Veteran Nollywood actor, Anayo Modestus Onyekwere, popularly known as Kanayo O. Kanayo, has spoken out against wealthy Nigerian men who fund lavish lifestyles of actresses in the entertainment industry.
According to him, financial support creates an unfair perception that male actors are not working hard.
“Nigerian rich men spend money on our girls to the extent that it impoverishes us and makes it look like we don’t work hard. You call a girl, she says she wants to do a production, and she’s your girlfriend from whatever benefits she gives you.
“How much is she asking for this production, N150m, N100m? But me wey be KOK, go and work hard my friend, we all men.”
Kanayo O. Kanayo
He pointed out that male actors often face financial difficulties without the same support.
“It’s not a good situation. Have you seen any lady ask for financial help for medical expenses? No, it’s only the men. We are an endangered species.
“Many girls are desperate to act, telling a man do with me whatever you want. When you offer a man and say, Oga give me that role, I will come to your hotel, what is this, I am not a child. What do you expect?”
Kanayo O. Kanayo
The veteran actor noted it’s now a trend for actresses to undergo cosmetic surgery to fit into the industry.
Kanayo further spoke on the lack of unity within the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). He lamented that many actors who have achieved stardom fail to participate in guild activities.
“People who hit stardom say, ‘I have no business with this.’ There needs to be a clarion call for everybody to know that we are better off being under a guild, We are better off being under an association, protecting our general interest. But when you have people who do not have that kind of feeling it becomes bad.
“So, it’s a work in progress, it’s the continuum to call on the actress and AGN president, which is executive to keep on working to bring in actors together and for actors to know, not just when we go for burial hours, not when we have candle night. Teamwork makes the gym walk that we need to work as a team and we will have more respect if we work as an association that we have more respect.”
Kanayo O. Kanayo
The actor also advocated for a collective effort to support the welfare of actors and emphasized the need for contributions to a health fund.
“If I earn N1 million per movie, what is one percent of it? N10,000. Why wouldn’t you pay N10,000 to a fund used to take care of those who are sick? Many people have refused to be part of the association to build something from their earnings, and that’s why you see actors coming to social media to ask for help.”
Kanayo O. Kanayo
This is not the first time Kanayo has spoken out about the challenges within Nollywood.
Actor Shares Thoughts on the Potential for Nigeria’s Progress
Kanayo O. Kanayo revealed that Nigeria would start progressing as a country the day a person of Igbo ethnic extraction becomes the President.
He stated the “Igbophobia” which has made some sections of the country blacklist the Igbos from the Presidency was only a figment of imagination.
The movie star spoke on what being an Igbo and a Nigerian means to him.
“Being an Igbo means that I come from a side of the country that speaks a dialect just like the Hausas, Fulani, and others. It also means to me that I’m a special person created that everything I touch prospers. When we [Igbos] are called the Jews of this part of the world, it means a lot.
“And to whom much is given, much is expected. A tree by the road is the one that receives the knife cut. We’re in the marketplace always and we dance beautiful dances. That’s who the Igbos are. So we become the envy of other people. An Igbo man starts his business with a kiosk today, give him the next year, and he turns it into a shop. From a kiosk to a shop.”
The actor revealed his ambition to remain active in the film industry until he reached the age of 90.
He also highlighted the presence of drug use among actors and what he referred to as “unnatural” behaviours, specifically referring to homosexuality.
“For men who have unnatural … When I say unnatural in law, you should understand it to be when man dey sleep with man and all those things. (E dey happen for the industry?) Of course.”
Kanayo O. Kanayo
“Are you aware most artistes are on drugs?” he added, calling for a purge of certain elements from the industry.
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