Yemi Solade: Nollywood now full of yahoo boys, prostitutes

Yemi Solade, a Nollywood actor, says the Nigerian movie industry has now become a cover-up for individuals involved in internet fraud and prostitution.

The veteran film star spoke during a chat with Nigerian Tribune after he was asked if he was pleased with the current trends in the Nollywood industry.

“Nollywood is not there right now. The Nollywood you see is all-encompassing. It’s an uncompleted building that is not guarded and what you meet there would amaze you,” the 60-year-old said.

“It has become an all-comers affair, anybody can stroll in and act. All the Yahoo boy are now there, all the prostitutes that you can imagine are there.

“People can’t even discern between the core professionals and these class of clowns who have infiltrated the association. But they didn’t just fly in, people you call professionals brought them in.

“It’s just so porous that anybody can become an actor, the entry point is so porous and annoying. It’s a profession and it must be handled and treated as one.

“I am not really pleased with the state of the industry. It’s a professional body and we must portray ourselves as one that has mastered the art and craft of the profession.”

The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) had earlier signed an MOU to end the practice of soliciting funds for medical emergencies among its members and independent actors in the film industry.

Commenting on the development, Solade said: “I’m not in any professional body to know what they’re planning. But I’ll tell you, in any professional body, they should, as a matter of fact, have plans for their aged members.

“Little wonder we have some social media influencers raising donations for some actors on social media platforms, for people to help raise funds for them.

“If there were insurance schemes, and plans in place for the aged, or members of the industry, they won’t run to the social media to raise alms for their failing health conditions.

“So I don’t think there is anything like that. There is too much show, and we don’t need that, we send wrong signals to the world, we are giving the world a different impression about us.”