Ernest Obi, a renowned figure in Nollywood, led a candlelight procession held at the National Stadium in Lagos to honor the memory of his late colleague, Junior Pope, and five other crew members who tragically lost their lives at the Anam River.
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As the leader of the candlelight procession, Ernest Obi emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety in the filmmaking industry. He urged fellow actors to prioritize their health and adhere to necessary safety measures to prevent accidents and tragedies.
During the procession, Ernest Obi also shed light on the compensation practices within the film industry. He expressed concern over the mistreatment of workers, particularly the underpayment of personal assistants (PAs).
Revealing that some producers only provide PAs with N10,000 for a fifteen-day shift, he highlighted the need for fair compensation and proper treatment of all workers involved in filmmaking.
In his words:
“Take a stand, say No Sir. If you’re a member of the Guild, make a call immediately. Except your guild or president or Chairman is nonfunctional. Tell him that they want you to enter a forest and there are snakes there as you cannot and the Guild should swing into action immediately and not after.
How much are PAs being paid? How can you employ someone to work for you for 10 or 15 days and you pay them N15k. That’s not just a sin but it’s a sin against God”.
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