We don't need cash from Gov't, We only Need?...Says Mr Ibu

Nollywood actor, John Okafor, berates some of his colleagues for receiving money from government in this interview with PUNCH Newspaper.

POPULAR actor, John Okafor has decried the absence of adequate structures in Nollywood.

Also he criticised the recent visit of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria to President Goodluck Jonathan, which did not appear to go down well with some people who queried the motive in the first place.

For these critics, the actors only went to grab a ‘piece of the national cake.’ And though the actors concerned have since defended their decision to pay the President a courtesy visit, popular Nigerian comic actor, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, is still not pleased.

According to the actor who rose to prominence after his breakout role in the 1997 movie, Agony, where he portrayed an imbecile, the Federal Government has yet to set its priorities right with regard to Nollywood.

“The government should stop giving Actors’ Guild cash, because we don’t know how to handle it. Some people will go to the office, process the money and squander it and we (actors) never benefit from such goodwill.

“If they (government) can give us a structure or land, we (actors) can go ahead and secure funds from investors to build five-star hotels and other facilities on it, because it will be a tourist haven. We can bring the Nigerian Censor’s board into the same arena.

“How can we be paying N50,000 to have one movie censored and then generate N5m from over 100 movies produced in a month and yet there aren’t any structures in place for Nollywood? “With such amount of money, government should be able to cater for us. If this is done, the industry will make a giant stride.”

Besides the lack of infrastructure, Okafor also drew attention to what he described as an ‘ugly trend’. “Homosexuality is very rampant in our industry and it is one thing that aggravates my anger many at times,” he reveals.

Okafor would not go into details when this correspondent probed further. Although he made a name for himself playing ‘unserious roles,’ Okafor said many fans were unable to tell when he was serious.

“Many people do not take me seriously because of the kind of roles I play in movies. But the truth is that those who know me very well know that I am a very focused and principled person.

“In fact, I teach and mentor many upcoming actors and also organise workshops and seminars regularly for them.”