By Kinsley Nwachukwu
Tancedropic: AVOID BLIND COPYCATISM.
” Be imitator of those who through FAITH and PATIENCE inherit the promise…”
Heb 6: 12
There is nothing wrong with Copying. Infact, Copying is one of the five ways of generating skill.
Blind copycatism is the act of IMITATING or PRODUCING in verbatim all that are accessible to you,without considering the varying conditions. It is a FOOLISH IMITATION or trying to produce what you have SEEN without unveiling the “WHY” ( reason) for such action.
For clearer picture, some of us must have had of cases of an academically weak student who engages in examination malpractice. The said student tend to reproduce WHATEVER is in the script of his victim . He comes across “PTO” ( please turn over), and puts it at the middle of his own answer sheet.He does not know the WHY and usage of P.T.O.
You must have also heard of some students who got stranded in life after being expelled in the university. The said students went on protest with children of the wealthy. The families of the latter quickly arranged for alternative schools abroad while the children of the poor became drop-outs in Nigeria.
Until you know the “WHY ” of any action or person, you may end up engaging in BLIND COPYCATISM.
Currently, I have about fifteen of such scenarios in drama ministry ( please, this is not to weaken but to awaken our consciousness ). Take for instance, the idea of NOT FEATURING / participating in another minister/ ministry’ production.
This could be funny. In fact, I had a battle with an established drama minister on the need of breaking such code in his ministry.
I asked for the WHY and his reasons were quite unbelievable. I had to painstakingly explain, in my own little way ( as I am under covenant to state the truth or keep mute) that his terms of references are quite wrong.
1) It is true that Mount Zion stakeholders have not been participating in other ministries’ production.
2) It is true that Mount Zion Faith Ministries is the leading force of drama and film evangelism, at least in Africa.
However, a critical look at their operation from inception, shows that they have much to their SUCCESS STORY than non-appearance question.
Yes, Evang Mike Bamiloye and direct members of his team might not have appeared in other ministries’ production in Nigeria ( infact, it was a regular question posed by many participants in ANCEDRAM national conferences under Yemi Adepoju and Johnson Adeyoyin administrations) . Our Mount Zion father always answered the question in PARABLES. However, from his teachings, periodic publications and books, I personally deduce that:
1) He must have, at initial stage, been scared of featuring in productions of early years as many of them were sub-standard ( Remember he got disappointed after organising a christian drama festivals without finding much scripturally based scripts to drive fast the mission).
2) After being used by GOD to set a standard, he must been afraid of lowering ( hard to say) the fast-growing reputation for gospel production.
3) Having been used by God to start something great with the co-operation of other children of GOD who must have started adopting him as spiritual father, it could be difficult to feature in one person/ ministry’s production ( leaving the others). Such a gesture if not properly handled, can mar instead of building the unity. Hence, he reinforced the Mount Zion Institute of Christian Drama as basic tools of raising well- equipped drama ministers who can do it on their own; instead of him moving from one ministry to another ( These are my deductions; not his opinion).
I therefore tried to DISCOURAGE in totality my friend-minister’s IDEA of disallowing his members from participating in other ministries’ productions. I believe his ministry do not have ENOUGH productions to keep his members busy. Besides, participating in other people’s productions gives you MORE PLATFORMS to develop your TALENTS, meet versatile CAST and CREW, established current and future NETWORK of all kinds, and above all, gives you FREE ADVERTISEMENTS ( a great feature treasured by many prominent and upcoming pastors,teachers, apostles and prophets).
I therefore believe that the STRATEGY of NOT PARTICIPATING in other people’s production, could be BLIND COPYTISM except the minister/ ministry truly understand the WHY of what they are doing.
It could be FUNNY if a minister is still arguing that Evang Mike Bamiloye is not featuring in other ministries’ productions when he has been PARTNERING with many drama ministries and churches across the globe. In fact, his partnership is worth emulating by anyone who wants to go far in drama and film ministry.
He has given enough examples for any humble mind to follow. He partnered with AVAILABLE men and women of his time, to produce the BLOCKBUSTER ( The Ultimate Power) that ushered in a new era in drama and film evangelism. He partnered with the ex-students to establish the Mount Zion Institute Alumni Fellowship Intl (MZIAFI). Today, its members got across all CONTINENTS of the earth and the fellowship has helped in organising programme among different national associations ; working toward a wholesome international drama forum.
He is still partnering and partnering.
Some years ago, when opportunity came for Northern Nigeria to break the jinx by inviting him to feature in the ANCEDRAM northern region production, the wisdom was thrown to the wind. We were more interested in having a ” northern hands made production” than humbling ourselves to get what we needed .
Another opportunity came for the eastern region, we were more interested in prophetic prayers than using all available tools to insist on getting what is NEEDED.
Believe me: if God had allowed me to do second tenure as ANCEDRAM president, it could have been PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION and PRODUCTION. Productions within and across the regional lines with all these FATHERS and MOTHERS featuring! None will resist. Simply give them a well-scripted and vetted scripts. Give them few scenes and allow them to choose their dates and venue of production. Assign trusted directors to meet their targets. Get the projects tidied up; even if you have to be disowned by them ( after all, JESUS was disowned before he was re-accepted by GOD). He shouted ” Father, why have you forsaken me?”. May we have a better story!
Please, avoid blind copycatism.
Meet you again at this platform next week.
I am still your brother,
Pst KC Nwachukwu,
08036139394.
Zenith Bank: 2005498633.