Mixed reactions have been trialling a video of actress Jaiye Kuti slamming Nollywood veterans for begging for money online.
Jaiye Kuti lamented the trends of Nollywood veterans crying for help online over their deteriorating conditions financially and healthwise. The actress decried the alarming rate at which their cry for help is damaging the image of the Yoruba movie industry.
Recall that veteran Nollywood actors such as Iya Gbonkan, Lalude, and Alapani Osha, among others, have recently taken to social media to publicly seek help to improve their living conditions.
The trend seems not to have sat well with Jaiye Kuti, who took to her verified Instagram page to berate the older colleagues over the development.
Dr. Jaiye Kuti noted that many of them did not plan for their future. Instead, they spent their youthful earnings on shortlived pleasures.
She, however, claimed that she is not against raising funds for health issues, but she is against tarnishing the image of the Yoruba film industry by crying for basic needs.
According to her, the veteran actors only have themselves to blame for their present predicament as a result of careless financial decisions they might have made when they were younger.
She described the act as being embarrassing to her and her colleagues in the Yoruba segment of the industry.
Condemning the trend in an Instagram video, she said, “We have the Yoruba and English sectors, and those in the English sector have members who face hard times but seek help amongst themselves. Our members, on the other hand, have ridiculed us with their need to publicly beg for help, to the point that many now see Yoruba actors as wretched, all because some people did not prepare for their future.”
“All the Yoruba actors coming on Instagram to beg should stop giving us bad names. This job doesn’t have a pension, so when you are young and active, you need to prepare for the future.
“This job is a success for me because I earn big, and I am already preparing for my future. You can’t make it compulsory for your colleague to give you money when you are sick.
“What is the business of TAMPAN with an actor that is sick? Someone has to speak up. When your colleagues were training their children, what were you doing with your money?”
The video generated mixed reviews online as many supported the actress for speaking the truth while others condemned her for speaking such about her senior colleagues.
Sirfetty wrote, “But most of them are not too healthy do you want them to die in silence… People helping them are not complaining.”
Ire Pictures wrote, “I’m a theatre practitioner and I can tell you for a fact that Aunty Jaye spoke the bitter truth… No association is responsible for your well-being.”
glint beauty wrote, “She actually made a lot of sense! Everyone you are looking up to also has responsibilities, and Everyman should be for himself.”
“Some of those old actors lived a reckless life, they were not good to their families even their fans.
Some of them turned themselves to mini gods when they were in their prime while some were actually victims of circumstances.
Well , i hope they all find favour as they make their requests,” Elle banky wrote.
Reacting to the actress’ outburst, another Nollywood actor, Yomi Fabiyi, countered her stance ,saying there is no need for anyone to criticize the veteran actors if they can’t render help to them.
According to him, there is a need to respect the decisions of veteran actors who have dedicated years of their life to the acting profession.
He added that many veteran actors are suffering in silence and should not be criticized if they decide to publicly seek help.
In an Instagram post on his verified account, he wrote, “If anybody needs help and indeed comes public with his or her brand, name, and face only, I don’t see why it should bother anyone. If you cannot find the means to recover all these veterans’ losses via piracy and exploitation by capitalists, then let them breathe. We, new millennium actors, are a little luckier but not better.
“We must learn to respect people’s decisions, choices, and actions. Every man for himself. Comparison is proof of nothing. I prefer these veteran stars to seek charity than go into drug trafficking, fraud, rituals, etc., just to survive their present hardships. Maybe this charity should be in a more packaged means because, truth be told, MANY OLD ACTORS ARE SUFFERING IN SILENCE AND LIKELY TO DIE DISGRACEFULLY IF THEY DON’T SEEK HELP.
“Let it be clear, no matter how uncomfortable and displeased you are with someone’s actions or decisions, if it is not against the law of the land and falls within the rights of the person, it is outright arrogance, a crime, and grandeur of delusion to attempt to rubbish such a person. Caveat!
“Nigeria sef they beg and borrow. I HATE PRETENSE, ARROGANCE, AND FAKE LIVES.”
