The Board of Trustees of TAMPAN and Elders of the Nigerian Motion Picture Industry has issued a statement where it lashed out at Nollywood thespian Iyabo Ojo and Nkechi Blessing over it’s perceived reckless accusations, abuses and embarrassment of the movie sector by the aforementioned actresses.
TAMPAN in a statement issued on Saturday said that the Yoruba movie sector, has been dealt with malicious damages being done to by some unruly individuals that lack any iota of discipline and seeming to feel to be above the law over the alleged rape allegations levelled against Baba Ijesha.
The Yoruba movie body noted that it observed the continuous derogatory statements made by Iyabo Ojo against the Association and the industry as a whole.
It stated further that Iyabo Ojo’s reckless accusations, abuses and embarrassment of the sector is totally condemned.
Read the full text of the statement below;
“Gentlemen of the press, it is our pleasure to welcome you here to this press briefing and we do appreciate your honouring us with your presence.
“There is no doubting the fact that we have always been partners in progress over the years in our journey, not just for personal career development but in our consistent efforts at taking the industry to higher heights.
“Our desire for a better and more disciplined industry, especially in the Yoruba genre of the Nigeria motion picture industry is the major reason we have called you all out today.
“As you may be aware, certain unpleasant things have happened lately that has dragged the name of our association, TAMPAN in particular and the industry in general in the mud, which in totality are against what we stand for as individuals and as a group of professionals.
“The attention of the Board of Trustees of TAMPAN and Elders of the Motion Picture Industry, especially of the Yoruba sector, have been drawn to the malicious damages being done to our sector by some unruly individuals that lack any iota of discipline and seeming to feel to be above the law.
“We particularly observe the continuous derogatory statements made by Iyabo Ojo against the Association and the industry as a whole.
“Please note that we are not against her stand on the issue of alleged rape or sexual assault as the case maybe, which the Association and individuals have equally condemned at one time or the other, as we believe only a person without conscience will support rape or sexual assault in any form. However, Iyabo Ojo’s reckless accusations, abuses and embarrassment of our sector is also totally condemned.
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“As pioneers of this noble industry, if we fold our arms and allow the continuous blackmail that send negative signals across the world to go unchecked, the current situation that had impuned on our integrity will continue to grow to the detriment of humble practitioners, whose only source of livelyhood is the practice of indegineous language movies (promoting Language to preserve culture). This is the very sector that started what we now know as the Nigerian motion picture industry and we are proud of what we have achieved.
“Unfortunately, Nkechi Blessing has also joined in the Ignoble tirades against the Association and by extension, the industry and we say enough is enough!
“As TAMPAN BoT members and elders of the industry in the Yoruba genre, we dare say to both Iyabo Ojo and Nkechi Blessing and others of their likes, that if you people think whatever visibility you have achieved today is not through the Yoruba sector of the Nigerian motion picture industry, you should, at least realise that the industry gave you the enabling environment for whatever you may have become today.
“Without the platform God gave you and many others of your likes through us to climb up the ladder and express your creativity, you may not be this visible today. Though, we keep thanking God for what you have become, because it is a testament to the efficacy of our industry and the platform we all belong to, we nevertheless say enough of this new culture of insults, derogatory comments and name calling!
“When we were building the Industry, we never thought a time like this will come when those we trained will jettison the culture of respect. Our sector in the Nigeria motion picture industry is built on the Yoruba culture of respect and reference for those ahead of you and that has to be strictly adhered to, because that’s who we are.
“It is our desire that everyone continue to pursue their respective programmes without necessarily blackmailing others, as we pray that we will not get into a situation where we are forced to take to Legal means to defend our intergrity.
“And for those who have said or thinking of saying to hell with the Yoruba sector of the Nigeria motion picture industry, please kindly take note that the entire Nollywood is one, even as some of us here are active players across board. An offence against one is an offence against others, as we will get other associations involved in tackling any further infringement on our rules and shared values. None of these infringements will henceforth go without repercussions.
“And for the purpose of clarity, the TAMPAN BoT and elders of the industry, declare the following:
1. That we do not support any form of criminal behaviour in whatever guise and can never be party to them.
2. That we, as an association, have stayed away from making comments on the Lanre Omiyinka (Baba Ijesha) saga because we believe in the rule of law, due process and the ability of the courts of the land to do justice in such a way that it will be deemed to have been done without necessarily been swayed by emotions or influenced by sympathies.
3. That the views expressed by one of us, Olofaina is in no way representative of the opinion or position of the Association, as he spoke in his personal capacity and not on behalf of TAMPAN. We however understand that tempers are bound to rise under certain circumstances, especially with the way he alleged Iyabo Ojo spoke to him on the phone.
4. The association does not condone immorality, neither is it the standard in our industry. If two consenting adults decide to have things in common, it does not mean that it is the standard practice for the Association or our industry. There is no where it is stated as a rule or practice that a female actor must must have sex with their male counterparts or seniors before she can grow in the industry. Those holding such opinion or notion are certainly doing that in error. The most important ingredients for growth are talent, proper training and the ability to stay focused on what you want to achieve.
It has become necessary to state the above due to current insinuations flying about town. We are not immoral neither do we condone or promote such!
5. That we Condem bitterly all malicious utterances from any person, persons, group or groups, blogs etc.
6. That utterances from the likes of Iyabo Ojo, Nkechi Blessing and others are regarded as unfortunate words spoken by people who should know better as they have benefitted immensely from what the Association and industry stands for.
7. That individual characters and attitudes should not be a parameter to measure the performance or ability of the association or even rubbish the association. The association can only lay down rules as to how members and practitioners should comport and conduct themselves in public and if such rules are disregarded, necessary punitive measures would be taken.
8. That we stand firm to say that misconducts of thespians should not be taken to be misconducts of the Association.
9. That we frown at the rush to social media platforms to vent anger against the slightest provocation or perceived provocation by members and practitioners, as it has variously brought the industry and our great Association into public ridicule. We say enough of using the social media to fight each other, as the Association has mechanisms for dispute settlement without partisanship of any kind. This practice will not be tolerated henceforth.
“We however pledge that as an association, we shall continue to push the frontiers of our industry to the enviable height we are determined to attain and nothing, not even the distractions of a few delinquents shall make us lose focus. We have put several measures in place that will sanitise our practice, instill discipline and make the industry more friendly and profiting to all practitioners.
“We are using this opportunity to call on all members and practitioners to ignore the misdemeanors of a few in our midst and keep their heads high as we daily move towards our goal. We hereby pledge that, as leaders, we shall do everything within our powers to ensure every member and practitioner is protected from undue molestation and unjust criminal blackmail,” the statement added.
