Dipo Tepede.POeT

Its 8.45pm on a week day and 65% of Lagos residence is getting ready for their favorite sitcom popular known as «Paloma». Paloma is one of the star characters in the series called «Cuando Seas Mia» translated «When you are mine». The plot is interesting, awesome and riveting, the genre is drama and the entire package is very colorful. I personally don't have issues with its success but the inability of film practitioners in Nigeria to take a toll from the strategies used by these Mexican Film Producers.

 Consolidated Associate Media Limited, the company that brought «Lagosians» «Paloma» has hit it big with nothing less than 10 brands advertised daily on this show. The company has a lot of Nigerian production in its kitty but none of them can be compared with the successes of «Paloma». I am practically aware of the Mexican culture before ever reading it; from the Haciendas (coffee growing field) of Mexico to the family ties of an average Mexican. What better way to expose the culture of a nation; If films, sitcoms, entertainment seems to have a greater impact in cultural awareness and integration than any other platform, I wonder why the Nigerian government has not seized this great opportunity to package what we have. 

Why do we always have to import culture and not export it?
 

 I begin to wonder what makes «Paloma» a must watch by mostly housewives and female alike. Most women are not particularly at ease with the relationship model portrayed by Diego, the hero and Paloma, the heroine; the unstable relationship that is the central theme of the sitcom. I queried some ladies on their affinity for the fashion style of the women actress and their answers were unanimously no. Could it be the plot? I began to take an x-ray of Nigerian film productions especially those created as sitcoms and Super Story leads the pack. A side to side comparison of the two; that is super story and «Paloma», in terms of viewer ship, gives «Paloma» headway.
 

I almost will have given up on my search for answers until I took a self examination. Why do I prefer Hollywood films to Nollywood films? The answers began to flood in; the production, the professionalism especially by the actors, the stunts, the fashion appeal, etc. This brought me to an abrupt stand still and I was troubled once again. This time on the fashion appeal and I began to wonder why I would prefer the fashion or should I put it more succinctly the culture of another country more than mine. It then dawned on me that a preference for another culture instead of mine is an oppressive mind set and this oppression is set in my subconscious. Then another train of thoughts hit me; I have girl friends that prefer Nollywood films to Hollywood films and the same friends prefer «Paloma» to «Super Story».
 

Then the answer hit me like a wave of water; the quality of film production as well as an aligned understanding of the film. The quality in terms of acting, directing, photography, etc and aligned understanding which makes an individual have a sense of belonging to a particular product. The old adage of «show me your friends and I will tell you who you are» can never be truer as humans are drawn to who they are. I will rather claim this quote as mine;
 

«Human beings are drawn to who they are»
Dipo Tepede

 The above-quote simply answers questions on your preferences, your choices and your inner dreams.  To further buttress this point of aligned understanding, I will share a poser;
 

A young lady has to choose one man out of three men to spend the rest of her life with. Guy A is a close friend of hers whom she trusts so much and has known since child hood, guy B, the richest amongst the three, has actually proposed marriage to her but she had asked him for time to answer and guy C, she is strongly attracted to, but unfortunately does not talk to her. Guy C is the one she sees and her heart rises above her chest when he says an unintended «hi» just to be pleasant in the work place. Which of these guys would you advise?
 

Kindly trap answers in comment box…………………
 

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