Oreofe’s unwarranted confrontational response to Bamiloye’s post will make people think otherwise -John Oguntuase

Left: John Oguntuase, Right: Oreofe Williams

The notable gospel film director and short film guru, Evangelist John Oguntuase has described Oreofe Williams response to Mike Bamiloye’s post as unwarranted harshness and confrontational.

Oguntuase who made this statement in an exclusive interview with Gospel Film News yesterday also said the response of Oreofe Williams will make people think there is no peace.

“The  unwarranted harshness and  confrontational response from the side of Oreofe Williams and a few others to Mike Bamiloye’s post will make people to think there is no peace,” he said.

Oguntuase further stressed that the post of Mike Bamiloye is to encourage gospel filmmakers and not to create rivalry in anyway.

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“The real question is: has Oreofe Williams himself seen ‘The land of Fury’, the movie in question to know if the assertion is true or not? Hasn’t he been seeing the content of the most celebrated movies in the Nollywood in which he is cresting alternatives to? The statements as I see it is to encourage people like himself and others who are Christian film makers that we have great potential and not to create rivalry,” he stated.

The gospel film maker told Gospel Film News that Mike Bamiloye has been in the world of gospel film making for over 33years and he is father to all which include Oreofe Williams himself ,but he guess Oreofe didn’t know him enough, adding that everyone who know him can tell that Evang. Mike Bamiloye is not in competition or rivalry  with anybody.

Oguntuase noted that it is very rude as a child of God and as a well trained African child to talk to a father that way.

“Well I guess Oreofe  and some other people who have been talking are entitled to their opinion but if we regard him as our father, which Oreofe  once told me Mike Bamiloye is his father, it’s very rude to speak to a father like that as a child of God and as a well trained  African child.”

He continued: “There are even a couple of false statements in the things he said about Evangelist Bamiloye because I know how much Oreofe Williams himself cherish respect. Some people are even saying under Oreofe’s post that the Mike Bamiloye’s  comment is an act of cultism and Oreofe never corrected them. I see a lot of bitterness.”

While reacting to a notion that there is rancor between Bamiloye and Oreofe, Oguntuase disclosed that it is not true, saying the only thing he knows is that some people does not agree with the use of secular actors in Oreofe Williams films but Evang. Bamiloye does not  judge or criticize people, he has a very large heart, adding that Oreofe even played a major role in the celebration of Bamiloye’s 50th birthday. 

Oguntuase also revealed that gospel films in Nigeria is improving with great increase in new ideas, equipment, creativity, very good technical hands along side actors , emphasizing that it can be said that Gospel films is better than it used to be, and there is still room for improvement though.

Dated 9/9/2018. 8:24pm 
The below text was copied from Oreofe Williams facebook account

On COMPARISM of ‘GOSPEL FILMS’ with NOLLYWOOD

Would you ever hear Bishop David Oyedepo saying his messages would render that of Obama ‘a child’s play’?

Would you ever hear a Tope Alabi saying her music would render that of Tiwa Savage a child’s play?

I mean there is need to caution some of these excesses.

Such a ‘headline’ has rendered all ‘Gospel films’ unceremonious. It’s a polite way of saying ‘you see, we no longer compete with you guys, we now beat the best of Nollywood?’

That’s why these people always have problems with someone like me.

Same Nollywood that shoots on Red, engaging the most sophisticated equipment including high-tech drones is what we compare with folks who are running a school on how to use phones to shoot films?

I remember there was a time these people criticized ‘award ceremonies’. Today,  there are award ceremonies regularly attended by same critics.

Please engage Baba Tunde Kelani,Kunle Afolayan, Ben-Ope Johnson, etc to do good works.

Unfortunately, it was a famous  colleague from Nollywood who first called my attention to it, saying

‘…Oreofe, what is wrong with your people? Do they watch films at all and did they see the best of Nollywood’?

My response was ‘I’m sure he didn’t say that and if he did,  it’s out of some mere excitement’

Let’s decline from making public comments that are capable of rendering others a laughing stock.

Someone will  come here now and say I should not write this.

By the way,  how many films by other ‘Gospel Film producers’ were promoted this way by same speaker?

It’s time to stop these ‘us and them’ mentality and concentrate on our MANDATES

MY OPINION

OREOFE WILLIAMS

Dated 9/9/2018. 7:33pm
The below text was copied from Oreofe Williams facebook account

TODAY,  I CHALLENGED A ‘GOSPEL-FILM JOURNALIST’ who pushed a headline quoting a reverred filmmaker and speaker. He had sent his news to one of our Company’s official lines given to a worker. I told him why such an assertion was both ‘heretical’ and unnecessary!

Me: Why do we need to compare faith-based films with ‘Nollywood’ movies?

Journalist: In terms of message or professionalism, you mean?

Me: In all,  it is unnecessary.

Journalist: Mmmmm

ME:
If a movie is good, it is good. To place it side by side with any work from Nollywood has reduced it to a mere competitive saliva.

How many from Nollywood are being compared with ‘faith-based’ works? In America, faith-based works are becoming the yardsticks for other professionals from Tyler Perry to the Kendricks.

If you feel you are not inferior to anything, you don’t compare with it. You only do so when you feel extremely inferior and someone like me doesn’t need such ideology. I just do my works and I celebrate others too.

If you feel anything from ‘Nollywood’ is ‘darkness’, which I do not agree with, why compare your own ‘light’ with ‘darkness’?

It’s like saying ‘we have the miracles of Christ that could render the magic of Satan into Child’s play’. Are Christ’s miracles and Satanic magical realism the same?

Such assertions wouldn’t mean anything to people like us.

We shouldn’t even jump into public comparison with anybody or any group. I think this perception and interest already killed the original mission of those you write for.

We need to be careful about what we say when we mentor. Some human-made doctrines don’t last forever. Several years ago, only unbelievers wear ‘trousers and wigs’ and uncover their heads. Born-again sisters tie their heads with scarfs. Today, there are films from same people where born-again sisters wear wigs, uncover their hair, wear trousers ,etc. What are they telling those who watched them then. These are human-made philosophies. I’m happy I don’t know the addresses of such schools.

There is need for caution and these excesses should be clamped down. Let’s be careful about what we dish out to the public. As time time goes on, a faith -based filmmaker will start telling the public his own film is better than that of another faith-based filmmaker.

Advertise your films. Tell people to watch yours as one of the best in Nigeria but it’s desecrating to say ‘the stories of the bible  could render the best of academic fiction into a child’s play’. It’s like comparing the messages of Bishop David Oyedepo or of Pastor E.A Adeboye or of Yongi Cho or of Rev’D Chris Onayinka with the oratorical prowess of Barack Obama. I’m sure they are not the same. For God’s sake, it is wrong and carnal, no matter who is saying it. I am sure, as a journalist, you quoted the reverred speaker out of context or he could have spoken out of some sort of enthusiasm. It, therefore, should NOT be made public.

All faith-based filmmakers should go on shooting films without such mindsets. Don’t compare with Nollywood when you work but if you  choose to compare, compare your work with the truth of scriptures.

Either from the perceptive of watching the contents or the technicalities, what is wrong is wrong! This will only promote strife and rivalry.

If your film beats theirs down, leave them to check themselves and conclude.

A father who has a beautiful daughter does not need to tell people his child is more beautiful than that of his neighbour.

That’s nepotism!

…and people like you should not rush to press to publish all you see.

That’s academic!

MY OPINION

OREOFE WILLIAMS