From the live stage with Patrick-Jude Oteh
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We all remember that during the celebration of 30 years of Silverbird, the President had made a declaration that he was going to inject $200m into the entertainment industry out of a larger amount of $500m which was still in the pipeline. Well the news reaching us from the arts community is not good – there is already a big controversy about the money which we are yet to see and which modalities we are yet to know about!
The rumour mills are in full swing. The money has been released and it is somewhere being used to generate further money, the money has been hijacked for politics, the money was meant only for the film industry, etc etc. I had earlier mentioned that while the intervention was in good taste, we will need to know the rules for accessing the fund and that each organization must be extremely careful in its quest to access this fund and to avoid being distressed, we should map out strategies for use of the money if it eventually leaves the vaults of the CBN. I sincerely doubt if this has happened.
The controversy being generated is absolutely uncalled for – we all know how monies go in our dear country. We hear that billions have been voted and we do not see anything results. I do not hope that this should go that way but suppose it does, would we not have wasted valuable time and energy chasing an elusive phantom? Beyond the controversy, most of us do not even know what we will do with the money if it comes now.
If we get the news tomorrow that we an access this fund and we find that we an access it, what exactly are we going to do with the money? I have just completed a tour of the six geo-political zones of this beautiful country courtesy of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS). When three years ago, I was privileged to undertake this tour, the roads were to say the least deplorable.
Three years later, the situation has not changed – it only has got worse and these are the roads we keep hearing that billions have been voted for their repairs. So when it comes to this intervention fund, the word here is not just caution but extreme caution lest we start beating ourselves silly before we realise that the money has not left the vaults. Governor Sanusi I hope you are listening.
A most unkind country
It is very disheartening to know about some of the things going on in this country and how with our love of religion, we are still a group of very unkind people. It was the novelist, Akin Adesokan who had recently said that he has refused to come home frequently from his US base because this country has continued to show extreme unkindness to her people.
One would have expected that with our addiction to all things spiritual and religious, we would be a model country as we all will either individually and collectively exhibit the kind of kindness that one begins to see the kingdom of God on earth but the reverse is the case. From the police stations (IG, the checkpoints have refused to go away, yet you gave an order), to the airports, to institutions of state, to institutions of higher learning, what we keep witnessing are cases of mean, wicked and devious acts that sometimes disorient the mind.
I read recently about the case of a man who poured acid on the daughter because a pastor prophesied that the girl was possessed and needed deliverance. If she swallows the acid, then she is clean of the devil but if she vomits it, she is possessed! Pray how do you swallow acid and hold it down? How? She vomited the acid and the balance of the fiery liquid was poured on her face by of all people her father! Yet the imbecile is walking around a free man!
Thick politics is in the air
This is the era of drumming and dancing! This note goes to our legion and community of artistes. What is your creativity to be utilized for? Is it to entertain the arriving guests at the airports or rallies? My take is this – if this is the path you have chosen to ensure the survival of your organization, then make sure you charge rates that are commensurate with the work you are going to do. If you think that because you went to dance for someone and when he wins, you will have unlimited access to his office, quickly think twice as you are dealing in most cases with people who do not owe any allegiance or who most times do not have any sense of loyalty to anyone except themselves and their ambition.
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