By INYALI PETER, Calabar
Worried by the negative effects of the leadership crisis brewing in the association, state Chairmen of Actors Guild of Nigeria, (AGN), across Nigeria met recently in Calabar to chart the way forward for the guild’s age long disputes.
In the meeting, the chairmen reaffirmed Ibinabo Fiberesima as the legitimate national president of the guild while condemning in totality activities of some of its members it perceived as disgruntled.
They called on all members to sheath their swords to work together to end the guild’s wrangling war.
Chairman of Cross River chapter of the guild, Monica Udofia, who played host to the meeting told newsmen that the meeting of statesmen from across the country was to adress the authenticity of Ibinabo Fiberesima as national President of the guild.
Udofia also said the meeting sought to condemn activities of Emeka Ike who parades himself as factional President of the guild and the recent purported setting up of a caretaker committee led by Steve Eboh.
A communiqué released to the media after the meeting commended the effort Fiberesima in showing respect to the rule of law by taking appropriate steps to challenge the judgment of Justice J.S Tshoho of the Federal High Court at the Appeal Court while placing a call to all parties involved in the matter to sheath their swords and wait for the outcome of the judgment from the Court of Appeal.
“We condemn in totality the activities of Emeka Ike and his cohorts n impersonating as AGN President and National Executives and setting up parallel State chapters without regards to existing chapters. It is not only unconstitutional, but illegal,” the communiqué read in part.
On the formation of the “National Caretaker Committee” by some purported stakeholders of the guild, headed by Steve Eboh, with the endorsement of Agility Onwurah as Chairman of Chairmen, the communiqué reads that “Please note that Agility Onwurah is not the Chairman of Chairmen,” even as it argued that the committee also housed some non registered members of the guild as members.
“The Stakeholders meeting in Awka was just a gathering of some ignorant members used by over ambitious few who are bent on fermenting trouble in the Guild to achieve their mischievous aims and objectives. We urge our members to disregard them,” the
communiqué said.
They also condemned what they described as “unethical reports by some media outfits saying that, “They, not all media houses maliciously help to proclaim Emeka Ike as the President of AGN, as they kept airing his own side of the story without cross checking with the National Secretariat of the Guild or State Chapter Chairmen for proper brief on the true situation of crisis in the Guild.”
“We appeal to Messrs Emeka Ike and Steve Eboh to embrace peace and eschew all acts capable of tarnishing our image.”
“Actors are Ambassadors of Peace; we are role models and mirror of the society. It is therefore disheartening to see our dear AGN, our pride being ridiculed in public for mere personal ambition of few members.”
Also speaking, Chairperson of Lagos State chapter of the guild, Victor Osuagwu said that he is worried that Emeka Ike parades himself as the guild’s apex president, when he did not at any point purchase form to vye for the position.
He said that Ike was not a bona fide member of the guild as he is not a financial member and has not been attending their meetings as stated in their constitution.
On his part, Kwara State chairman, Val Gbenga urged the media to always speak to stakeholders of the guild who had authority to speak on issues of the guild rather than give relevance to nonmembers of the guild as it drags the guild to disrepute.
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