By Dipo Olowookere
The last may not have been heard of the controversy stirred last Friday by the president of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Mr Emeka Rollas, over the suspension of a popular actress, Halima Abubakar, from the industry.
Recall that over the weekend, the group placed an indefinite suspension on the thespian, ordering movie producers, directors and others not to work or use her in their productions.
The association said it took this action because an investigation revealed that she was leaking confidential information concerning her female colleagues to bloggers to paint the profession as bad.
She was accused of orchestrating a campaign of slander that included sensational allegations of extramarital affairs, which sent shockwaves through the industry.
In a dramatic move, the actress has threatened to take legal action against the guild and its leadership, claiming that she was being deliberately maligned.
Halima Abubakar, in a letter sent to Mr Rollas by her legal team, P.D. Pius & Associates, demanded N3 billion for the damage done to her image by a post on social media by the AGN boss.
In the letter dated October 20, 2024, the actress expressed shock over the allegations against her, particularly during a time when she has been battling health issues.
Her legal counsel gave Mr Rollas seven days to take down his post on Instagram where the accusations were made, warning that failure to adhere to this would attract legal action.
“Your false publication has damaged the reputation of our client and continues to do so with each passing minute,” the legal team stated.
The AGN president was accused of using the vulnerable state of the actress to further a negative narrative, claiming it was an attempt to “stir up social opprobrium” against her.
“Rather than show concern for our client’s fundamental rights to fair hearing and privacy, you chose this delicate moment to push your false narrative,” a part of the letter said.