Nollywood fever grips Uganda

Negative impact

Pastor Tunde’s greatest fear is being termed a cult leader.

He is the country representative of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Uganda.

But until recently, his church was under surveillance by other pastors over fears that it could be cultist.

“I faced many challenges. Other pastors spread rumours that our church served the occult. Even today, I don’t lay my hands on people while praying because of those images of pastors praying for supernatural powers,” he said.

Tunde stopped wearing his wedding ring over fears that people could term it a cult symbol.

In 2007, a Ghanaian pastor working in Uganda was arrested over claims that he was importing an electric “touch” gadget believed to deliver the Holy Spirit to the faithful.

It would allegedly send electric shocks on gullible subject and could be used to dupe them on divine power.

Interestingly, most of the films that were first imported into the country depicted Pentecostal churches with larger-than-life pastors. Theywielded supernatural powers to perform miracles and drive away the devil.

Today, several pastors in Uganda claim to have healing powers, including against HIV/Aids. They have big followings.

Yet other themes like witchcraft and superstition, corruption and greed, power struggle, love, hatred and lust for wealth, dominate the Nigerian films.

For instance, the dominant theme in Dons in Abuja are wealth and human sacrifice.

The film shows several men who join the dons’ club discreetly sacrificing their dear ones to supernatural powers in return for wealth.

Meanwhile, even with the horrific images, predictable plot, poor sound, pictures and general cinematography, Nigerian movies are a great hit in Uganda.