Over time, we have often been confronted with this argument on whether there’s sincere and genuine love among members of the Nigeria movie industry, otherwise or popularly known as Nollywood. In as much as we understand that there’s no perfection in every human relationship, but there’s that level of cohesive love needed in every relationship as to qualify to be referred to as being “genuine”.
Meanwhile, we have often seen public display of love for each other, amongst our Nollywood people, especially those in the front of the camera. Such that are witnessed both on movie locations, on social media platforms, events, etc, which often has left many people in pathetic mood of envy and jealousy, as they wished to be in the position of these movie stars. We have seen them say a lot of good things about each other once in awhile, in front of the camera, we have seen them indulge in different physical exhibition of the popular saying, “all work and no play makes jack a dull boy” at different movie locations, such that you are forced to instantly believe that these people live in a perfect circle of friendship, saturated with overflowing love and fondness.
Well, without much rigmarole, a deeper look into the bottom of that surface sparkling water might result in the discovery of harmful and dangerous dirt and substance inside the once acclaimed and certified clean water. In other words, all that glitters are not gold, and that’s an undisputable fact.
Over time, we have witnessed situations and circumstances that has made same people who envy the public display of love among these actors, wonder why these Nollywood people hate each other so much. Yes, we all have been caught up in same or similar thinking, at one point or the other, depending on the prevailing circumstances.
Probably, we may have seen some sick and bedridden member of theirs, with some even approaching the abyss of death with no atom of, or reasonable amount of help from their Nollywood colleagues, flaunting and flashing wealth here and there, doing all sorts of social media giveaways, yet they have not given a Kobo to their sick/dying colleague. Well, that’s how bad it could be at times or most at times. You will see a colleague of theirs going public to beg for money to take care of their failing/ailing health, maybe for something in the region of 1-2 million Naira, while his or her Nollywood colleagues go about flaunting expensive luxury cars, buying the most expensive drinks at different clubs, embarking on different foreign trips/vacation, amongst many other ostentatious and luxury lifestyles they patronize.
Worse as the case maybe, most of them won’t even bother to merely visit their sick colleague(s) at the hospital, talk more of donating money. And once again, the important but bitter question pops up again, “how genuine and sincere is the public display of love among Nollywood people?”. Is this love only meant for the camera and social media discussions/comments?
In as much as every person has the sole right to spend his or her money in a way they so please or desire. But is that what love truly preaches about? How do you feel seeing your friend, neighbor, colleague, etc, wallow in agony of penury while they helplessly watch their lives vanishing gradually because of no money to get good Medical treatment/attention? Someone you can actually contribute to his or her treatment(s), not as though the money is not there, but because you are not affected, bothered or interested. And when the person eventually couldn’t survive it and passes own, how then do you feel at such times?
Unfortunately, these are the people that will be first to post about the death on social media, be among the first group of people to purchase and sew the burial clothes, and rushing to the venue of the burial ceremony in a convoy, taking Instagram photos here and there, while flashing all their teeth up and down. In the end, everything goes and life goes on as well, and the traditional continues, passed on from one generation to the other, in the industry.
Just like a popular saying “salutation is not love” as such, all these public display of love by these our Nollywood people is not love and will never be called love. Yes, because to prove to you that such is not love, how many times have you seen or heard that they have come to the rescue of their sick or downcast colleague(s)? Hardly of course, their own version of love is when it has to do with pleasing the eyes of the public, and not the desires of the public!
This is an industry I have spent years in it, as such, I know a lot of things about this very industry, so this is not a blasphemy or whatever anyone else may chose to call it. True love is deeply rooted in the heart of the benefactor, not that which is stationed publicly just like a signpost, which is what we often obtain from Nollywood most of the times.
These are people who will dine together, but immediately you turn ur back, same people you were dinning and drinking with will turn you into another meal and begin to pounce you mercilessly. These are people whose hearts are often filled with bitterness, envy, jealousy and hatred for the progress and success of their colleague. Bear it in mind that a friend in need is a friend indeed, as such, we can not queue behind the sort of love we get from most of these actors.
A colleague of theirs will be lying critically ill in the hospital, begging for money here and there for treatment, and most of them will turn their faces to the other direction, acting unconcerned about, and unconnected to the plights of colleagues of theirs whom they used to wine and dine together, often as well.
Frankly, what we have in the industry is a chameleon-like lifestyle, and a dangerous and unhealthy competition, were the target is who is the biggest name in the industry. There’s too much backbiting in that very industry and that has continued so for ages, transitioning from one generation in the industry to another.
Just like earlier mentioned, the only time you see them show love to their colleague is when they loose a colleague, then their social media platforms will be filled with condolences, and if the deceased is a big name in the industry then they will equally be at the burial ceremony, to snap pictures for social media consumption as usual.
Photo credit: Google photos
