'I feel say pipo wey tok say make dem ban The Herd for Netflix no really watch di feem' - Etim-Effiong

Plenti reactions and conversation still surround The Herd, one movie wey popular Nigerian actor Daniel Etim-Effiong produce and direct for November.

As di feem hit cinema and Netflix, e scata social media, and as expected, pipo drag Oga Etim-Effiong wey no dey new to dragging, and dem call for di ban of di feem.

As some hail di movie say e reflect di current insecurity challenge wey Nigeria dey battle, plus say e paint clear foto of di kidnapping situation for di kontri, odas condemn am say di feem display stereotype. Dem say e show northerners, especially Fulanis as bad pipo, wey no be true.

Di producer release The Herd for di same time wen Nigeria dey witness resurgence for kidnapping incidents.

For interview wit BBC News Pidgin, Oga Etim-Effiong clear di air on di misconceptions wey surround di feem.

'Dis na di moment I live for' - Etim-Effiong

Di Herd na di first movie wey Oga Etim-Effiong go first produce and direct since e join Nollywood for 2012. Although, e don feature for many feems, dis na however, im own first movie.

Bifor e join di entertainment industry, Oga Etim-Effiong wey dey trained as Chemical Engineer bin work for di oil and gas sector, but e say im passion dey for storytelling.

"I believe say storytelling na one of di strongest way to impact pipo, and di time wey I dey University dey study Chemical Engineering, I know say my passion for life na to inspire pipo, and I come tink say di easiest way to achieve dat dream na to make feems, tell stories wey go dey impact pipo.

"But I come find mysef inside oil and gas industry afta I finish school, but inside my heart, I know say no be wetin I wan do be dis. I quit my job come troway mysef into di entertainment industry".

Following all di buzz wey follow di movie afta e release am, Oga Etim-Effiong say im no regret say im comot oil and gas, as dis na di moment im bin live for.

E say e beta make pipo tok about wetin you do, dan make you do somtin make pipo no tok about am at all. E say all di conversations wey follow di movie mean say, di feem touch nerve and e wake pipo up.

"Dis veri moment na why I comot from engineering do feem. Dis veri tin wey dey happun, say make I tell story make pipo dey inspired, make pipo dey moved, make e pinch pipo, make e wake pipo up, make e make pipo even vex, make e make pipo tink about dia life, make e make pipo tink about Nigeria, make e make pipo para say see wetin Nigerians dey go through, I no fit take am again. E beta make pipo tok about am, dan make pipo just dey sleep, dey wake up, make life dey pass us like dat."

The Herd na movie wey paint clear foto of di kidnapping situation for Nigeria, and e come out for period wen Nigeria dey witness resurgence in di cases of kidnap, violent attacks plus oda crimes, di producer tok say no be say im plan am, na God run am like dat make Nigerians for fit understand wetin dey really happun for di kontri.

For di middle of November, criminal gangs wey dey known as bandits bin carry out wave of attacks across di north-west and central regions.

Di largest attack by di number of victims bin happun on 21 November, wia dem kidnap more dan 300 children and teachers from St Mary's Catholic School for Agwara district of di north-central Niger State. At least 50 victims escape, while odas still dey miss.

Di attack happun four days afta bandits kidnap 25 school girls and kill some school officials from Government Girls Secondary School for Danko Wasagu for di north-western Kebbi State. One student escape, while dem release 24 on 25 November, for di middle of claims say di govment negotiate wit di criminals.

On 23 November, security forces rescue 38 pipo wey bandits kidnap from di Christ Apostolic Church for Ekuru, Kwara State, north-central Nigeria on 18 November.

However, more attacks don happun wey include at least 36 pipo for Niger on 26 November and abductions of scores for Sokoto and Kogi states on 30 November.

Di abductions come for di middle of President Donald Trump allegations say Christians dey face persecution for Nigeria, claim wey prompt am to designate di West African nation as "kontri of particular concern" for di alleged violation of religious freedoms.

Although, controversies don trail di movie, as some pipo argue say e show certain religion and region in a bad light, Oga Effiong say no be so, as di hero of di feem na northerner and na devout Muslim.

"Di greatest message of dis feem na make we see oursefs as one for dis kontri, if we see oursefs as one we go tackle dis issue fast. But if we see oursefs as separate, dem verses us, e go tey bifor we solve our problem and evil pipo na wetin dem want be dat, and dem go win if we dey divided.

"Dat na di message of di story, say we must come togeda as a family, dat na The Herd, dat na di meaning of The Herd and dat na wetin I want make evri Nigeria learn," Oga Effiong tok.

On some of di challenges wey e face for di production of di movie, Oga Effiong wey be Nollywood Loverboy sake of di plenti romantic roles e dey play for feems tok say pipo no believe say im go fit pull am off.

E add say funding plus ability to convince pipo on how im wan take tell di story, bin also pose as challenge.

Oga Effiong na one actor wey pipo dey often drag on social media, either sake of comment wey e make or di roles wey e dey act. E say na part of life, although e dey bother am at times, but im no really send.

"If you dey do somtin and you dey do am well, pipo must find somtin to tok becos dem wan attach demsef to your energy."