Nollywood actress, Georgina Onuoha, has suggested the need for her colleagues and all Nigerians to speak up on issues at all time and not waiting till they got favours, deals or gigs from politicians.
The actress said this after renowned movie
producer, Dickson Iroegbu yesterday, in an open letter, pleaded with former
president, Goodluck Jonathan for forgiveness, for his involvement in condemning
his government.
Onuoha lauded Iroegbu, noting that it takes a
noble man with guts to accept his mistakes and publicly acknowledge them.
She added that until we (Nigerians) begin to
hold our elected officials accountable; we will continue to languish in abject
poverty while our elected representatives that are supposed to serve us lavish
our inheritance.
“I have tremendous respect for you Mr
Dickson,” the actress noted.
It would be recalled that Iroegbu on his
Facebook page on Thursday, said he regretted fighting against the former
president.
He narrated how he and some of his colleagues
‘ganged up’ against Jonathan.
He wrote: “Dear Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, I
write to apologize on behalf of myself and the many repentant Nigerians like me
who ganged up against your government in 2012.”
The movie director categorically stated that
he was a fool to have fought against, condemned Jonathan.
Supporting his guts and show of remorse, the
mother of two on her Instagram account @georginaonuoha, backed Iroegbu. She
shared a photo which compared the past government, People’s Democratic Party,
PDP, and the present, All Progressives Congress, APC.
She wrote, “My colleague’s confession
@Dickson!
“When I say learn to speak truth to power.
Don’t be in bed with politicians (that is as a public figure, an icon people
look up to, you have to learn to stay away from any political entity that
impairs your judgement or the ability to speak truth to power. You cannot serve
God and man at the same time.
“It takes a noble man with guts to accept his
mistakes and publicly acknowledge them. I have tremendous respect for you Mr
Dickson. We actors should be a pillar of hope for our people. Fight corruption
wherever it exist. We can only do that by staying away from people who buy our
voices for few crumbs of bread while our generation yet unborn suffer the
consequences of our actions.
“My take: I applaud my colleague for his open
confession. I believe change is hard, change is difficult, it takes time, and
sacrifices have to be made. But what I abhor is suppression, intimidation and
witch hunt of those who disagree with you or how you are running the affairs of
a nation.
“Every Nigerian past and present government has
been marked with corruption because we the people are too gullible and blind to
read in between the fine lines. We are blinded by religion, tribe, region and
language. We don’t see the better angels in us. Until we begin to hold our
elected officials accountable; we will continue to languish in abject poverty
while our elected representatives that are supposed to serve us lavish our
inheritance.
“If we have to fight corruption according to
our former president (olusegun obasanjo) on his Inauguration Day speech in May
1999 which states “There will be no sacred cows” then we must probe every
ex-presidents, governors, Senators and honorables, local government chairmen
who have caused untold hardship on mere Nigerians.
“We can do better as a nation to begin to look
beyond being Hausa, Igbo or Youruba. We must elect the best man for the job
regardless of what faith they profess. And to my honorable colleagues, we have
the greatest platform on earth the power of media and television.
“Let us begin to use it to alleviate the lives
of our people. We should begin to learn how to speak truth to power. You can
only do that when you avoid parading yourselves for politicians who make empty
promises to our people. We should be the voice for the voiceless.
“Not the numbers of Range Rovers, First class
tickets, etc we all parade on social media, meanwhile our brothers and sisters
are suffering, our uncles and aunties are dying. Schools are on strike, doctors
on strike, high inflation, no electricity. We might enjoy the leisures of today
but our next generation will suffer our indiscretions.
“Fight a good fight Speak for the people Speak
truth to power. Don’t sell your pride, dignity and voice for stipends. God
bless Nigeria God bless Nollywood,” the actress added.
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