” *Bright And Fluent Encyclopedia Of The Nigerian Film World*
I found ‘Reflections’ so captivating that I read it in one sitting. I didn’t expect anything less from the shining star of Nigerian society reporters and editors, Femi Akintunde Johnson (FAJ). I can only imagine how many years it took FAJ to put together such a rich collection on the movers of the Nigerian movie industry, and the evolution from cinema/theatre, TV, home video to the now world famous Nollywood.
The most moving account for me was the story behind one of Nigeria’s earliest movie stars, Orlando Martins. A penniless migrant in the United States, Martins eked out a living as a snake charmer, road sweeper, fish market porter. Yes, the same Orlando Martins who later co-starred with [future US President] Ronald Reagan in the 1949 movie, ‘Hasty Heart’.
With the same depth and panache, Johnson shares the lives of practically every notable actor, producer, director, screenwriter and creative brain in Nigeria’s burgeoning movie industry.”
(Mr. Uko is a professor of journalism at Monash University, Australia; veteran editor, notable satirist, essayist, and highly regarded citizen of the world)
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