Presidency angry with leadership of Actors Guild

Goodluck Jonathan, the nation’s entertainment-loving President is at the moment not happy with the leadership of the Segun Arinze-led Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN).
His anger with the body he loves so much has nothing to do with their lingering battles on the pages of newspapers, neither does it have to do with the way they portray the battered image of the country in various Nollywood movies.
Mr. President’s anger and disappointment, we reliably gathered from an insider, had to do with ingratitude and lack of appreciation on the part of Arinze, his executives and Board of Trustees (BOT).
According to a very senior aide at the Presidency, Mr. President is pissed and thoroughly disappointed with the leadership of AGN, for treating his kind gesture with disdain and levity.

“You won’t believe that Mr. President signed and approved over N6 million to AGN, when they came begging for financial support to aid the treatment of their BOT Chairman, Ifeanyi Dike, in India. Being a friend of Nollywood, Mr. President ensured the prompt approval of the funds that was used for the successful operation. But painfully, till date, not a word of this kind gesture was mentioned in the media by AGN. Not even an official thank you letter from them to Mr. President. With this kind of non-challent attitude, how do you expect Mr. President to come to their aid again?” explained this angry insider.
All efforts to speak with Mr. Arinze on the issue proved abortive, as his phones were switched off.
Meanwhile, the BOT Chairman, Mr. Ifeanyi Dike, who traveled to India, for his Kidney transplant, recently returned home after a successful operation. In a chat with ACTION!, Dike, who is still recuperating, was full of thanks to all those that supported him financially and otherwise.

Shan George survives fatal accident

What would have amounted to another tragedy in Nollywood was avoided recently when star actress Shan George, miraculously survived a fatal domestic accident.
The life-threatening mishap that kept the bubbly entertainer bed-ridden for over two months was eventually taken care of the traditional way when succour was not forthcoming from orthodox treatment.
Speaking exclusively to ACTION! on why she had been out of circulation, especially in the make-believe world, the mulatto mother of two, disclosed that a domestic disaster kept her indoors for several months.
In the words of the actress turned singer, her being alive today was by the grace of God.
“Sincerely, some months ago, if somebody had told me I would be alive and still move freely with my two legs and whole body, I would have objected. I was home alone at my Ikeja, Lagos residence early this year and slipped off in my bathroom after a cold shower and immediately passed out for five hours. When I finally woke up, I discovered that I could not move any part of my body again. In fact, I thought I was paralyzed. I eventually summoned courage and crawled to my sitting room, picked my phone and alerted my neighbours, who came to my rescue.”
Miss George, further disclosed that her male neighbours that eventually rescued and rushed her to the hospital, actually met her stark naked. “That was to tell you the impact of what happened to me,” she added.
The former controversial actress, who has now fully recovered said she was moved from a specialist hospital after some weeks, to a traditional bone-setters home, when her condition seemed to be deteriorating.
“Thank God, I’m fully back on my feet again and decided to volunteer myself for the Christy Essien’s memorial and other activities leading to her recent burial. As a sign of respect, her event was the first I would be attending since recovering from my domestic accident,” she explained.

Dumdum drops Omeworonya video

Few months after releasing his debut gospel album, Omeworonya, Elder Stephen Chukwudi Amaeze better known as Dumdum, has equally gone ahead to drop the musical videos of the wave making effort.
The crooner who shuttles between Spain and Nigeria, in a recent chat disclosed that the new videos were shot in Spain, where the post production work also began before its completion here.
From the stable of D-Vista and Chista Records, the beautifully shot videos, including the hit track, Omeworonya are currently ruling the airwaves and eliciting reactions from different quarters.
Speaking on the success of the videos currently being marketed and distributed by Afrobest Production Limited, Obosi, Anambra State-born Dumdum, maintained that the work was divinely inspired, adding that it took him ten years to finish.
“I’m happy so far with the success recorded with the audio and video of my debut work as a gospel artiste. I’m also grateful to all those that were part of this success story.”

The Amatas’ matriarch dies at 81

Madam Joy Omotoyinbo, the matriarch of the famous Amata family is dead. She died in Abuja on Monday, September 12, at the age of 81.
Confirming the sad news, one of her sons and famous Nollywood actor/director, Fred Amata said his late mother would be greatly missed by all her children, grand children and great-grand children.
Emotion-laden Amata, who refused to comment further, insisted the entire family would soon make an official statement and equally announce her burial plans. He however, thanked friends, colleagues and well-wishers that had been calling and commiserating with the Amatas’ since the painful news of his mother’s demise was made public.
“My brother, thanks for calling. My loving and caring mum died this Monday in Abuja. The family would soon make an official statement to that effect. That is all I can say for now, just bear with us,” he pleaded.
Meanwhile, Fred, who recently contested and lost the presidency of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), to Andy Amenechi, is not the only famous thespian from what has now come to be known as the Amata acting dynasty in the nation’s motion picture industry.
His elder brothers, Zack and Ruke are known names in the industry. While the former’s name once ruled TV stations, the latter is still making waves as a professional film director.
Their late father, pioneered filmmaking in Africa with one of the earliest celluloid works that came out of Africa in 1956, Freedom.
Also, Zack’s son, Jeta, is a force to reckon with in Nollywood, where he had produced and directed several blockbusters, including Amazing Grace and of recent, Black Gold.

Mercy Johnson, Mike Ezuruonye renew rivalry

Now married actress Mercy Johnson and Mike Ezuruonye recently renewed their bitter war of words in Nollywood, surprisingly not in real life this time, but in a new Nollywood flick where both stars played antagonistic characters.
Entitled The Feast and from the stable of Sea-World Movies, the duo who once had a real life altercation on set and avoided each other for months before finally settling amicably acted alongside Jibola Dabor, Akeem Rahman, Beverly Nayah and a few others in the fast-selling movie.
Produced by youthful Uchenna Nwankwo and directed by Michael Jaja, the suspense-filled make believe work of art thematically dwells on a Prince’s insatiable appetite for power and mundane cravings as well as the unwholesome end result.
On whether he deliberately featured both Johnson and Ezuruonye, in order to further fuel their “cold war,” Nwankwo, the producer of the controversial flick, currently topping Nollywood charts, said an emphatic no.
“We chose both Mercy and Mike because they were the most qualified for the role while we were casting and suggesting possible names. Again, I’m also happy that the role has further bridged the existing friction between them. No doubt, they were sworn enemies in this movie based on their characters, which I must commend based on their professionalism, but that aside, they were the best of friends while filming lasted,” he explained. The Feast, we equally gathered was one of the last movies Mercy featured in before embarking on her controversial wedding to Mr. Odianose Okojie, an already married father of two.