Osuofia’s one week in the hands of kidnappers- No laughing matter
Kidnapping in Nigeria started with expatriates working in the Niger Delta region. Today, it is a free for all affair as some miscreant have turned it into a profit making venture. First, famous writer Elechi Amadi was kidnapped at his home. Later it was Pete Edochie, kidnapped on location. Now, Nkem Owoh. The latest kidnapping […]
Kidnapping in Nigeria started with expatriates working in the Niger Delta region. Today, it is a free for all affair as some miscreant have turned it into a profit making venture. First, famous writer Elechi Amadi was kidnapped at his home. Later it was Pete Edochie, kidnapped on location. Now, Nkem Owoh. The latest kidnapping has thrown not only actors but other well meaning Nigerians in a state of fear. This thing is not a laughing matter.
For his humourous acts, Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia tends to be the most popular actor in the film industry in the country. He is also considered to be the highest paid actor in Nollywood, earning about N2 million in every role. His abduction last Monday along Enugu—Port Harcourt road by yet to be identified kidnappers with a ransom tag of N15 million has elicited varied reactions from the public, especially from his colleagues in the industry, just as many at home would be imagining if he will still take his abduction with humour.
For Nollywood actor cum producer, Steve Eboh, “it is sad that these hoodlums are now taking on people who are supposed to be making them happy in the face of depression. It is sad and a sad commentary too on the Nigerian question. If you link it to how our senior artiste, Chief Pete Edochie, was abducted recently, you would know that the people behind these are just people, who are hungry and protesting the bad governance in the nation and what have you. I think government should take a decisive step to improve the life of the people. Before it was militancy, now it is abduction.”
President of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Segun Arinze, said that the guild was working with relevant authorities to “ensure that Owoh re-unites with his family and gets back to the fold.”
He said, “We are all on red alert. My phones are on. I have been calling Enugu almost every five minutes. Our prayer is that nothing happens to him. We are entertainers. We work for every dime we have. So, demanding ransom from us is misplaced.”
Also reacting to the abduction and ransom of N15 million, Prince Jide Kosoko, President, Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, said, “They don’t know we don’t have money, everything we do is make belief. We borrow houses. Like now we are shooting a film in somebody’s house. It is so sad. We are entertainers. They should not drag us into politics. It is only entertainment we give to people to help them out of their problem. Please they should leave us alone.” Kanayo O Kanayo on his part is scared that indigenes of the South East may be frightened of going to their villages. “It is unfortunate that those that bring smiles to homes are being kidnapped. The South East has gradually become an axis of iniquity, to now think that we can be afraid to go home. Maybe they want us to become indigenes of Lagos. Yesterday it was Pete Edochie, today, it is Osuofia. I don’t want to talk about ransom because it endorses criminality. We should de-emphasize ransom.
For famous actress, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, there is no point going to the South East again unless security is guaranteed. “It is terrible. It doesn’t speak well of the country. Everybody knows it is bad. It was militants and now it is kidnapping. I am very disappointed and ashamed. It will affect the industry and I will not go to the east for any work unless there is 24-hour-security. Then I will also have my own security. The east is the hot zone and they are kidnapping their own. I will not go to the east for any job. No money is worth it if you have to give it to kidnappers. The minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili should be tackling this and not re-branding.”
In spite of every thing, Fred Amata hopes that Owoh’s humorous talent will see him through his predicament. “It is a worrisome development that it is this time the federal government has been able to foster some level of peace and stability in the Niger Delta region that an artiste will be the victim of kidnapping. We do not know what it will degenerate to. He understands life and wit his jokes, he will survive. This will keep everybody on his toes.”
Owoh as a leading Nigerian actor has starred in 25 films, most of them comedies. Some of the most popular films in acted are: Ukwa, Long John, Police Recruit, Osuofia in London, Fake Doctor, Captain, American Visa, Police Officer, Bus Driver, Lion Finger, Spanner, Spanner Goes to Jail, among others.