We Can’t Continue Like This, Dead Actors Not Our Members- AGN President

THE President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, has disclosed that the two Nollywood actors who were poisoned on a movie set in Owerri, the state capital, were not members of the Guild.
Recall that Nollywood actor, Stanley OnTop, in an Instagram posy on Friday, April 18, disclosed that four actors were rushed to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, and two of them pronounced dead on arrival.
The two deceased and other crew members were reported to have eaten cooked rice and drank wine provided by an unnamed movie director after shooting a movie.
The Imo State Police Command has confirmed the deaths, with its spokesman, Henry Okoye, saying in a statement that investigations had begun to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Okoye, while confirming the incident, said: “The Command is aware of the unfortunate case of unnatural death. I can confirm that two people were pronounced dead, while two others were hospitalised.
“The Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has directed a pathologist to conduct tests on the two deceased persons to ascertain the cause of death.
“The results will determine the next line of action in the matter.”
In his reaction on Instagram on Sunday, April 20, Rollas disclosed that the dead actors were not members of the Guild, expressing concern over the increasing number of unlicenced filmmakers in the country.
He also urged all actors and actresses to get ready for the yearly prayer gatherings aimed at preventing deaths in the industry.
“So sad some actors who are not members of Actors Guild just lost their lives while filming in Owerri. We have repeatedly warned that Actors must join the Guild to practice in Nollywood…
“Barely a week after the memorial service of our member late JNR Pope, tragedy struck in Owerri, involving two promising young actors.
“They are not members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, but this points to two things:
“1. The devil still wants this pattern of mass death repeated on an annual basis. If not for God, the death toll in Owerri could have been four persons. Exactly the same number last year in Asaba.
“Please let all Actors and indeed Nollywood prepare for this year’s prayer outing with @realjerryeze @streamsofjoyabuja.
“2. We cannot continue like this. Everywhere in the country, people just wake up and equip themselves with cameras and they have become Nollywood
“This is a bad trend. These people camp themselves in an unhealthy, unverified environment making content. Content creators have to be licensed.”