AGN CRISES: WE'R STILL IN CHARGE - EMEKA IKE

The National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), has assured actors his administration will restructure the guild through legal reforms and capacity building. According to Emeka Ike, the image of the guild in the past has been abused by some individuals who want things done to suit their personal interests.

“We are working with the focus to reforming the legal agenda of the guild. The AGN, as an association, had so much legal misalignment. These were mistakes that the guild needs to use the court to straighten out. Today, actors can be assured that the operations of the guild are in line with laid down regulations,” he stated in an interview in Abuja, Sunday.

He is saying these based on the new body formed by himself and a group of other actors who say that they have taken over the affairs of the guild. They say since the guild is not active at the moment based on the inactivity of the president, Ibinabo Fiberesima, they have taken over.

The ace actor said his administration will demand accountability from any individual that sidetracked funds for the guild. According to him, training and capacity building for members will facilitate the development of the guild.

Mr. Ike added the welfare of members was paramount to the leadership of the guild. “We are talking to television stations to pay royalties to actors on their movies televised.

“Presently we are putting everything in place to ensure Bank Verification Numbers for our artistes and for those that don’t have it, we assist them. This is for them to be in the statistics database of the bank where their royalty can be paid and they will get their pay anywhere they are,’’ Mr.  Ike said.

He observed that it was not right for actors to roam the streets of the country’s major cities seeking means of survival.

He, therefore, called on Nigeria’s Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and relevant stakeholders and the public to support Nigerian actors.

However in a statement, Abubakar Yakub, the Secretary of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) says that “The National President is not moved by all these distractions as she remains  focused and committed to the welfare and wellbeing of our members. She cannot be cowed out of office. We have respect for the rule of law and shall abide by the legal and constitutional process in order to entrench a lasting peace in our noble Guild. We urged our members to equally disregard the so-called resolution which is aimed at satisfying the inordinate ambitions of disgruntled few in the Guild.”

Sources: Independent newspaper.