By Precious Eze
Nollywood as the name goes in Nigeria is known to be the collection of ”ACTORS” so to speak as a general term to describe the both sex’s operating in the movie-entertainment circle.
These are actor who according to reports are more popular than their contemporaries elsewhere in Africa with Genevieve Nnaji leading the pack and this has earned some of them respect in Nigerian and Africa as a continent.
But in recent times, especially with the way Nigerian politics is being played, these individuals were hired by certain politicians to use their faces to drive traffic and maybe, drive home their unpopular products with their very popular faces, which has recently boomeranged against the Goodluck Jonathan’s bid to return as president of the Federal Republic of Nigerian.
From Ibinabo Fiberesim to Mercy Johnson, Emeka Ike, Shan George, Kate Henshew, Ejike Asiegbu, Ramsey Noua, Rita Edochie. Patience Ozokwor, Chinedu Ikedieze, Osita Iheme, Francis Duru, Joseph Benjamin, Zack Orji, Segun Arinze, Ngozi Ezeonu, Ejiro Ekurame, Omoni Oboli, Chioma Chukwuka, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Monalisa Chinda, Ini Edo and soo many of them, had patronages from the ruling party, its candidate and their handlers and they were jumping from one stage to another and from one campaign rally to another, campaigning for the President, Goodluck Jonathan.
Infact, the very day the President held his last association or meeting with them at Eko Hotel, where majority of them were said to have gone home with between 2000 and 5000 US Dollars, i actually saw some of them arriving Abuja the afternoon at the airport for the event which held later same day and those i saw were Francis Duru, Rita Edochie (who is said to be very close to Mama Peace), our Elegant Stallion and so many others.
These individuals were used vigorously by the President for his campaigns regardless of the fact that some or even a large chunk of them may not have either their PVC’s to vote nor have good followership and ofcourse, some didnt actually come out to stay under the sun and later the rain like ‘ME’ who had to spend two days to make sure i voted for ”CHANGE”.
Truth is, the only picture i have seen soo far is the picture of Segun Arinze, who actually voted, maybe because of where he is from but the big question is, ”WHAT ARE THE ELECTORAL VALUES” of these people to the elections in Nigeria? Did they deliver?
What actually is the benefit the President derived from using these people to push worth his candidacy?
How many people saw the advert done with Mercy Johnson as the Brand-Face? Poor quality, poor script, plenty money spent, NO RESULT.
How many of these actors came out to vote? How many of them have their PVC’s? How much was spent on each of them? How do we get our money back from them because, they failed to achieve the aim of their employment as campaign faces.
This means that the whole monies spent on these people and soooo much more spent on even ”MOVIE PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS and Social Media Agents to attack some of us, were all WASTE????
Peace Anyiam Osigwe was busy in the North campaigning for Goodluck with local Nollywood actors from Enugu, Onitsha and Asaba who the Northerners may not have seen in their entire lives, spending money on them with no guarantees for results.
Am certain that they know how accepted and acceptable these people are and how far they can go to convince people to voted against their personal believes.
Someone like Shan George had to question the integrity of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at some point after a certain meeting they had at Aso Rock Villa in her bid to denigrate the now President-Elect. Such a SHAME!!
Thank God the CHANGE we all desired came and at the right time too. Now, alot of things will change as it were including spending’s on ”ACTORS” whose polling units can not be traced, talk-more, delivered for their paymasters.
Precious Eze is a Lagos-based Filmmaker.
