Outspoken actress, Kemi Lala Akindoju recently called out the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) for paying a courtesy visit to the home of Regina Daniels and Ned Nwoko, her husband.
TheNewsGuru recalls that the actress and her politician husband recently welcomed their first child — a baby boy — together.
Days after the couple welcomed their baby, Emeka Rollas, AGN president, alongside some executives of guild visited them.
Reacting to the visit in a post on Monday, Akindoju said the visit was indicative of the AGN’s lack of leadership.
She wrote :“This is actually shameful. In these times where the actor’s guild should show leadership on pressing issues like navigating the industry with COVID-19, like creating structures to stop sexual harassment in the industry,” she wrote.
“This is their priority. Even if you visit your member must you film and post? The videos we need to see about the future and safety of practitioners. Yet, they abuse us and insist that we join. Sigh!”
Reacting to Akindoju’s statement, Monalisa Chinda, the publicity secretary of the guild wrote:” Our attention has been drawn to an unsavoury statement by An Actress though not an AGN Member. Kemi Lala Akindoju on social media about the visit of the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria to Mrs Regina Daniel Nwoko, one of our members who recently gave birth to a baby.
Ordinarily, the AGN would not dignify such repugnant, uninformed comment with any response. In this case however, it is important to correct a few impressions without joining issues with a non-member of the guild. And we also advise you crosscheck your facts before making allusions.
The simple intent is to establish our position and intimate the public on our policy direction and efforts of the present leadership to extend genuine care for every member of the guild.
1.An actor’s registration as a member instantly confers on him or her the privileges due to members which includes protection in their professional quests, welfare packages in their moments of need, celebration of their triumphs and many more.
- Since assuming office, the current leadership of the Guild has prioritised courtesy visits to majority of her indisposed members across the country, offering moral and financial support since assuming office.
- AGN has established a dedicated line and email for reports of sexual harassment and abuse cases in line of duty. AGN is also in strategic partnership with relevant agencies to counsel and persecute violations against any of our members.
- AGN has introduced a highly credible Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) to take good care of their health issues of all registered members.
- AGN recently participated actively in two funeral rites of our dearly beloved members that passed on, Patience Oseni in Calabar and Ukwuak Asuquo, in Abuja. We remain completely committed to catering for all members irrespective of status or religion”.
This isn’t the first time the association will come under such intense criticism.Hilda Dokubo and Kate Henshaw had in March also berated the guild over the appointment of Elisha Abbo, senator representing Adamawa north, as patron of the body.