"Everything She Said is 100% True": Actress Patience Ozokwo Explains Reasons Actors Beg When Sick
- Veteran actress Patience Ozokwo has explained why actors end up begging when they are sick
- She noted that most actors are well paid, but spend more due to their lifestyle, as expected by fans
- The actress added that when an actor becomes sick, such a person will manage with the money available till he exhaust it
- In an exclusive chat with Legit.ng, Amb. Queen Blessing Ebigieson, national president of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) Nigeria, reacts to the development
Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwo has given reasons why some actors resolve to beg when they fall sick and are helpless.
Source: Instagram
According to the actress, many actors earn good money when they are vibrant and actively working.
However, she said the public's expectation of an expensive lifestyle befitting superstars often leads them to spend excessively to maintain their status
Patience Ozokwo says people don't help actors
The actress, who won the AMVCA Merit Award in May, noted that many believe actors are rich because of the kind of clothes they wear on the red carpet, so they don't help them
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The film star also said when they fall sick, they bear the financial burden alone with family and when they have nothing left, they resort to begging on social media.
Her explanation comes months after actors were slammed for begging when they are faced with difficulties.
See her video here:
Fans react to Patience Ozokwo's interview
Reactions have trailed what the veteran actress said in the interview. Here are some of the comments below:
@iamericardo:
"Also, male nollywood actors have more financial responsibilities . They have their wives, children, extended family and even communities to take care of. This usually lives very little room for savings. They try to be there for everybody which in turn renders financially incapacitated when these draining diseases come their way. So sad!"
@realannjay:
"Everything she said is 100% true."
@adikwujohn_:
"To be rich is one thing. To be financially free is the goal. Diversification and living life on your own terms is underrated. May God give us the wisdom ."
@kelvin_goodnews_:
"That’s why I always do my thing, watin people go talk no concern me , who nak£d no Dey chuck hand for pocket."
@pevsaaku_fashionkilla:
"The rule still remains the same , for the sake of times like this when you are at your peak as a star/Celebrity and it's your moment raise people up with you, let your team shine through you for when times like this come , there will be people to Catch you when u fall and render a helping hand of loyalty. Cos you can shine forever, so make good use of your moments."
@stanley_ontop:
"Bloody truth."
@Iakimbilly:
"Real fact ,Omo me I can tell from what I see with my two eye. She said it all ."
@adewwo:
"Actors aren’t paid well at all except for the A-List actors! Once you’re not an A-list, forget it! Na manage them they manage…skit makers com even dey feature “actors” for skits."
@official_janecyril:
"Some people forgot that actors are human being too. Most of them are not financially bouyant as we thought, they hustle legitimately to get where they are and that's why some of them begs online when they're sick . Let us stop judging this people."
@pappythrill:
"Packaging dey make fans feel say e dey plenty. Una never understand entertainment business. Na we Dey hear am pass fans. Make I just shut up."
@bigsmart__:
"Education is a good radiance to healthy living. Emphasis on how eloquent she sounds and fluent she speaks."
Queen Blessing Ebigieson advises actors to have multiple streams of income
In a chat with Legit.ng, Queen Blessing Ebigieson said it is important for actors to have more than one source of income.
She said:
"Maybe some of them had planned for the rainy day. When the sickness started, they might have spent all they had on the sickness. Because they are popular, they go to their fans to seek assistance. And most of the time because they are known, their fans come to their rescue to help them. Some of them did not save for the rainy day so the sickness which they were supposed to spend N100k on would turn into a sickness that needs N1 million. Maybe they don't have the N1 million and the sickness can turn into something that needs N10 million which would be difficult to afford. Most times, actors in Nollywood live as if they are in Hollywood. You cannot be earning in Nollywood and be living like someone in Hollywood. Nollywood is a very expensive industry, one has to be smart and use wisdom to pay bills. I am a serial entrepreneur, I do a lot of things, I sell clothes, do decor, and do aso ebi just to be able to make enough and have some savings. Every time you go out, you want to put on something new so that they won't tag you."
She advised actors to live within their means and avoid flamboyant lifestyles that they cannot afford.
Her words:
"At times, it is even the journalist who will challenge you that you are repeating clothes. So the pressure is there, you are the one to know how to handle things and draw the line. The bottom line is don't allow yourself to get carried away by the pressure or what people would say because at the end of the day, when the chips are down, they will be the ones to report your bad luck. When Nollywood practitioners start making money, they forget to save. When they are reigning they are supposed to have multiple incomes to sustain their kind of lifestyle. When actors get popular, they start flying business class. They live a lavish lifestyle. That is why they are constantly running into debt. We the association leaders are trying our best to introduce insurance but most of them would say they already have it but at the end of the day, you would find out that they don't have any. