AGN Slams El-Rufai for Referring to Obi as a Nollywood Actor and Demands an Apology

The Actors Guild of Nigeria has slammed Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai for referring to Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi as a “Nollywood actor.”
El-Rufai described Obi as a Nollywood actor incapable of winning elections during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Thursday.

On Saturday, the AGN Director of Communication, Kate Henshaw, issued a statement condemning El-remark Rufai’s and demanding a retraction and apology.

“The National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Chief Ejezie Emeka Rollas, MON, says, El Rufai’s statement is not only derogatory to the acting profession, but also degrading to Nollywood actors,” the statement said in part.

“The statement is intended to belittle and demean an actor’s intellectual capacity. Using actors to make sarcastic examples of stupid people is arrogant and condescending of a public official.

“The statement is very offensive and demeaning to the Actors Guild of Nigeria and Nollywood as a whole as it was purely intended to deride the acting profession.

“Nollywood actors have positively projected the image of our dear country from the negative perception that the likes of El Rufai and his cohorts have portrayed us to be.

“The Guild is completely perplexed by this kind of statement from a sitting governor who claims to be educated and intelligent, referring to a noble profession of intelligentsia endowed with uncommon talent.

“Chief Rollas lamented that it is quite unfortunate, as it portrays the Governor’s ignorance of the pivotal role of the actor in the emerging global creative economy after many years of his checkered sojourn in government.

“Little wonder Nigeria is battling from serious economic quagmire after many years of clueless leadership who depend solely on the oil industry as they are bereft of ideas to grow and develop the country.

“Chief Rollas asserted that actors are more intelligent, educated, creative, and endowed with ingenious capacity to lead and develop Nigeria than some average leaders in government houses today.

“The national president demanded that El-Rufai withdraw his nescience statement and immediately apologize to Nollywood actors.”