Emeka Rollas, President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), has clarified that the individuals involved in the recent tragic on-set incident in Owerri, Imo State, were not registered members of the Guild.
Last week, reports emerged that four actors were rushed to the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Owerri after reportedly losing consciousness on a film set.
Two of them were confirmed dead on arrival, with the cause believed to be food or drink consumed during the shoot.
Responding to the news via an Instagram post, Rollas expressed sorrow over the deaths and reiterated that the victims were not affiliated with the AGN.
He also referenced the timing of the incident, which occurred shortly after a memorial service was held for the late actor Junior Pope, who died in a separate film production accident.
“So sad some actors who are not members of the Actors Guild just lost their lives while filming in Owerri,” he wrote.
“We have repeatedly warned that actors must join the Guild to practice in Nollywood. Barely a week after the memorial service of our member, late Junior Pope, tragedy struck in Owerri involving two promising young actors.
They are not members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria but this points to two things: the devil still wants this pattern of mass death repeated on an annual basis. If not for God the death toll in Owerri could have been four persons. Exactly the same number last year in Asaba. Please let all actors and indeed Nollywood prepare for this year’s prayer outing with pastor Jerry Eze.”
Rollas also condemned the increasing number of unregulated film productions and warned about the dangers of operating outside professional structures.
“We cannot continue like this. Everywhere in the country, people just wake up and equip themselves with cameras, and they have become Nollywood. This is a bad trend. These people camp themselves in an unhealthy, unverified environment, making content. Content creators have to be licensed.”
The AGN president’s remarks have sparked conversations within the industry about the importance of regulation, safety, and the responsibilities of both independent filmmakers and professional guilds. Others have questioned the relevance of stating that the actors weren’t registered especially since the registeration does not prevent death.
