By Foday Moriba Conteh
Sierra Leone’s most outstanding female actress, who is a member of the Sierra Network Comedy, Haja M. Conteh, a known personality in the entertainment industry, a mentor, an activist for young girls, has on Tuesday 30th June, 2020 in an exclusive interview with this medium dilated on constraints restraining the growth of the comedy industry in the country.
She disclosed that she started her movie career in 2013 and since when she started Cinematography she has acted in some major movies like, “Dollar don Go Up”, “Country Foul”, “The Ground Dry”, “Mask Up”, “15 Minutes Man”, “Wrong Mission” etc. which paved the way for her success in the industry.
Haja M. Conteh, underscored that the Sierra Leone entertainment industry, especially the Comedy industry, has come a long way and is now trending as Sierra Leone Comedies are making huge waves in the country and beyond. She said that lamentably as local movie makers they are not realizing much from their resources, talents and toil as there is widespread piracy robbing them of their efforts.
Haja M. Conteh disclosed that the entertainment industry plays a pivotal role towards the development of the country, adding that during this pandemic they have contributed towards curtailing the spread of the coronavirus in the country through music, comedy skits like “Mask-Up”, “The Fighters” which she described as Coronavirus sensitization skits which have contributed towards the fight against COVID-19 in the country.
She said that back in the days the entertainment industry was at a peak to excel especially the comedy aspect but unfortunately they declined due to bad marketing, piracy, and lack of support to the industry etc.
It is against such a backdrop she is calling on the Government of Sierra Leone to enforce the Piracy Act and the Local Content Policy as the rate of piracy continues to increase every day and defaulters go unpunished but said with the enforcement of the Piracy Act such will give strength to the entertainment industry especially the Comedy sector.
She noted that the film industry has contributed tremendously to the development of the country, adding that with Government’s intervention the challenges the industry is going through presently will become things of the past as the movie industry has the tendency to revamp the country’s economy by contributing to the nation’s GDP as it is happening in other Africa countries.
Haja M. Conteh noted that another big challenge facing them as film makers in the country is the aspect of locations for shooting their moves as in most cases when they request for certain places in order to shoot like the Law Court building, State House etc., authorities will not allow them to use those places which she said has affected them greatly.
She bemoaned that regardless of all these challenges in the movie industry she is still passionate about acting adding that her love and passion for movie keeps her going.
Haja M. Conteh admonished young people who wish to join the industry not to see the industry as a place for dropouts but rather to empower themselves academically in order to become outstanding personalities in that sector.
She extended appreciation to her Directors, Mohamed S Kargbo and Ishmael D. Bangura who have been working tremendously for her to reach the present peak she has reached in the entertainment industry.
