Federal lawmaker, Rotimi Makinde, has said he is still connected with his acting colleagues amidst the reported crisis between him and ace actor, Ebun Oloyede, and popularly known as Olaiya Igwe. The latter accused Makinde of neglecting his old friends in the movie industry that made him famous.
The legislator explained that those who know him very well can testify that he helps people around him. He stressed that he has used his position as a policymaker to effect positive changes in the movie industry in Nigeria.
Makinde said he stopped the sale of National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos and also facilitated the N3billion intervention fund to the industry by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He praised those in Nollywood, saying they rallied round Desmond Elliot’s political dream unlike those in the Yoruba film industry.
“See the way our brothers in the English axis rallied round Desmond Eliot even when my people would do that, they would do such as professionals with the attendant demands.
“I have those that I have tremendous respect for, people like Oga Bello, Jide Kosoko, Aluwe, Yinka Quadri, Ogogo and others but the challenge is the lack of unity among the theatre practitioners.
“If there is unity, one would have done something substantial for the association and I tried my best in finding a way of ensuring unity and I even involved His Imperial Majesty the Ooni of Ife but the response wasn’t encouraging,” he said.
The House of Representatives member said the Saidi Balogun-led “The Movie Ambassadors” (TMA) benefitted from his gesture.
“Saidi Balogun’s group came as a body and the outcome was good.”
“I know I have done all I could to uplift the industry. The question is simple; to what extent do they see me as their ambassador? As the first artiste to become a legislator, if I have done poorly, no other colleagues would be encouraged to join politics, I am happy that many of them are coming on board; it is a good development,” Makinde said.
“Those close to me know that I am not stingy and it is important to note that I have always been nice to my people even as an hotelier and a car dealer,” he added.
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