The Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria, and the Elders of Nigerian Motion Picture Industry have warned Nollywood actresses, Iyabo Ojo and Nkechi Blessing, over their recent outbursts during the trail of actor Olanrewaju Omiyinka better known as Baba Ijesha.
The association during a press briefing on Saturday said it would not tolerate any reckless accusations, abuses and embarrassment against the association and the movie industry.
This is coming after the association suspended Blessing and another actor, Kehinde Adams, aka Lege, for fighting dirty on social media over the arrest of their colleague, Baba Ijesha, who was accused of sexually assaulting a minor.
Iyabo Ojo had also insulted some actors for keeping mute about the case.
Speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees, veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, said, “The attention of the Board of Trustees of TAMPPAN and Elders of the Motion Picture Industry has been drawn to the malicious damages being done to our sector by some unruly individuals that lack any iota of discipline and who feel they are above the law.
“We particularly observe the continuous derogatory statements made by Iyabo Ojo against the association and the industry as a whole.
“As pioneers of this noble industry, if we fold our arms and allow the continuous blackmail that send negative signals across the world to go unchecked, the current situation that has impugned on our integrity will continue to grow to the detriment of humble practitioners, whose only source of livelihood is the practice of indigenous language movies (promoting language to preserve culture).
“Unfortunately, Nkechi Blessing has also joined in the ignoble tirades against the association and by extension, the industry, and we say enough is enough.
“As TAMPPAN BOT members and elders of the industry in the Yoruba genre, we daresay to Ojo, Blessing and others like them, that if they think whatever visibility they have achieved today is not through the Yoruba sector of the Nigerian motion picture industry, they should, at least, realise that the industry gave them the enabling environment for whatever they may have become today.
“An offence against one is an offence against others, and we will get other associations involved in tackling any further infringement on our rules and shared values. None of these infringements will henceforth go without repercussions.”
