Nigerian celebrities, especially Nollywood actors will be remembered for their active role in this year’s general election – from closed door meetings with president Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, to campaigns via rallies and even on social media.
However, we just found that one of such meetings (with the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan) ended in a rift.
During a meeting with Nollywood practitioners in Enugu last Thursday, the First Lady reportedly gave out a N3million gift to the industry.
Sun Newspaper reports that trouble started after the departure of the First Lady when facilitators of the rally, Patience Ozokwor and Chinyere Wilfred were on stage giving the vote of thanks.
An aide to Dame Jonathan had allegedly dropped a parcel containing N3 million into the hands of one of the actors which he quickly cornered with the connivance of his colleagues. But the cookie crumbled when the aide called Mama G aside and intimated her of the monetary gift and to whom it was handed.
“The real drama started when the actor who collected the parcel was about to zoom out of the venue in his car. Mama G re-enacted her screen roles for real. In her view, the money was meant for all the stakeholders who graced the rally and not only for the Nollywood Apostles. Mama G stood in the way of the car, yelling and asking to be crushed just as she sent someone to call the police. She didn’t mind being called witch, ashawo and all sorts of unprintable names. She blocked the car until the police came and took all the parties to the station,” the source told the national newspaper.
However, Steve Eboh has denied ever being involved in such a show of shame. He told Entertainer:
“I never had anything to do with any money or anything like that. Don’t mind them, my brother. As I speak with you now, I am on my way to see Father Ede in Elele, Rivers State.”
Patience Ozokwor popularly known as Mama G however confirmed the story but she wouldn’t want to elaborate further, until after the elections.
“The police have invited everyone to the station for settlement,” she volunteered.
The Area Commander of police command in Abakpa Nike, Enugu where the case is domicile, says a meeting has been arranged for them to settle the matter amicably.
