Category: Sunday magazine

GBOYEGA ALAKA takes a look at the recurrent trend of celebrities going public to solicit public help to offset their medical bills, despite years of stardom and supposed wealth.

IT started with radio jockey, Steve ‘The Sleek’ Kadiri of blessed memory. Well, that’s in the not-too-distant past. Steve had been diagnosed with renal failure and needed a kidney donor and some millions for transplant and other treatment. As one of the most popular radio presenters and DJs with Ray Power 100.5 FM radio at the time, Steve was no doubt a celebrity of repute and one who could count on public sentiment and generosity. In no time, the money was raised and with his brother offering one of his kidneys, Steve was flown abroad for the operation. Within months, he was back and doing what he knew how to do best; and the public heaved a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, he had a relapse shortly after and despite the spirited efforts of well-wishers led by Afro-beat singer, Alariwo, Steve died.

Of course, before him, there had been Tina Onwundinwe, then popularly known as ‘African Oyinbo,’ who died from a Breast Cancer affliction out there in South Africa, following a mastectomy operation and chemotherapy. Like Steve, the whole public had had to contribute in their little ways towards Tina’s treatment, and yet she died. While one could argue that Steve and Tina’s cases occurred at a time the industry was still prostrate and there wasn’t really much money, the same could not be said of current moment, as there appears to be some kind of boom. And yet there is so much poverty with more artistes coming to the public domain for financial assistance to fund their health situations.

Elsewhere, and especially in Europe and America, an established musician or movie star with a couple of hits and performances is rest assured of huge monetary rewards, enough to take care of himself and family, both now and in the future. Thus it is not uncommon to read about artistes leaving behind huge sums of money in trust for foundations, since they themselves couldn’t have exhausted the earnings they garnered while alive. It is therefore unheard of that a Michael Jackson, or a Marvin Gaye would have had to go public, begging, cap in hand, for donations to stay alive. One may want to assume also that Nigerian artistes would at least have garnered enough to take care of their current and other exigencies, especially as many of them are always quick to regal you with stories of how they have featured in over 50 films and more. Some, especially in the Yoruba genre, would tell you that they have featured in over 200 films. It is therefore usually a puzzle and seriously demystifying to learn at such critical moments that these so-called artiste celebrities, with all the klieg lights and razzmatazz around them, cannot even fund their own medical treatment.

The big questions therefore remain: Where do all their earnings go? Is it that they are paid so ridiculously low or that they simply are living above their means? Or are they just capitalising on their popularity with government and the public? Or is it that they outrightly lack proper financial management skills?

Other artistes who have had to solicit public help at one time or the other to take care of their medical bills include Juju music star, Yinka Ayefele, who thankfully is still alive though paralysed, following a brush with death courtesy a ghastly motor accident about a decade ago; actor Enebeli Elebuwa, who could not survive the onslaught of stroke and gave up after a protracted battle at an Indian hospital; Ngozi Nwosu, popularly known as Peace of the Fuji House of Commotion, who thankfully is still with us after a long battle with heart and kidney illnesses. Nwosu recently celebrated her 50th birthday to the delight of her fans, family and friends. There is also the case of celebrated music producer, OJB Jezreel, who is recuperating from kidney transplant and treatment. OJB’s case particularly evoked lots of emotion, as doctors pointedly told him he had only 8 weeks to live if N15million was not quickly raised for his treatment. And the latest addition to this list is popular Yoruba actor, Kayode Odumosu, known widely as Pa Kasumu.

The 60-year old veteran actor cum comedian is currently battling Bi-Ventricular Failure (a heart and liver condition) and Parkinson’s Syndrome. He is currently at a stage doctors have described as ‘secondary prevention of repeat stroke’, following an earlier stroke attack. They have also warned that it is a severe ailment that needs to be urgently controlled to prevent it from affecting the kidneys. Reports also say that he will be requiring about N12million for exhaustive treatment.

Interestingly, efforts to get the artistes whose group are directly affected by this issue to comment and share with the public what they think is responsible for what many have regarded as ‘the poverty in Nollywood,’ proved really difficult. Many of them would not touch the issue even with a long pole. A popular Yoruba actor pointedly told this reporter that “that is one area I would not like to touch,” while others simply refused to respond. They’re probably conscious of the fact that it could be anybody’s turn next; or perhaps, of the biblical saying “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

A couple of respondents, however, volunteered that the reason these celebrities go public might not necessarily be because they are so poor, but because they probably ran out of fund, since usually these ailments are terminal and very expensive to treat. “You wouldn’t know for how long they’d been battling these illnesses before they eventually decided to cry out. It could be that they have tried and spent all the money they had in reserve, including close family and friends’ goodwill, before deciding to ask the public for help,” John Adefisoye, who described himself as a movie enthusiast, reasoned. His position was immediately supported by another respondent, Adewale Philip, who described himself as an upcoming actor. “Nobody likes to embarrass themselves by going public and begging for money just because they are sick. Don’t forget that these are public figures and big time celebrities, who would have loved to keep their image intact. But what happens if they have exhausted whatever they had? Do you think anybody wants to die if they can avoid it? Don’t forget that we are all human beings at the end of the day.”

