Nollywood
actress of many years in Nigeria, Foluke Darmola Salako, has revealed
in a no holds bare interview with the National Mandate newspaper on why
she wants to float a social welfare intervention scheme to help
intervene in the harsh situations some of the aged and generational
Nollywwod actors are passing through at the moment in their private
lives in today's Nigeria.
According
to the delectable theatre practitioner, she said she was close to some
of these actors and she is aware of the hard times they are going
through at the moment, which needs the urgent intervention of all well
meaning Nigerians to help put smiles on their faces again.
"Some
of these actors have put in so much over the many years in the growth,
progress and development of the entertainment and Nollywood industry in
Nigeria, and so, they do not deserve to be neglected, forgotten or left
alone to continue to wriggle in economic hardship and pains just like
that in a country they have done so much to act as veterans to
contribute to the growth of the theatre and entertainment industry
agelongly in the country.
I
am very close to many of them and I am always sad, when I see them look
abandoned in their pitiable situations or when I receive calls
consistently from some of them, telling me the ugly stories of what they
have been passing through in their health and economic challenges.
Some
of these evergreen veterans even call me on phone most times to ask me
to assist them with money, which under normal circumstances they should
be able to afford to attend to their situations.
So,
I thought about it and I decided to help build a platform in the form
of a pension scheme to help them have access to monthly stipends through
my NGO to intervene in their situations.
I
am also in the industry and I could be one of these helpless aged
veterans tomorrow. So, I am taking it upon myself to use the platform of
my NGO to help build mutual trust funds to alleviate their sufferings
and intervene in their failing health situations.
We are in a make belief industry, where people think because we are celebrities, all is well with us.
Those who are okay among us are okay, and those who are not, are not.
We all live in a country, where hardship hits many people so hard and Nollywood celebrities in Nigeria are not excluded.
That
we are hardship free is not the picture. We may be popular on screen,
but that does not mean we do not have critical needs we are also
battling with in our private lives that need the humanitarian attention
of all well meaning Nigerians and our fans across the globe as humans.
I
have come up with this initiative to sensitize the world about this
fact and reality, and to draw the attention of Nigerians to the fact
that we also could be vulnerable needies, who deserve the kind gestures
of humanitarian Nigerians.
Over
the years, we come on social platforms to beg for the financial
interventions of Nigerians, when some of us have critical health and
economic challenges. But, for how long can we continue to constitute
social nuisance in this regard?! For how long will this continue?! This
is a situation that is demeaning in itself.
Actor
Mr. 'A' is sick, please come and help with money to pay his medical
bills have been the order of the day in our industry. But, with this
initiative I am under taking for the economically vulnerable, aged and
forgotten ones in our midst, I am optimistic that it would go a long way
to arresting, alleviating and reducing the ugly situation.
It
is an initiative to consistently raise funds into a mutual benefit
assurance pool and will be run in collaboration as well as in
partnership with credible insurance and pension organisations.
We
are already in progressive talks with IBTC pension managers; Crusader
pensions; ECO Bank and co. for partnership and collaboration operations.
They
will be involved in the running of the scheme, and on the long run,
will always be there to help take care of the health situations of these
veterans and also assist to provide money for them to survive optimally
on monthly basis.
We
will thereafter use part of the money we are able to build to invest in
the production of TV series and a recreation cum production house that
could always help to bring them back to active social and productive
acting lives again.
I,
therefore, call on all Nigerians of humanitarian nature and kind hearts
to support and help to build capital funds for the successful running
of this initiative.
This
is about what we are trying to do. It is purely a not for profit
humanitarian project. I am only passionate about helping these aged ones
among us in the industry to live healthily, productively and happily
again."
Mrs.
Foluke Daramola Salako has, however, announced the hosting of a gala
event, which will see to the bringing of these actors together for
celebration, honour and formal launch of this initiative to kick start
in earnest.
The
event, which will host many prominent and kind hearted Nigerians has
been slated to hold on Friday, November 29, 2019 at the prestigious
Anchor event centre in the heart of Ikeja in Lagos.
On
the list of those expected to grace the occasion are Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu; his wife, the distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu; the governor
of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide SanwoOlu; the speaker of the Lagos house
of assembly, Honourable Mudashiru Obasa; the wives of all the governors
in the South West; Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye
Ogunwusi; Iya Aladura Esther Ajayi; Taiwo Afolabi, Sifax boss; Chief
(Mrs.) Remi Adiukwu Bakare and many others across Nigeria on the list.
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