The decadence of management is encouraging immorality. So anything goes with loss of identity, and most especially cultural identity as very few people make movies from the stretch of their blood”, those were the words of Mechanical Engineer turned Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike while reacting to a recent interview where he purportedly pointed accusing fingers at some Nollywood bigwigs for sleeping with actresses in exchange of roles.
Mr. Ike who opens up recently on the development in the make-believe industry, said, “Please where are the role models that Nigerian youths should emulate in this industry? My worry is that people that claim they are the doyens of the industry use the opportunity to cow young girls who are coming into the industry to take advantage of them. I really don’t want to say much here as there is judgement already, and we must respect the law.
We will be visiting the court momentarily to determine the situation, because we don’t want anarchy.”
While explaining his grouse with the leadership of Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, AGN, he declared thus: “They claim that they are the members of BoT, but looking at the constitution, the new president is supposed to come up with a new set of BoT after every ten years. The tenure of the present board have since expired. It is not a life position. In 2011 they ran to CAC to own a national body. Every opportunity that comes to the union they hijack it to the detriment of our teeming members”
He didn’t spare the Association of Movie Producers, AMP, either. His words, “AMP being the movie producers’ body that is supposed to be the engine room is not helping matters either. Right now there are lots of confusion as there is no structure that is why foreigners sneak in here with all kinds of mind set.”
He further explained that the confusion is a deliberate way of keeping the status quo ante, just to benefit a few, instead of allowing the industry a breath of fresh air that will provide a free and enabling space for teeming Nigerian youths that should benefit from the great image, which Nollywood has earned over the years.
“We have three billions from the federal government that is meant to raise the bar, yet no ripple effect. A big help from Mr. President. That money is enough to get us Nollywood Study Centres in every institution across the country.
We are talking about adequate structure that will encourage a seamless graduation of professionals from every nook and crannies of this country,” he said adding that, “That does not interest them as everybody takes advantage of our innocent young girls, and moral laxity is an issue here.”
He is not alone in this crusade as he directed us to sound out some notable thespians that believes in raising the bar of the respected profession, such as Clarion Chukwurah, John Okafor (Ibu), Kanayo Kanayo (KOK), among others as they are same page.
For him, “My sin is that international laws on entertainment must be respected by content consumers, and we need DStv to pay us adequately.
How can we make DStv so huge in Africa yet they careless about paying us adequately; they scandalize me because I am a man of integrity. Ask
Mercy Johnson, Desmond Eliot, Ini Edo and they will tell you that I mean well. Lets do this properly for the sake of our youths who are coming to take over from us. That is my concern.”