Indeed, Pa Kasumu himself openly declared that he’d been battling the illness since 2008 and was compelled to come to the public domain when he ran out of funds. In his words, “I want all Nigerians to help me out of this unfortunate situation that I find myself. I wouldn’t have bothered anybody with my problem if I was still agile and can move around to do my job, but unfortunately I can’t anymore, as the sickness has weighed me down. I don’t have any money any longer after exhausting all my savings, as well as selling most of my properties.” He added that he’s been undergoing major cardio treatment at LUTH since 2009, including series of tests that come as expensive as N150,000.

Fortunately, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola has again come to his rescue. As was the case with prominent artistes and celebrities like the late Yinka Craig, Enebeli Elebuwa, Ngozi Nwosu and several others, the Lagos State government under Babatunde Raji Fashola has been very concerned about artistes’ welfare and contributed largely to their treatment and rehabilitation, whether at home or abroad.

According to Chief Lari Williams, who incidentally is the first elected president of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, the problem is mainly because of the way things are structured. “The industry is still relatively young and artistes have really not made enough money since Nollywood emerged. We haven’t had any structure in place since the days the late Hubert Ogunde described as ‘age of beggars’ license’, when artistes were treated literally like beggars.”

Asked if a situation such as the one being put in place by the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) can be put in place amongst actors, whereby proceeds would be collected and shared as royalties amongst artistes at the end of the year, Lari Williams says that is unlikely at the moment because the Actors Guild is currently engulfed in in-fighting and is therefore not well-disposed towards such things. “In England, the members of the Equity Union have a rate such that if you do two good jobs, you can survive because the pay is standardised and good, but here we do not have any such organisation and the government and the responsible ministry is not doing anything in that regard.” Williams also condemned the advent of overnight producers whom he says have come to further cheapen the industry and pauperise the artistes.

He also wonders what has become of the huge fund President Goodluck Jonathan purportedly committed to the industry, declaring that he is yet to meet any beneficiary of the fund.

Agubor Kingsley Anosike agrees with Williams that the industry is not organised and that this is largely responsible for the impoverished situation of the artistes. Anosike is one of the young movies producers in Nollywood who have been quietly making their marks. His works include Sweet Killers, featuring Charles Okocha, George Ezenwora; Painful Tears featuring Eucharia Anunobi and Yul Edochie and a soap opera on TV, Sparkle. “As an artiste in Nigeria, you are paid what you will eat at the moment and when you’re not acting, you go hungry because there is nothing like royalty. This is unlike what obtains in the western world, where once you feature in a few hit movies, you have royalties coming into your account.”

Anosike is also of the opinion that the Actors’ Guild should put a structure in place to replicate the development currently unfolding with COSON, whereby royalties would be collected from the numerous cable TV providers and cinemas and at least 10% is committed to artistes’ welfare and paid into their accounts periodically.

He also thinks that the fact that the industry has no fixed rate is a major factor contributing to the unpleasant situation.

Seasoned couturier, Zizi Cardow who has worked overtime with top celebrities and artistes, however, views the whole scenario from a different angle. “I think the problem is that the veterans, whom you’d expect to have made a whole lot of money because they’ve been in it for donkey years, really haven’t made any money, compared to the new ones. For them then, it was more about their passion and it is only recently that the country is going cosmopolitan and opening their eyes to the fact that they can make a living out of the industry.” Zizi also says that things like endorsements and branding were never available to the old generation artistes like the late Enebeli Elebuwa, and that might be responsible for their going public to seek assistance when their health failed.

Olaseni Ayinde, a Lagos banker, however, believes the solution to the situation lies more in seeking expert financial assistance once you begin to make money in such industries. According to him, since most of the artistes are not so educated, the tendency is for them to fritter their earnings on things that are not really priority. “I think they should copy people like Nwankwo Kanu and JJ Okocha, who have invested their money in hospitality business and real estate. That way, they can always fall back on these solid wealth to take care of themselves when the need arises. I understand that people like Genevieve Nnaji have been buying houses in Ikoyi and Lekki. I commend her because that is the way to go. With properties in places like that, she only has to sell or lease just one of them to finance whatever treatment she needs, rather than go public, demystifying herself.”

Ayinde also says there are many banks and finance houses that will readily offer free advice to such artistes if they as much as indicate their interest. He concluded that there is no reason top artistes with decades of experience in the industry should go public begging for fund, arguing that it doesn’t happen in other climes.