Veteran Nollywood actress, Clarion Chukwura is one of the very few actresses who have stayed relevant in the industry despite the influx of new faces. While speaking with Punch, she said many of the celebrities who are veering into politics are doing so because their dwindling fortunes. Recall, Charly Boy also said that in a recent interview last month?
"The motive of those who are embracing partisan politics is purely monetary. Let us call a spade a spade. If you tell me that you want to go into politics to serve the people, I would want to look at your record first.
"I want to see what you have done to better the lives of the people in your immediate community. How many boreholes have you sunk in the community? How many hours of community service have you given for free over the last four or five years? How well are you known as somebody who yearns for improvement in social development?"
Well, Desmond Elliot and Kate Henshaw have both veered into politics and they are still both doing well, I think. Continue to read more of what she said...
On her plans for Actors' Guild of Nigeria...
"I said earlier that I wanted to take charge of the AGN because I saw that those who were running the body lacked the experience necessary to turn it around and to change the face of the film industry. It was clear that those in charge had not real agenda for the guild and they didn’t know what to do to turn it around.
"Also, I observed that some people already felt that being in charge was the same thing as being in a position to hobnob with top politicians in the corridors of power and to get money from various interest groups in the country. And there was so much desperation on the part of the leadership of the guild to hold on to power because they see their position as a platform to make money."
"We are not getting good results and this is why I think we do not have the kind of leaders that can serve and protect the interests of members of the Guild. There is a need for the AGN to enhance the careers of its members, through its operations, in such a way that everybody and the guild itself will benefit. Yet, none of those running the body seems to be thinking of this.
"The AGN can only get stronger if it protects the interests of practitioners, This can only happen through commerce driven alliances with user groups, not by engaging in politics of division.”
She also complains that many Nollywood actors have not been getting paid by advertising companies, fashion magazines, online portals and other organisations, that publish their photographs or use any part of their works for commercial purposes."
"In Hollywood, you don’t just post the picture of a star actor or actress on your blog. Some popular bloggers are doing that in this country and walking away with a lot of money. You don’t organise award events, such as the Nollywood Movie Awards, without paying for using the name ‘Nollywood’. Since the word ‘Nollywood’ is a trade mark for the Nigerian film industry, you have to obtain a licence before you can use it."
Culled from: Punch
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