By Deji Aroloye
Popular actor, Emeka Ike, has declared that he is the authentic president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN).
He made this declaration when he led the executive members of the guild on a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of The Sun on Monday. The actor used the occasion to clarify issues bothering on the leadership tussle that has engulfed the AGN in recent times.
According to Ike, he went to court to seek justice and last Thursday got a judgment in his favour when a Federal High Court siting in Lagos declared Ibinabo Fiberisima’s presidency as contemptuous and affirmed his mandate.
He said: “We as a team have been consistent in going to court, applying the rule of law. We have gotten judgment severally. We clapped for the justice system for giving our mandate to us. We didn’t use the police. We tried to apply democracy and justice system and we are happy that it turned out very well.”
The actor further said: “We believe that we don’t have to go the way of cultism. We went the gentleman way. The taste of justice is sweeter than satisfaction of violence perpetrated. It might take a little long for you to achieve justice.
They tried to make the Nigerian law system a laughing matter. But at the end of the day, we had justice.” On his agenda for AGN, Ike said he is out to relieve the plight of actors who were not reaping from the fruits of their labour. “We are worried about the plight of actors.
Some of them are poor because there is no pension scheme, no royalty for the job they have done. Any time you see us on television, we should be paid. That is how it is done all over the world except Nigeria. All we get is hype on TV, not money,” he lamented.
Responding, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, Editor, Daily Sun, thanked the AGN team for visiting The Sun and stressed that the newspaper always lives up to its core values. “In The Sun, we pride ourselves as the Voice of the Nation.
We give everybody the voice and we stand for the truth. That is what journalism is all about. What I will plead is that let us know about your activities from time to time.
As a newspaper, we will support you following the rule of law. As you have said that you have agenda to improve the lot of actors, I will ask you to keep doing what you are doing,” he said.
Emeka Ike’s entourage included popular actor, John Okafor aka Mr Ibu, Mr Femi Durojaye, National Publicity Secretary, Mr John Marshall, Vice President, North East, Mr Victor Edogen, Vice President, South West, and Mr Oruma Michael, Vice President, North Central among others.