Stop comparing actors with unintelligent people, AGN tells El-Rufai

To compare the Labor Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, with Nollywood actors, the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, has said Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

In a strong-worded statement signed by the body’s Director of Communications, Kate Henshaw, the Guild described El-Rufai’s account as not only derogatory to the acting profession but degrading to Nollywood actors.

Mr. El-Rufai, a two-time governor, in a recent interview with TVC, spoke about it an online poll that put Mr. Obi ahead of other presidential candidates.

He noted that polls were not conducted accurately and that Mr. Obi’s Labor Party used ethnicity and religious fanaticism in its campaign.

“Peter Obi is a Nollywood actor, and that’s all he will talk about. This election is between APC and PDP because they have footprints and ‘spate’. Ethnic and religious bigotry will get you nowhere, and this is the campaign of the Labor Party,” he said .

Responding, the president of AGN, Emeka Rollas, said the statement was aimed at belittling and belittling the intellectual capacity of an actor.

Intelligent actor

Mr. Rollas said that using actors to make sarcastic examples of unintelligent people is arrogant and insulting to public officials.

“The statement is highly offensive and insulting to the Actors Guild of Nigeria and Nollywood as a whole, as it only aims to disparage the acting profession.

“The Nollywood actor in no small way portrays the image of his beloved country in a positive light from the negative perception portrayed by El-Rufai and his cohorts,” the statement said.

Mr. Rollas noted that the Guild was totally confused by the statement of a sitting governor who claimed to be educated and intelligent, pointing to an intelligent profession endowed with uncommon talent.

Mr. Rollas is saddened, as it reflects the governor’s lack of understanding of the actor’s important role in the emerging global creative economy after many years in government.

He further asserted that the actors are intelligent, educated, creative, and have good ability to lead and develop Nigeria more than some of the average leaders in government houses today.

The national president asked El Rufai to retract his nescience statement and immediately apologize to the Nollywood Actor.

Peter Obi, movie

AGN’s reaction will come a few hours after the film’s producer, Anaele Dominic, released the eponymous two-part film about the life of the LP candidate, Mr. Obi.

Written by Mr. Dominic, the movie also stars Yul Edochie, who plays the character of Obi. Also starring Ify Eze, Chioma Ifemeludike, Demian Edward, Ifeanyi Azodo, Marvelous Ekuma, and others.

Titled ‘Peter Obi’, the movie is produced by Rockcelly TV, a Nollywood movie production outfit.

Presidential election

With almost three weeks to the Nigerian general election, it appears the nation’s entertainment industry is divided along ethnic lines.

The majority of actors and musicians who have expressed their support for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu are of Yoruba extraction.

Mr. Obi has been known to receive massive support from entertainers from the Eastern bloc while Kannywood is divided between the APC candidate, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party.