Nigerian actor, Gideon Okeke, says movie stars in the Nigerian movie industry are underpaid for their roles.

The actor, taking to his Instagram page on Tuesday, said thespians work under a slave like environment in the industry.

He added that on day of the movie premier, awards ceremonies, actors and actress dress like bag of money despite their sufferings.

Okeke said, “The pay is peanuts, the food is whack, the working conditions are gruesomely slave-like. But come the day of the Red carpet premier… We all dress up looking like a bag of money. E no add up joor!

“Award season is coming again. You will see all of us looking like peacocks on the red carpet. Like a bag of money. Don’t envy anyone o. Na packaging. Na wash.

“Now dem don even dey give money for best dressed. Taking the light away from the film wey dem come to appraise. You Ign’ant (Ignorant) like the Americans would say, We’z be Ign’ant.

“Because filmmaking is a collaborative sport, until it’s time to share money. Ain’t we in a pandemic of greed. Abeg make I go brush teeth. My mouth dey smell.”

Gideon Okeke is a Nigerian actor, model and TV Presenter. He came to the public eye in 2006 when he appeared as a contestant on the first edition of Big Brother Nigeria. In 2008, Gideon joined the cast of MNET TV series Tinsel on which he is a regular to date.

An only child, Gideon grew up in Ajegunle, one of the slums of Lagos, a place he speaks so fondly of. He attended Nnamdi Azikiwe University where he studied applied bio-chemistry. He later enrolled at the Lee Strasberg institute in New York where he obtained professional training in acting.

After appearing in the first edition of Big Brother Nigeria, Gideon joined the cast of M-NET daytime series Tinsel, as Phillip Ade Williams, the arrogant son of a media mogul. He remains one of the longest serving actors on the show. Gideon has also appeared on the South African TV series Jacobs cross. In 2014, he played the role of Bernard in the irokotv series Poisoned Bait, directed by BAFTA LA award-winning director Leila Djansi. In addition, Gideon was the host of the DSTV game show Money Drop.

Gideon landed his first lead role in the Nigerian drama film Relentless in 2010, starring alongside Jimmy Jean-Louis and Nneka Egbuna. His second lead role was in the 2014 crime thriller A Place in the Stars. In the same year, he played the role of Tobena, the love interest of the lead character in the romantic comedy When Love Happens. Other films to his credit include the caper crime comedy Gbomo Gbomo Express and the Ghanaian romantic drama Anniverssary. In 2016 he was cast in the drama thriller 93 Days. Starring alongside Danny Glover, Gideon received an AMVCA nomination for his portrayal of Dr Morris Ibeawuchi, one of the surviving doctors of the Nigerian Ebola crisis.