Newly elected president of Government of National Unity, GNU, an interim government under the umbrella of Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, may have started the process of a new dawn in the Guild, as he has called for support from every members as well as setting up an advisory council comprising of 12 veterans.
Members of the Committee are Veteran Alex Osifo, Segun Arinze, Ejike Asiegbu, Dr. Remy Ohajianya, Mercy Johnson, John Okafor IBU, Nkem Owoh, Steve Eboh, Larry Williams, Zack Orji, Sani Danja and Nasir Mohammed’
‘We understand our place as servant leaders. We do not claim to know it all. Neither do we claim to be the best amongst the thousands of actors in the guild. But what we do believe is that nature has fated it in a manner that we are the once to serve AGN at this critical point in time. Therefore, we appeal again for the support of all’.
In an interview with Theresa Moses in Lagos after his election, Rollas said he has set an agenda that will ensure total peace, tranquility and equanimity within members of the guild so that all aggrieved veterans and founding fathers who for one reason or the other have backed the guild return back to take their place.
As the president and leader of the Government of National Unity, Emeka stated that he’s open to collaborations and will be ready to work with all. ‘My executive council will be run in such a manner that will attracts and accepts positive suggestions and opinion from all and sundry, inclusive the dissolved factions’ he said.
Speaking on his plans to re-sharpen and re-shape the guild, the versatile director has this to say: ‘AGN has found a new path. This path I’m sure will lead to a destination “known”. A destination of peace and progress. My executives and I have already started the brainstorming. We have set out our actions, plans and clear blueprints that will enable us out- number our promises. There will be so much development to note before the end of our tenure’.
The Actors Guild of Nigeria as an umbrella for screen actors across the country has come a long way. It has over time become a phenomenon and as some may preferably call, the “mother guild of Nollywood”. Notwithstanding, like every other professional association of the world, have had rough and stormy phases, one of which is the leadership crisis preceding the Enugu Peace Conference and the decision of the general congress to set up a Government of National Unity.
Emeka Rollas who doesn’t want the guild to fall at the feet of incessant crisis and calamities brought about by power cravings, encouraged members to bring in others so that the guild can continue to grow in numerical strength as the days go by.
‘We shall at once begin to fan the embers of partnerships and affiliations prior created with relevant international bodies even as we also create more. The International Federation of Actors, to which I was able to affiliate the guild while serving as a secretary to Segun Arinze, has had little or no dealings with AGN since 2013. In fact, there is so much to be done. There are so many broken edges to be mended, especially those perpetrated by the roughages of crisis,’ he said.
