Cyriacus Nnaji
Movie Star and Co-founder of Nollywood, Kanayo O. Kanayo, has joined well-meaning Nigerians including the President and Chief Executive Officer of Adem Industrial and Commercial Complex, Hon (Chief) Modestus Umenzekwe in the call for Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC).
The duo made the call when the Nollywood Maestro and his team paid a courtesy visit to the business mogul in his office in Lagos on Friday, January 27, 2023.
Kanayo was at the complex to specially thank the management of Adem Complex for granting his group access and permission to shoot their film in the business arena.
Kanayo also thanked the management of Adem Complex for granting one day holiday to the traders in the market in order for them to go and collect their PVC, adding “It is most important, we must do the one that made us human beings; it is a Civic responsibility. Nobody knows who will win the election, but we must do our own.”
He said out of those who started the Nollywood industry in Nigeria he is the only only one that is still very active.
Kanayo, a Lawyer who goes by his Mbaise traditional title of Ihe Mbaise jiri ka mba, while speaking to Journalists said “Today we are in Adem Industrial & Commercial Complex with the consent and permission of President and Chief Executive Officer of this place, Hon (Chief) Modestus Umenzekwe (Onwa Achina) to continue what we have been doing over the years; that is the production of movies. And this particular movie is of note because it has to do with nwa boy, the Igbo apprenticeship system.”
Kanayo stated that Igbo people are a hard-working and industrious people. “Ndigbo are hard-working and industrious race. There are two major systems through which the Igbos help their brothers, the first is the concept of onye aghana nwanne ya (being your brother’s keeper) and mgba mbo (the concept of hard work). It is when we came to Lagos that we see some Igbo people begging for money, an Igbo man does not beg for money, it is a thing of shame in Igbo culture and tradition. No matter how bad things are, Igbos don’t beg for money, they don’t beg money on the street. When you see an Igbo man begging for alms, look at him very well, either he was born in the market square or there are some psychological abnormalities,” Anayo stated.
He thanked Umenzekwe for granting his group permission to use the complex “We use this opportunity to thank Hon. Umenzekwe and members of his executive, we also thank those who are watching what we are doing. May God bless you all.”
He spoke on the theme of the film. “When we are done with the film, my people will bring the film here to show you the result of this our effort. This film tends to promote and project the spirit of onye aghana nwanne ya and igba mbo, that is being your brother’s keeper and the spirit of industry and hard work.
“You see, the nwa boy system, where Ndigbo are doing business, works this way, when a man starts business, he brings boys that will be assisting him in running around and selling goods for him, after some years he settles that group, the next group will now come in, after, another group, then the ones that have been settled will go and bring other boys too, and it goes on like that. So it is a system of empowering people so that they would become somebody, through this way, those boys will know the intricacies of the business and life generally,” Kanayo elucidated.
In his response Chief Umenzekwe thanked Kanayo O. Kanayo for finding the Complex worthy for the film production.
He said Ndigbo are grateful to the Lagos State Government. “We started here at the twilight of Asiwaju Government, he handed us to Fashola. Fashola was extremely good to us. He never collected a dime from us. When Fashola left, Akinwumi Ambode came in, and then Sanwo-olu. There has not been any problem, if there is any problem at all, it is from our own people.”
Umenzekwe decried a situation where an igboman would be fighting his fellow Igbo man in Lagos State. “Why should an Igboman fight an Igbo man in Lagos, you see situations where our people were going to court against their fellow Igbos.”
He thanked Dr. Alex Ekwueme of blessed memory who was of immense assistance when the Adem Complex was being acquired “We must thank an appreciate Dr. Alex Ekwueme, when we were having problem here we went to him, he said go, so far as what you are doing is genuine, he would help us. And he did it. Our people still came with intimidation. Then we went to Ebitu Ukiwe, and he also helped us.”
Umenzekwe said the Yorubas are friends of the Igbos, and thanked them for being receptive to other ethnic groups. He also called for respect for every Nigerian irrespective of tribe. “I must confess they have been good to us. But the Igbos must not be taken for granted, if it happens I will shout,” Umenzekwe stressed.
He thanked Kanayo for raising the demand for release of Nnamdi Kanu, “Thank you for raising the call for the released of the detained freedom fighter, Nnamdi Kanu, I have also made similar demand for the government to use political means to release him.”
Umenzekwe while appealing to Kanayo to help build alaigbo also called on Ndigbo to get their PVC and to make sure they vote on the day of election. “That is the only way we can participate in the political affairs of the country.”
He stated that he belongs to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and he is proud of that. “I am inclined to APC and I don’t hide it, through this party I have done a lot for Ndigbo, I train my people, one day I will leave this place, and one of them must take over this place. I must leave this place for good.”
In the end the General Secretary, Mr Chukwuemeka Nzekwe thanked Anayo O.kanayo for coming to the market to shoot his film, adding that the purpose of their coming would not be defeated.”
