Falana, Others Seek Sustainable Support For Struggling Entertainers

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, SAN, and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s entertainment industry have called for the establishment of a sustainable support system that would protect entertainers from financial hardship and reduce their dependence on public appeals during medical emergencies and other crises.

The call was made in Lagos at the unveiling of the Society for Advancement of Entertainment and Trust, an initiative aimed at improving the welfare, healthcare, insurance coverage and long-term financial security of Nigerian entertainers and other creatives.

The initiative is being spearheaded by Groove Tyme Entertainment in partnership with Meristem Wealth Management Limited, Leadway Health HMO and other partners.

The founder of Groove Tyme Entertainment, Victory Okelezo popularly known as Kupa Victory at the event, said the initiative was conceived against the backdrop of rising cases of illness, financial distress and sudden deaths among entertainers.

He added that while many creatives enjoy being in the public eye and seem successful, they are financially vulnerable and often do not have a support structure to fall back on when faced with serious health or financial challenges.

Okelezo said the trust was meant to provide a sustainable safety net for entertainers and reduce situations where prominent actors, musicians and other creatives are forced to seek public assistance whenever they encounter medical emergencies.

Falana said the initiative was timely and that entertainers who have contributed immensely to the cultural, social and economic development of Nigeria should not end their careers by becoming dependent on public charity.

He also advocated for greater awareness and access to insurance among entertainers, saying the National Health Insurance Authority Act provides a framework for health insurance coverage for Nigerians and residents.

The legal expert called on actors in the creative industry to leverage on existing legal and institutional frameworks to establish better welfare structures that will protect artists within and after their active years.

Also commenting, a representative of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Fidelis Ducker, stated that the proposed trust would help creatives to avoid the humiliating situation of having to “go cap in hand” to politicians and the rich when they face serious challenges.

A properly structured trust, Ducker said, could mobilize resources to offer emergency medical support for a creative, including treatment anywhere in the world, without making the individual dependent on politicians, government officials or private benefactors.

“It is an investment in the future of Nigeria’s creative industry,” he said, adding the support of the Directors Guild of Nigeria and the bigger movie industry.

Veteran actress and one of the announced trustees, Patience Ozokwo, known as Mama G, shared a personal insight into the financial realities many entertainers face behind their glamourous public image.

Many entertainers are presumed to be rich due to the expensive cars, clothes and houses that go with their public appearances, although many struggle financially out of the spotlight, she said.

Ozokwo said actors usually live from one production to the other and may have no stable income when roles are not forthcoming or they stop acting.

She said the lack of a good royalty system was one of the big reasons entertainers were left broke later in life.

The actress lamented that actors could appear in old films that continue to generate money for producers and distributors without getting any financial benefits from the continued commercial exploitation of their works.

She thus advocated for a strong royalty system to ensure that actors and other creatives continue to earn whenever their creative works make money.

Ozokwo argued that “such a system would provide entertainers with a steady income beyond their active years and make them less vulnerable to financial difficulty.”

She added that entertainers, once they start earning, often take on responsibility for members of their extended families, which makes it hard for many of them to save enough for retirement or unexpected emergencies.

Read Also: Egypt Prepares To Host Chinese President For Official Visit

Ozokwo welcomed the new initiative as a much-needed safety net but was optimistic that Falana and other stakeholders would help build stronger institutional structures to protect the rights, welfare and financial interests of entertainers.

The initiative is supported by Leadway Assurance, while Electrified Engineering and Move Media Africa are among other partners.

Also at the unveiling were other dignitaries like actor Sani Danja and Bayo Adegbe who were also announced as trustees.

The initiative, held under the theme, “Life After the Art,” aims to give Nigerian creatives better access to healthcare, insurance, financial protection and institutional support, while they are still active in the industry and after they have left the entertainment industry.

The organizers said the ultimate aim is to move entertainers’ welfare away from ad hoc public appeals and toward a structured, sustainable system where creatives can enjoy dignity, security and financial protection throughout their lives.