The recent visit of First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan to Enugu has left a big scar on Nollywood. This is because the police in Enugu are currently looking for ways to settle the bitter feud that engulfed the artistes’ community in the state over how an alleged First Lady’s largesse would be shared among top actors who attended her rally.
This feud has seemingly put one group known as Nollywood Apostles against other stakeholders in Enugu State led by Patience Ozokwor popularly known as Mama G, making it very difficult for the center to hold.
As at last Thursday, some of Nollywood’s big wigs involved were still angry and had refused to show up at the Police Area Command, Abakpa Nike, Enugu where the case was domiciled. The Area Commander had arranged for them to settle the matter amicably.
Checks reveal that Nollywood Apostles comprising some of the best faces in the movie industry including Steve Ajebo Eboh, Charles Awurum, Emeka Enyiocha, Benedict Johnson, Chinwe Owoh, and Ngozi Ezeonu among others had been featuring at several PDP campaign rallies including the one that brought Dame Jonathan to Enugu.
According to a source, trouble started after the departure of the First Lady when facilitators of the rally, Patience Ozokwor and Chinyere Wilfred were on stage giving the vote of thanks. An aide to Dame Jonathan had allegedly dropped a parcel containing N3 million into the hands of one of the actors, which he quickly cornered with the connivance of his fellow ‘Apostles’. But the cookies crumbled when the aide called Mama G aside and intimated her of the monetary gift and to whom it was handed.
“The real drama started when the actor who collected the parcel was about to zoom out of the venue in his car. Mama G re-enacted her screen roles for real. In her view, the money was meant for all the stakeholders who graced the rally and not only for the Nollywood Apostles. Mama G stood in the way of the car, yelling and asking to be crushed just as she sent someone to call the police. She didn’t mind being called witch, ashawo and all sorts of unprintable names. She blocked the car until the police came and took all the parties to the station,” a source says.
However, Steve Eboh has denied ever being involved in such a show of shame. He told Entertainer: “I never had anything to do with any money or anything like that. Don’t mind them, my brother. As I speak with you now, I am on my way to see Father Ede in Elele, Rivers State.”
For Charles Awurum, who later returned this reporter’s call after several phone calls made to him, it was denial all the way. Hear him: “I don’t know about any issues concerning Dame Jonathan’s money. I am in Port Harcourt now, please.”
On her part, Patience Ozokwor confirmed the story but she wouldn’t want to elaborate further, until after the elections. “The police have invited everyone to the station for settlement,” she volunteered.
Via Sunday Sun
