N500 Million Largesse to Nollywood Stars!
There a topic that has been raging on for a while now and that is the recent N500 million largesse given to 10 Nollywood artistes by Globacom the telecom giant. For those not yet in the know, Glo recently paid out about N500 million to 10 Nigerian actors and actresses namely;Rita Dominic,Uche Jombo,Monalisa Chinda, Funke Akindele (of the Jenifa fame),Chioma Akpotha, Ramsey Nouah,Desmond Elliott,Jim Iyke,Nonso Diobu and Mike Ezeruonye. Each artiste is said to have been given N50 million each. There has been a lot of hue and cry with people saying the money should have been given to the less privilegded, given to homeless people, used to fix National Theatre etc. My own take on it is that 1)Glo as a corporate organisation is free to give the money to whosoever they choose. 2) Which is better? To give N50 million to Nigerian actors or give N100 million to 50 Cents, Beyonce, Akon etc as Nigerian Breweries and This Day have been doing? And why the outrage at the amount given to Nigerian artistes? Footballers have been recieving much more from corporate bodies AND Govertment from time immemorial. Or do you know how much they have been getting from Pepsi, Peak Milk etc. What about what musicians have been recieving in recent times? My own is that we should stop hatin'! Nollywood is here to stay and is finally getting recognition from corporate bodies. They should just make sure it trickles down to the writers,producers and directors that make the actors look good!
Comments
Was it not for a certain service that they received the money?
I am a little confused here.
I wish people would stop making it sound like Glo "dashed" them the money... It perpetuates the age-old African notion of artists as glorified beggars beggars.