We often hear of stories that both young and
established female actresses have been
sexually harassed by their colleagues, but
most of them choose not to speak on the
issue.
There is sexual harassment everywhere not
just in Nollywood. Upcoming actresses often
complain of being sexually harassed by
producers in Nollywood while some others
deny the existence of such in the industry.
There is a new twist to the issue of sexual
harassment in Nollywood as some have
alleged that actresses also harass and
sometimes blackmail Nollywood producers.
How true is the issue of sexual harassment in
Nollywood? Is sexual harassment in
Nollywood a myth or reality? Nigerian movie
practitioners speak out in various interviews
they granted to the media at different times.
.There's Sexual Harassment
Everywhere- TONTO DIKEH, Star Actress
*I learnt all the actors in nollywood has been
harassing you sexually?
Laugh loud. That's such a big lie. Everybody
wants something good,it's not bad but I don't
think that is going to happen"
*Sexual harassment and the industry go hand
in hand, what's your opinion?
Sexual harassment and human beings go
hand in hand, sexual harassment and movie
industry go hand in hand,and sexual
harassment and music industry go hand in
hand,sexual harassment and dance industry
go hand in hand,sexual harassment and
government industry go hand in hand. It's
everywhere my brother. It's everywhere. Let's
not be quick to judge the movie industry that
sex and the movie industry go hand in hand.
It's everywhere, among the rich, the average,
and the drivers."
No Actress In Nollywood Who Has Not
Been Intimately Harassed — CYNTHIA
AGHOLOR, Actress
*What is that thing you believe attracts the
opposite sex to you?
My eyes, my bosoms and my lips. And some
men say they love my dimples too.
*Have those things caused you producers or
directors to harass you sexually before?
There is no actress in Nollywood that will say
or tell me that she has never been sexually
harassed, especially say around 2005.
Although, the situation may be slightly
different now, then they would put it to you
that they wanted to give you a role but they
would have to sleep with you.
*Are you talking from experience?
Yes, a popular producer once tried it with me.
I blasted him and walked away.
*Who mighty that be?
You don't expect me to tell now, do you?
You Just Can't Go Through The Industry
Without Being Sexually Harassed-
COLLETTE ORJI, Top Actress
*There's always this issue of sexual
harassment in the industry. Have you ever
encountered such?
" think the answer to that is yes. If somebody
tells you they have never faced sexual
harassment in the industry, it is either they
are lying or they don't want to open up to the
press because you guys may blow it out of
proportion. You just can't go through the
industry without being sexually harassed.
Nobody really comes to you to harass you but
there are things you would realise you are not
getting because you are not willing to play
some balls. Like me, nobody pushed me
around but you know this thing would be like
this if you do like that. So, if you are like, I
don't want to do like this, take it and go or
you are like, lets do it and see how it goes.'
Female Directors Intimately Harass
Actors- KATE HENSHAW, Star Actress
Kate talked to Vanguard about this in 2008
interview:
What is your opinion about sexual
harassment does it really exist in Nollywood
"Yes it's real.
Have you ever been sexually harassed?
"Never, I have never been sexually harassed. I
was not harassed for my first job and it's not
now that anybody will come and tell me
anything of sort.But the practice is real and it
cuts across borders. Let's be fair to the men
as well. I've been on location some times
where I see the girls troop and dress in a way
that could tempt even the devil.The situation
is such that they are ready to do anything to
get roles. And of course the man has to be
somebody that has heart of stone or is dead
down the region to be able to resist these set
of actresses. I've witnessed a situation where
a female producer totally embarrassed and
harassed a male actor. I will not mention
names, that was years ago when I was
starting out.
You mean she was out rightly asking for sex?
Yes, she did and this was years ago. I was on
set at that time. If you are a self respectable
woman, you know you have confidence in
yourself and you know that this is what you
came for, a job, just pray to God and believe
you don't have to sell your body."
Yes, There's Sexual Harassment In
Nollywood- RITA DOMINIC, Top Actress
Rita stated this in an interview in 2007:
*Has sex for roles in Nollywood ever
happened to you?
"I have never had such passes but I know it is
there. I know such things do occur. But the
truth of the matter is whoever demands for
that before giving you a role, you have to ask
yourself 'do I have the talent? If you don't
have the talent and you have sex from now
till tomorrow, you are just wasting your time
because they won't give you a job. Yes.
Sexual harassment does happen and I think it
is there because I have heard one or two
complaints from girls. But another thing is
that you can't really come out and criticize
them because they are adults."
Yes! Sexual Harassment Very Much
Exists In Nollywood- MERCY JOHNSON,
Star Actress
When asked if she has been a victim of sexual
harassment, the Kogi State-born said:
"yes! Such had come my way, but if you sleep
around for roles, will you also sleep around to
make your fans love your work? You only
choose what you want. It only takes God to be
successful in this industry."It's a matter of
choice if the ladies are approached with such.
