* Asks gov to withdraw statement, apologise to AGN
The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has described as derogatory a statement credited to Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, where he referred to the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as “Nollywood Actor”, who does not stand any chance of winning the February 25 election.
Reacting to the governor’s remarks, which he made during a television interview, the National President of AGN, Chief Ejezie Emeka Rollas, said El-Rufai’s statement is not only derogatory to the acting profession, but degrading to the actors in Nollywood.
The AGN’s Director of Communications, Kate Henshaw, who issued the statement, said El-Rufai’s motive is to belittle and demean the intellectual capacity of an actor.
“Using actors to make sarcastic examples of an unintelligent person is arrogant and condescending of a public office holder.
“The statement is very offensive and demeaning to the Actors Guild of Nigeria and Nollywood as a whole, as it was purely intended to deride the acting profession.
“Nollywood actors have in no small way projected the image of our dear country positively from the negative perception the likes of El-Rufai and his cohorts have portrayed us to be.
“The Guild is utterly bewildered by this kind of statement from a sitting governor, who claims to be educated and intelligent, referring to a noble profession of intelligentsia endowed with uncommon talent.”
Chief Rollas lamented that it is unfortunate, as it portrays the governor’s ignorance of the pivotal role of the actor in the emerging global creative economy after many years of his checkered sojourn in government.
“Little wonder Nigeria is battling from serious economic quagmire after many years of clueless leadership who depend solely on the oil industry as they are bereft of ideas to grow and develop the country.”
Chief Rollas stressed that actors are intelligent, educated, creative, and highly endowed with ingenious capacity to lead and develop Nigeria more than some average leaders in government houses today.
He, therefore, asked El-Rufai to withdraw his statement and tender an unreserved apology to Nollywood actors immediately.
“Once again, we firmly say enough of the derision of this noble profession. Enough is enough,” he stressed.
