The president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, has reacted to the death of two unidentified Nollywood actors who were poisoned on a movie set in Owerri, the state capital.
Nollywood actor Stanley OnTop, in a post via his Instagram page on Friday, revealed that four actors were rushed to the Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri, and two were pronounced dead on arrival.
He said the two deceased persons and other crew members ate rice and drank wine provided by the unnamed movie director after shooting a movie.
Reacting, the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) shared an update on Instagram on Sunday, stating that the actors in question were not members of the Guild. He expressed concern over the increasing number of unlicensed filmmakers in the country.
He also urged all actors and actresses to get ready for the annual prayer gatherings aimed at preventing deaths in the industry.
He wrote: “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 outingwith @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.”