If you feel that your body is cheap and worth
the script, then go ahead, but it is an
individual thing. If any lady tells you in
Nollywood it hasn't happened to her, it is a
cheap lie. Most people are scared of telling
the truth, but the truth makes upcoming ones
to watch their steps without making
mistakes."
There's Nothing Like Sexual Harassment
In Nollywood- ADOKIYE KYRIAN, Actress/
Singer
*How would you cope with sexual harassment
in the movie industry?
There is nothing like sexual harassment.
Don't let anygirl deceive you. No director,
marketer, Producer or film maker would
harass anybody sexually. Those girls saying it
do so to get noticed by the directors,
producers, marketers and the rest of
them.And some of them are not even good
artists. The only way they thought they could
get movie roles is to offer their body. When
they get disappointed on account of their own
inabilities to put up good performances at
auditions, they come out crying that so and
so have sexually harassed them. It is the
order of the day among some wannabe
actresses.But those that are good at what
they do get work and would not come out to
tell you they have been sexually harassed.
Although there is harassment everywhere, be
it in Nollywood, in the offices, even in the
music industry. It is the same story
everywhere but it hardly what youwould call
sexual harassment. When two people fancy
each other and decide to go for each other, I
don't think that qualifies as sexual
harassment. In fact, I think some girls are the
ones harassing the film-makers sexually
because they offer themselves to these
people because of their lack of talent. If you
ask me,I think a lot of girls should be
educated on this issue of sexual harassment
in Nollywood."
Actresses Sexually Harass Producers-
MERCY MACJOE, FAST RISING ACTRESS
Hear her: "To be sincere with you, I don't
know why some girls go around saying this.
Presently it is even the girls that go out of
their ways to harass the producers. The girls
go to them and ask for roles witha promise
that they are ready to give the producers
ordirectors whatever they want. Most of these
girls have nothing to offer, talent wise, and
they harass the producers. In fact their slangs
to them now is 'bed or bank', meaning they
would either send money to the producer's
bank account or go to bed with him".
Only Bad Actors Allege Sexual
Harassment- CHICO EJIRO, Star Producer
Do producers and directors demand to
sleepwith upcoming actresses beforethey can
get the opportunity to act?
"I don't know why the media is always talking
about this. Let me tell you the truth, sexual
harassment is everywhere. In journalism,
some people who do not know the job have
been promoted on thegrounds of their
relationship withtheir bosses. In the banks,
they also do that. Pinning it on the
entertainment scene is what I find amusing.
Once, the National Assembly even made a
case about banks using their girls to make
money.Is it fair that it exists?I can only tell
you that when actresses cannot perform, they
hinge their non-performance on sexual
harassment. A Genevieve Nnaji or Rita
Dominic will not tell you of this. I always tell
upcoming actresses to make sure they have
the talent. Once you are good and can deliver,
only a mad producer would drop you."
Producers Harass & Mess Up Desperate
Actresses- CHIAMAKA NWOKEUKWU,
Fast Rising Actress
In her words:
Actresses" go through lots of challenges.
Like,producers wouldwant to go out with you
before giving you a role. Sometimes,you
might not even get it after they must have
messed you up. But they often do that to girls
that are desperate to act.
".Producers know when an actress
desperately wants to act and they always
take advantage of that. I didn't go through
such challenges because I wasn't desperate. I
started getting roles through auditions and
any role I get, I try my best to doit well so it
would speak for me. After some time, I
stopped auditions, from the job I have done
they call me for more jobs."
Sexual Harassment Drove Me Out Of
Nollywood- MARY URANTA, Actress
"At a point, sex became a condition for
getting movie roles so I just took a walk.
There were times when I missed getting roles
because I wouldn't succumb to pressure so I
left and did other things including studying at
the London School of Arts. But the
passionwas so strong I knew I just had to
return so, I took time to look for professionals;
people who would be interested in my talent
and not taking me to bed," she recalled.
However, the United Nation's Peace
Ambassador declares that sexual harassment
is not a big deal today because it is a thing of
choice. Hear her:
"It's a natural thing in the industry;men will
always chase women so I don't think it's
peculiar to Nollywood. It's the same thing
everywhere you go. I think those in the banks
and other sectors also get harassed. So, it's
not what I love to discuss.
Definitely, harassment will come but it's a
thing of choice. Movie or no movie, a producer
can see you and get attracted to you. Same
thing goes for an actor or marketer, so for me,
it's not a story to talk about."
Nollywood Actresses Sexually Harass &
Blackmail Producers For Roles- KEN
OKAFOR, Producer
There has been reports by some Nollywood
actresses claiming movie producers sexualy
harass them, demand to sleep with them
before they can get roles in their movies.
