Social media went wild a couple of days ago when employees decide to call out horrible bosses and employers in the country. The trend eventually reached the movie industry, and Nollywood actor, Gideon Okeke, shared his horrible experience with a filmmaker, Frank Rajah.
Okeke disclosed that some influential people know that Frank Rajah owes him ₦500,000.00 and he has been calm about it for 3 years now. He further noted that if proper structure were laid down or established in the industry, Frank wouldn’t have dared bullying him or rip him off the money he worked for.
According to the actor, he is waiting for the day the filmmaker will release the movie and urged his fans to call out Frank Rajah when they see his face in his movie. He also averred that the ₦500,000.00 would come in handy at any time and advised people close to Rajah to talk to him.
Several social media users who were stunned by the revelation called Frank Rajah out as they asked him to do the right thing. Others also questioned why Okeke didn’t take the issue to court. According to them, if there is any binding contract to use as legal documents, then he shouldn’t waste time, rather take the case to court.
Gideon Okeke hasn’t been in big budget movie since 2016
Gideon, who made it to the limelight, through his role in the popular TV series, ‘Tinsel’, and was touted as one of the best actors to look out for in the industry, has, however, had some quiet moments in the industry, unlike his peers who have been making waves in big projects.
In a recent question and answer session, concerned fans of Gideon Okeke queried why he has not appeared in any big-budget movie since 2016.
The actor, who was delighted by his concerned fans, noted that for him to be in such big-budget movies, it had to do with business decisions of companies that are into movie productions.
Gideon Okeke, like some other Nigerian actors, seems to have a major problem with how actors are being treated especially with regards to remuneration.
It can be recalled that recently, in an Instagram post, Okeke advised fans not to be envious of actors, as he explained that their sufferings were invisible because they dress up like a “bag of money” when they appear at movie premieres.
According to the actor, actors are paid “peanuts, the food is whack, the working conditions are gruesomely slave-like” however, “come the day of the red-carpet premier, we all dress up looking like a bag of money”.
Okeke noted that the flashy lifestyle seen at award shows, movie premieres is just “packaging” as they are silently suffering.
“Award season is coming again. You’ll see all of us looking like peacocks on the red carpet. Like a bag of money. Don’t envy anyone oh. ‘Na packaging. Na wash’. Because filmmaking is a collaborative sport until it’s time to share money. Are we not in a pandemic of greed?”
Gideon Okeke
It is worth mentioning that Okeke’s outburst followed a statement by actress, Adunni Ade, who in an interview, complained about how Nollywood actors are underpaid.
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