Actors Guild of Nigeria [AGN] President Emeka Rollas Ejezie has claimed that Adanma Luke, the producer responsible for the demise of well-known Nollywood actor Junior Pope, was negligent to the point where the AGN almost lost an actor. He told the story of an actor who was almost killed on the set because the producer had chosen to employ an inexperienced driver without a driver’s license. He described how the careless motorist struck the actor in reverse, injuring him and necessitating expensive, guild-funded medical care. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
He noted that despite this, the producer offered only a simple apology without acknowledging the severity of the situation or the professional standards that should guide hiring actors for a movie. He emphasized the importance of treating the film industry as a professional business rather than a family endeavor.
Following the death of Popular Nollywood Actor, Junior Pope, the AGN President instructed that no member should work with Adanma Luke, the producer of the movie titled ‘Another Side of Life’ which the crew members were going to before losing their lives.
In the same way, the Association of Movie Producers [AMP] has also declared the suspension of Adanma Luke pending the submission of an investigation report to find out what happened in that boat mishap.
He said in an interview with Arise TV, ”The Association of Movie Producers and Adanma Luke Production will also hear from our lawyers. The other day, we had an actor who almost died on set because this producer hired a driver who could not drive well, he doesn’t even have a driving license.
And while he was reversing, he hit the actor on set. It was the guild that took him for treatment and we spent millions of naira to get him back on track. The Producer was still saying the same thing that please, I’m sorry. This is not a profession for Brothers or Sisters, it’s a business profession. If you are hiring an actor, pay him very well and he will do the job very well.”‘ CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
I believe that the association is for professionals and as such should carryout it’s engagements professionally. The association should have minimum standards that it cannot afford to go below, in the engagement of producers, part of which the safety of actors must be paramount. It is unthought of that actors or any serious minded person for that matter, would travel on water without life a jacket. The association should also be able state out conditions that any producer would abide with before being allowed to engage any of the actors. Also, each actor must be well insured before being allowed to be part of the association. It must be in black & white all conditions to be met before a producer can be engaged by the association and this should include medical costs for injuries sustained in the course of shooting a film.
The safety and well being of each actor/actress must be paramount to stop all these avoidable deaths. May God in His mercies continue to protect you all as you go about looking for ways to make life less stressful for your viewers Amen.