Veteran Nollywood actor, Chief Amechi Mounagor is reportedly down with stroke and equally paralyzed, and this is coming in the face of a similar case involving another Senior Nollywood actor, John Okafor popularly known as Mr. Ibu, whose leg faces amputation due to critical case of diabetes.
I Have been reading lots of comments regards the unending wave of heartbreaking conditions of some of these Nollywood actors, especially as they often go public to beg for financial support to enable them seek urgent and proper medical attention. Some people attacked the other well doing actors, accusing them of not caring enough, but that they will always go on social media flaunting luxuries, cars, foreign trips, etc. Well, this is more than what you may have known or perceived.
ThIs is a two way problem; lack of proper planning and lack of proper healthcare arrangements within the industry. I have said this many times, most of these actors fail to plan ahead, plan for the time things may start getting ugly for them. Truth remains that nobody has it all, but one can actually do something that will help his or her life tomorrow, without much dependence on others. Most of them live for the moment, not interested in planning for tomorrow, which is very sad!
On the other hand, the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, AGN, have failed over the years to streamline a proper healthcare arrangements for its members, such that they can benefit from the numerous available healthcare packages available in the world of today, which will prevent their members always running to the public for help often.
For instance, can’t they create a healthcare trust fund, using their influence across the world to attract financiers, donors, and partners? So that once a member who’s an active member of their healthcare arrangements will quickly benefit from it once he or she is down with any serious ailment. Why must the industry continue to pass through same route year after year, with no foreseeable way out of this health menace.
Equally, members of Nollywood, especially those who are doing well in the industry should stop running over individualistic race, such that they do not need the helping hands of their colleagues. Yes, because this is one of the major problem facing that industry, they are not really united, forget about what you see on TV or during social events, there’s so much bickering amongst these actors.
They should learn to forge a common front, to enable them plan well, pursue these goals together and to a satisfactory conclusion. Because without that, achieving any meaningful healthcare arrangements will be too difficult, no matter how much efforts is put in.
Come together, plan well for the future especially for the sake of establishing this healthcare trust fund for the industry, it will definitely go a very long way in solving this very problem. We wish all the sick actors quick recovery, and also urging everyone to do their best in assisting financially.
(photo credit: Facebook)
