Organisers, Others Blast Linda Ikeji And Elvis Chuks

The prestigious Best of Nollywood' awards held on Thursday, October 16, 2014 at Government House Port Harcourt. Following the event, famous blogger Linda Ikeji posted an article with the title “Gov Rotimi Amaechi Insults Nollywood Practitioners To Their Faces, Says They Are Products Of Circumstances’.

According to Linda, the governor said Nollywood actors are products of circumstances/necessity and are in the acting scene because they couldn’t find other jobs.

Linda also reported that the governor said he gives Joke Silva and Kate Henshaw bags of money whenever they visit Rivers state, and that he is the reason behind Kate Henshaw's venture into politics. The organiser of BON, Seun Oloketuyi has responded to the post by Linda Ikeji calling it false and lies.

Elvis Chuks is supposed to be my friend. He was one of the few Nollywood guys who sent me a birthday present this year. You can therefore imagine my shock to discover that he is not just the source of Linda Ikeji’s fallacy, he has been sending broadcasts that Mama G and Liz Benson walked from the Government House gate to the banquet hall. He lied.

On Linda’s post, it is scary that we chatted and exchanged mails at 9am when she made enquiries about the event pictures only for her to post her lies as (usual) without asking for our side of the story. Yet, this is somebody I call my friend and who can reach me anytime. If Linda thinks she is invincible and could therefore bring other people down, let her be reminded of the fall of Sani Abacha and Ghadaffi. signed: Seun Oloketuyi...

Other Nollywood actors have also stepped out to express their disapproval and disappointment over the false publication. Nollywood actor and comedian, Okey Bakassi has this to say ;

What is shocking to me is reading in the blog the next day that Gov Amaechi insulted Nollywood. A story that is false and completely taken out of context. It’s either the author of the mischievous story didn’t attend the event or went with a different agenda. I hate when people vilify genuine supporters of Nollywood just to score cheap political goals.... I do not know if the wicked publication was targeted at the organizers of the Awards, Actors or Gov Amaechi but I know for sure that it is a misrepresentation of facts and it’s mischievous. God help Nollywood.’...

Actor and comedian AY Makun also addressed the issue:

One reason why I may never go into politics can be traced to how people will be so willing to quote me negatively at any given opportunity. I have been a victim of being misquoted overtime. I have made and acquired more enemies than friends as a result of lies that received negative baptism of fire to become facts.

Should I say, ‘I was there when Governor Ameachi insulted Nollywood at the BON Awards in Port Harcourt? No! I cannot be a party to such political besmirching and advance social media mechanism channelled through sensational bias.

The other time it was ‘how come Mr President would have all the time in the world to watch Omoni Oboli’s ‘Being Mrs Elliot’ in Aso Rock?’ Now some of us are already misquoting a man who took his time to invite BON Awards to Rivers State for the purpose of celebrating Nollywood. With news like these flying around, I wonder when next the president or governors will be inviting Nollywood anytime soon for another event....