It is no longer news that concerned masses of Nigerian nation are fighting back with everything left in them to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan will not remove fuel subsidy,which has automatically inflated the price of petroleum products from N65 to N141 per liter.
Little do the citizens of this nation know that while they are crying and gnashing their teeth over the subsidy issue,the Federal Government has been busy doling out millions of naira to buy over the conscience of famous and prestigious citizens of this country.
On Friday December 30,2011 at Eko Hotel and Suites,Victoria Island,Lagos,it became the turn of Nigeria movie industry to collect their own share of the “Ghana-must-go” loads of naira notes that have changed hands over the fuel subsidy removal.
At the very moment when Nigerian “suffering masses” have not forgiven Nollywood stars for campaigning and voting Mr. President into office as a result of all the millions they got,they have done yet another grievous offense by accepting his bags of money to support fuel subsidy removal and keep mute while the poor masses are crying.
The closed door meeting took place during the Nollywood Forum entitled,”Understanding Deregulation”.Mr. Oronto Douglas,who represented Mr. President,outlined various promises and millions that will be allocated to various sectors of economy, states and local governments when fuel fuel subsidy removal comes to existence,concluding that economic development will take off through all the billions that will be realized from subsidy.
After throwing questions on what all the money that will definitely come to the fat pocket of federal government through fuel subsidy removal will be used for,stakeholders of Nollywood who came en mass promised to support removal on the grounds that President Jonathan will fulfill all his promises to allocate all the money that will be realized to various areas of the economy,states and local governments or Nollywood will be the very first industry that will rise up and revolt against him.
We are begging Mr. President because all of us in Nollywood went out of our way to campaign and vote him into office,since he assumed office we have seen ourselves being asked by people to go and meet Jonathan anytime we complain about the situation of things in the country,because they are aware of the things we did during the campaign period.
So, Mr. Jonathan should come to our aide and look into the $200 million grant that he promised entertainment industry.Stakeholders stated
Even though he answered all the questions,comments and motions as he could,Mr. Douglas did not visit Nollywood film makers empty handed as bundles of money packed in “Ghana-must-go” bags exchanged hands in the venue.
We reliably gathered that these Nollywood stars got N200,000 each for supporting fuel subsidy removal.Those present at this close door meeting between federal government of Nigeria and Nollywood stakeholders include;President of Association of Movie Producers,Zik Zulu Okafor,President of Actors’ Guild of Nigeria,Segun Arinze,Zeb Ejiro,Chico Ejiro,Frank Dallas,Mathias Obahiagbon,Peace Anyiam Osigwe,Paul Obazele,Fidelis Duker,Chike Bryan,Sunny Mcdon,Abubakar Yakubu,Rita Dominic,Monalisa Chinda,Florence Onuma,Charles Novia,Fred Amata,Zack Orji,Chairman Actors’ Guild of Nigeria Board of Trustees,Ifeanyi dike,Emma Ogugua,and many others.
