Over 100 actors and actresses in the Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood have garnered support for Governor Babatunde Fashola’s second term bid next year.
The movie stars, led by Mr. Segun Arinze are championing the campaign for Fashola’s second term and have come under the aegis of Lagos Artistes For Fashola, LAFF. They visited the governor yesterday in his office at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State, South West Nigeria.
Those who were at the State House, Ikeja were Segun Arinze, Zack Orji, Fred Amata, Bassey Ekpeyong, Abubakar Yakub, Kingsley Ogoro, Sunny Mcdon, Fathia Balogun, among others.
According to Arinze, Fashola had done tremendously well and “is an actualiser. I have gathered friends who have made impact in the movie industry in Lagos State to come together for you.
“We have come together for the actualization of your second term.
I don’t care whose ox is gored. We will stick with you throughout the campaign period until the victory is won,” he said.
Arinze added that the artistes would release album and jingles to sensitise the people and ensure that they vote for the governor next year, stressing that “there is now a brand called ‘BRF.’
“We will go to the grassroots to mobilise the people, we will support you; you will get our backing and support,” Arinze said.
In his response, Fashola commended the artistes for their support during the 2007 electoral campaign and urged them to promote ideals that would better the lot of the people in the society.
“By sheer deed of commitment, you have found a way where there seems to be no way. You have helped to address youth restiveness and unemployment,” he said, adding that lots of youths’ talent had not been harnessed in the area of cinematography.
“How many Nigerian universities offer courses in cinematography? I champion this cause that Nigerian universities should offer courses in such area. Many of you were probably forced into acting out of necessity,” he stated.
The governor appealed to the actors and actresses to use their movies to shape and fight the ills in the society rather than exposing them negatively, citing several cases were police were portrayed in bad light in movie scenes.
“Maybe you may not pay attention to the values you portray but I do. Your work is influential and you can use it to promote the image of this country. For instance, our police are doing well. Any time you produce movies and you get to a police scene, they are always portrayed as badly dressed, that is the image you are sending out.
“Through those movies, you can challenge the police on how they should behave. We can tackle the issue where people are offered bribe and they reject it in our movies. And again, if you teach violence in your films, you will breed violence in the society. It is our job to remake this country,” Fashola said.
