviews not being their target audience so we all let it slide. Now let’s look at it this way, I’m glued to Africa Magic Yoruba on a very gloomy day where there’s nothing else to amuse me on TV while watching the other Africa Magic (not Family) when it seems my life is coming to an end and I need some mediocre. Balancing the report on all sides of Nollywood will be quite interesting. TNS can in its own little way, pay some attention to settling these wars. 2016 has not been a great year for good movies in the cinema. There’s a lot of improvement, collaboration and too many hypes but a lot still needs to be done especially in their stories. So are there really any superior Nollywood faction? Hell No! They all dish out trash from time to time.
Over all, I have been a dedicated subscriber to TNS for about a year now. I cannot claim to read all post emails I get from them but I read most. TNS has done well, there is still more work to be done. I look forward to TNS being that one brand endorsement a movie needs to get thumbs up anywhere.
It might take time, but TNS will get there.
And oh! It is my favorite go to Nollywood blog site. Do we even have any other one?
Happy Celebration!
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Elsie Godwin is a Radio Host, Blogger, Digital Media Strategist, Social Media Manager and Entrepreneur. She’s very opinionated and reserved. You wonder how that’s possible right? Deal with that!
