Nollywood actor Anayo Modestus Onyekwere popularly called Kanayo O. Kanayo has asked his colleagues in the movie industry to look beyond mere endorsement of candidates for a fee during elections.
The actor and author made the remark on Sunday during an appearance on the online show 90MinutesAfrica hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo and Chido Onumah.
“Nollywood as an industry has not understood its role when it comes to elections. The industry needs its voice to be heard.
“When our people go to endorse candidates without anything for the industry, it is personal aggrandizement and that is not good for Nollywood. The role of actors towards 2023 should go beyond just going to play music for political contestants. We must have something we are asking from aspirants and candidates of political parties. This idea of singing praises of politicians after collecting money is not good for the movie industry,” Kanayo O. Kanayo reiterated.
The veteran actor said because of the closeness of Nollywood to the populace the government should engage the industry to create awareness against voter apathy which has marred elections in the country.
“The government can engage Nollywood to help create awareness among youths on the need to participate in the electoral process,” the actor said.
Kanayo O. Kanayo called on the southwest to align with the southeast to produce a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023 for the interest of fairness, equity and justice.
“Nobody should be telling anybody that power is not freely given. What has people of the southeast done that they cannot for fairness, equity and justice be allowed to occupy the presidency.
“The southwest should align with the southeast to produce an Igbo president in 2023 for the interest of Nigeria,” Kanayo O. Kanayo noted.
On the rumoured 2023 presidential bid of former president Goodluck Jonathan, the actor advised that the ex-president should drop the ambition and support an Igbo person to become president in 2023.