However a producer, Ken Okafor has spoken
out to say the reverse is the case.
According to him,
"When I was shooting my first movie,
Dangerous Licence, I got a call from an
actress asking me where I was. I told her I
was in my hotel room. She said she really
wanted to see me but I told her we would see
on set the next morning as it was late at
night. She insisted that it was an emergency
and pleaded with me togive her the address
of my hotel. Reluctantly, I gave her the
address. I met her at the bar and she was
seductively dressed. She said she needed to
be in the movie and came to do her own
audition in my room. She said she would have
MouthAction with me and make my night. I
felt pity for her and asked why she was doing
this and she said it was the way to rise in the
industry. Out of pity, I cast her in my movie
and urged her not to let sex become the key
to her career. It was quite an awkward
moment for me."
On actresses blackmailing producers in order
to get roles."It is natural and human for a
producer to find an actress attractive and ask
her out for a date. What I see as sexual
assault is when you are forced to accept such.
Producers are constantly sexually harassed
by actresses but we are always quiet about it.
However, I am not denying it's true existence,
it happens," he said.
Sexual Harassment Does Not Exist In
Nollywood As Been Painted- NKEM IKE,
Fast Rising Actress
Nkem Ike said: "If a producer asks you out, it
is your right to walk out on him. It is not as if
a gun is pointed to your head. For me, I have
not been in such a situation before. But
maybe it has to dowith the way I started.
Andy Amaechi found me and gave me my
first role and it continued from there. Most of
the times I played major roles, so maybe that
is why I didn't experience such. I used to say
that I have never seen a man or woman who
said they used gun to harass him or her in the
industry."
"I have never experienced harassment either.
if someone asks you out you simply decline
and go your way. Those who think the easiest
way toget roles and become a star is trading
their bodies should realise that it dies not
work in that way, Marketers are out for
business and naturally feature those who
have market value and help them recoup
their value afterwards. Nobody has
complained that he or she was harassed at
gunpoint. Sexual harassment does not exist
in Nollywood the way it is usually painted,".
Many Ladies in Nollywood Actually Want
to Be Sexually Harassed- PEBOH ICE,
Fast Rising Actress
Sexual harassment in the industry…
Personally, I haven't been sexually harassed.
And first of all, I don't believe in sexual
harassment. There is nothing like harassment
when a lady is properly dressed. But when
you expose half of your bosoms and your
panties are all out, you will get what is due to
you. You will be surprised to know how many
ladies actually want to be harassed in
exchange for fame. Dress the way you want
to be addressed."
There's Sexual Harassment In
Nollywood- BANKE ADEWUNMI,
Upcoming Actress
"There's sexual harassment in the Industry.
It's not easy making it without being sexually
harassed. Some people think its like trade by
barter. It's real. There should bea level
playing ground for all without attaching any
dirty conditions. People should be allowed to
showcase their God-given talents without any
hindrance" She said.
Sexual Harassment Is Not Peculiar To
The Movie Industry- OMA IYASARA,
Upcoming Actress
Some actresses claim they were sexually
harassed by directors and producers, are you
one of them?
Sexual harassment is everywhere, it is not
peculiar to the movie industry. So far, I will
say I have been lucky not to go through such
anyway. It is how you place yourself that you
will be addressed."
I Have Been Sexually Harrassed-
HALIMAH ABUBAKAR, Star Actress
When asked if she has been sexually
harassed since she started acting, Halima
who describes herself as a "simple girl next
door" says
"Won't I be lying if I say nobody has harassed
me? I'm a lady. It's totally untrue when
people say they've never been harassed."
On how she has been able go through it–
"It might come in the form of "toasting". I
wasn't"blocked" now. While some will just
tell you to your face. As a woman you have to
respect yourself and set boundaries
regardless of what people think. Some people
think that sleeping with someone will give
them what they're looking for, but it doesn't.
That's the way I see life. You are not supposed
to do anything (engage in a sexual
relationship) So what I do is, I look at the
person's face and tell him this is wrong,
because I'm sure that aside from me, he will
harass another person. The only easy way is
to disgrace the person so that he will be shy
to do that to the next person."
Actresses Seduce & Harrass Nollywood
Producers- DOZIE EBOH, Producer
Some artistes say that before some producers
give roles to female actresses, they ask for
sex. What do you have to say to this?
" have not done that before. If any girl says
film producers ask her to sleep with them, let
the girl name the producer or producers.
People should remember that producers are
human beings. Is it possible for a producer to
sleep with every girl that acts on his set?
When you watch a film you see over 20 girls.
Can one producer sleep with them all? Every
industry has its good people and bad people.
Posted By David Aniemeka
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