Barely five
months to another general election of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, the
battle to succeed Ibinabo Fiberesima as president of the Guild hots up.
Ibinabo’s
administration which assumed office in 2012, is expected to expire in September
this year. Already, the atmosphere is tense as some members are warming up to
challenge the fair actress, in her bid to seek re-election. Notable among the
members, is Clarion Chukwura, who recently declared her intention to vie for
the guild’s top position.
In a recent
report, the veteran actress scored Ibinabo’s administration ‘zero’, maintaining
that “I cannot see what it is she has achieved in the past 19 months.” But, it
was actor Emeka Ike, who has been laying claim to the presidency of the guild
since 2009, that first fired back at Chukwura. He said, given the circumstances
that brought Ibinabo to power, after Segun Arinze, as the former president of
the guild breached the court order not to conduct any election, ‘Chukwura
is not eligible to contest in any election considering the matter on ground.”
Meanwhile, two
former presidents of the guild, Ejike Asiegbu and Segun Arinze have thrown
their weights behind Ibinabo’s re-election. In a telephone chat with WG
during the week, Ejike Asiegbu said, “She’s doing very well. I will continue to
support Ibinabo. We should pray for her as well as give her our support.”
Scoring
Ibinabo’s administration very high, the bulky actor frowned at Clarion
Chukwura’s incessant criticisms of the leadership of the guild. Reacting in
respect of her recent attack on the leadership of the guild, Asiegbu revealed
that when he was the president of the guild, the same Chukwura did not spare
him.
“On the issue of
criticising the incumbent president, when I was the president of AGN, the same
Clarion Chukwura criticised me. She has the right to contest for the presidency
of the guild. But she should do so without pulling another person down. I
read with great disappointment, Clarion Chukwura’s recent attack on the
leadership of AGN. There’s nothing wrong in paying a courtesy visit to
Mr. President. It’s a plus on the part of Ibinabo and her executives. When I
was the president of the guild, I made efforts to visit Mr. President to no
avail.”
“However, it’s a
minus on the part of Clarion Chukwura, having used the pages of newspapers to
run down the leadership of the guild,” Asiegbu stated.
Ibinabo’s
predecessor, Segun Arinze said, he’s strongly in support of the re-election of
the Rivers State-born actress.
According to
him, “I am strongly behind Ibinabo. She should vie for her second tenure in
order to complete what she has started 19 months ago.”
Arinze, however,
advised Ibinabo to be focused on her goals, and ignore any form of
distraction. He said, “I am not against anybody criticising the
leadership of the guild, but they should do so constructively.”
Also, Prince
Ifeanyi Dike, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of AGN believed that Ibinabo
should seek for re-election. In his view, as the first female president of the
guild, Ibinabo has not only succeeded in uniting the actors since she assumed
office 19 months ago, but has also ensured that peace reigns in the guild which
had been plagued with crises for several years.
Recently,
Ibinabo took stock of her stewardship, where she has put smiles on the faces of
members of the guild through her open door policies and re-structural
developments. She has also restored sanity in the body which was once riddled
with complaints, corruption, neglect and dejection.
Ibinabo was
sworn- in as the first female president and the 7th president of AGN in
September 2012, which had herself, Emeka Rollas and Steve Eboh as
contestants for exalted office. She started by bringing unity and a sense of
participation among its members with seminars, workshops and
above all, celebrating some of their own who had made the industry proud.
She also ensured
that their departed colleagues were all duly honoured even in death. One of
such persons is veteran actor, Peter Eneh. She led a group of movie
stars to the tribute night which turned out to be a carnival
night of celebrations.
Notably,
Ibinabo’s tenure drew the attention of the Nigerian government to Nollywood
as uncountable are the numerous rewards the AGN has been getting from
President Goodluck Jonathan lately, ranging from donations to grants.
Recently, she led a group of movie actors to Aso Rock to honour President
Goodluck Jonathan with the title of Grand Patron of AGN. During the
visit, Mr President donated a plot of land for the building of the guild’s
secretariat in Abuja and promised to assist them in building a befitting
secretariat.
Ibinabo who was
recently appointed into the board of the National Council for Arts and Culture
(NCAC), has also bridged the gap between the English and
Yoruba actors to a reasonable extent as she not only attends most events
organised by Yourba actors, she also includes them as part of her delegation
whenever the need arises. However, despites the achievements
recorded by her administration in the past 19 months, most industry
operators believed that Ibinabo is using her position to advance her own
interest.
While describing
Ibinabo’s tenure as ‘a failed one’, Clarion Chukwura accused AGN boss of using
her position to enrich herself. “I want to know what specifically she has done
that has moved the actors forward in areas like their pay, health, and other
vital concerns about their jobs. She secured an appointment to see the
President on behalf of the guild but that opportunity was sacrificed on the
alter of selfish interest and myopic objectives which has for a while now
heightened the selfish interest in the state chapter levels.”