By Chinedu Adonu

ENUGU — The Igbo Movie Producers Association of Nigeria (IMPAN) on Sunday re-elected Mr JohnPaul Nwanganga as its president to pilot the affairs of the union for another two-year.

Nwanganga who was re-elected with a highest votes pledged to deepen the promotion of Igbo language, culture and history through filmmaking.

Other officials elected were Mrs Ngozi Okeke (Vice President), Mr Paul Ibeh (Secretary), Mrs Joyce Ikem (Assistant Secretary), Mrs Ifemamma Rita (Financial Secretary), Mr Izuchukwu Orjioke (Provost) and Mr Uchenna Okoro (Director of Socials).

Announcing the results at the election held in Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, Chairman of the IMPAN National Electoral Committee, Mr Okey Zinja, commended members for their commitment to the electoral process despite the challenges they faced in travelling from different parts of the country.

He congratulated Nwanganga on his re-election and expressed confidence in his leadership.

“You were our president before and you have emerged again. We believe in your leadership and expect you to take the association to greater heights,” Zinja said.

Speaking after the election, renowned actress Nkiru Sylvanus described the exercise as a milestone in strengthening the association’s leadership.

She stressed the need for Igbo filmmakers to produce more authentic stories that showcase the history, culture and heritage of the Igbo people.

According to her, much of Igbo history remains untold, adding that preserving the people’s identity through film would require greater collaboration and investment from stakeholders rather than relying solely on individual filmmakers.

Veteran actor Chief Ferdinand Ohanekwu described the election as a positive development, saying it had produced a legitimate leadership capable of repositioning Igbo movies to compete favourably with other sectors of Nigeria’s film industry.

In his acceptance speech, Nwanganga thanked members for renewing their confidence in him, describing his re-election as a great honour.

“I feel highly honoured. Considering my age, I see it as a privilege to lead Igbo filmmakers in Nigeria once again,” he said.

He recalled the pioneering role of Igbo filmmakers in the emergence of Nollywood, noting that the success of the classic Living in Bondage helped project Nigerian cinema onto the global stage.

Nwanganga pledged to intensify efforts to preserve the Igbo language through filmmaking and welcomed partnerships that would advance the association’s vision.

“I am open to collaboration and partnerships that will help promote our language, culture and heritage,” he said.

He added that his administration would embark on extensive research into Igbo history to produce historically accurate films that authentically portray the traditions, heritage and identity of the Igbo people.