COMMUNIQUE
THE ACTORS GUILD OF NIGERIA (AGN), NORTH WEST ZONE, HELD ITS FIRST BI-MONTHLY MEETING IN KANO ON JUNE 9TH, 2013 WITH KADUNA STATE UNAVOIDABLY ABSENT. THE MEETING DELIBERATED ON ISSUES AFFECTING THE GUILD AT STATE, ZONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL AND TOOK FAR-REACHING DECISIONS AS CONTAINED BELOW:
The meeting observed a minute silence in memory of members and relatives of members who lost their lives in recent times. It prayed for the repose of their souls and for God to grant them eternal rest;
The meeting reviewed the policies and programmes of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Guild such as the Health Insurance Scheme, Membership Revalidation Exercise, the Cultural/Sports Festival and the Film Initiative. However, the zone believes that instead of requesting a full script to be submitted to the national for the film Initiative, SYNOPSIS of the movie should have been asked to be submitted in its place, besides the short ultimatum;
The meeting noted with dismay, the exorbitant fees charged by the National office for the REVALIDATION exercise, particularly for existing members. It observed that the NEC failed to recognize the fact that productions are lacking in the northern part of the country; and so members cannot possibly be expected to pay the same amount with its southern counterparts who enjoy constant productions. Therefore, it insisted that the exercise must come with a human face;
The meeting condemned the unending bickering and bitter acrimony within the Guild and appealed to the warring parties to sheathe the sword for the progress of the Guild;
The meeting also discussed issues pertaining to the availability of more than one Constitution for the Guild without a clear-cut declaration of the one adopted by the Guild;
The meeting also discussed the lack of CONGRESS since the inception of the present NEC of the Guild; acknowledging the role the Chairmen of the State chapters can play to realize its convocation in the nearest possible time;
The meeting also deliberated and in fact; condemned in its entirety; the unbelievable, but gradual introduction of movies with pornographic content and now full blown X-rated films into the market. It observed the danger such productions portend for the society, especially the vulnerable and impressionable youths as well as the negative light which this development may portray for the industry.
RESOLUTIONS
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUSIONS WERE AGREED UPON BY THE ZONE:
- That it supports the idea of revalidation as embarked upon by the NEC. It however condemned in clear terms the insistence that existing members must pay to be revalidated. It also advised NEC to be more tactical in approaching other policies and programmes such as the Health Insurance Scheme, Cultural/Sports Festivals as well as the Film Initiative.
- That NEC should be more pragmatic and progressive in its leadership style and discard the present confrontational approach, as well as endeavour to carry every member along so as to deepen members’ trust and attract robust followership with a view to achieve the Guild’s objective of getting to the next level.
- That the Constitution chosen to guide the operations of the present leadership and the Guild should be promptly identified, and thereafter fine-tuned and properly adopted by the CONGRESS. The working CONSTITUTION should then be sold to card-carrying members at minimal cost.
- That the zone supports the meeting of Chairmen/Secretaries of the State chapters to meet to have a robust exchange of ideas which will add value to the Guild since this meeting for which the National President once spearheaded as ‘Chairman of Chairmen’ do not in any way contravene any known constitutional provision. It believes that instead, stopping them will only amount to trampling on their constitutional rights of ‘Freedom of Association.’
- That the NEC should convoke a CONGRESS meeting on or before six weeks to be attended by National officers, state Chairmen and Secretaries to discuss and proffer the way forward for the Guild in view of current realities.
- It also pleads with the Federal Government to reconsider the stringent requirements to assess the $200 million loan assistance for production to achieve its essence since it is obviously difficult for industry practitioners to meet the current demand by the disbursing agencies.
- That President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should recognize and work directly with the leadership of the Guild to realize the objectives of his willingness to assist the growth of the movie/entertainment industry, especially to disburse the $200 million and the N3 billion he pledged recently; instead of the present trend of dealing with the sector through individuals perceived by members to be his personal friends in the industry.
- That it would fast-track arrangements to attract productions to the zone. To this end, it agreed to open channels with movie producers/marketers to effectively realize the objective; as it also calls on state governments of the region to think of investing in their artistic prowess’s, since the region also has its own stories to tell.
- The meeting also applauds efforts by the federal and state governments of the zone at curbing its wave of violence, urging them to do more by encouraging relevant agencies (like the Police, NYSC, NDLEA, NAFDAC, etc) to engage the Actors through the media, in propagating unity and love, peace and progress, from which AGN already draws her motto – UNITY THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT.
- That the zone condemns in all its ramifications, the unbelievable, but gradual incursion of pornography into the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood), and therefore charge the NEC to stand up to challenges posed by the elements trying to bring the industry to odious and disrepute. It further advised that sanctions be pronounced on card-carrying members who feature in such X-rated productions, while calling on the appropriate Governmental Agencies at state and Federal levels to also clampdown on them.
The zone fixed August 11th, 2013 as date for its next meeting which will be enlarged and hosted in Katsina State to be attended by the three (3) national officers in the zone, as well as the chairmen and secretaries of State chapters.
–
SIGNED,
OKEY OGBU
Chairman, Kano State chapter (AGN)
HENRY-PAUL BABANGIDA
Chairman, Katsina State chapter (AGN)
SALIHU OTHMAN ISAH
Vice President, North West Zone (AGN)
.
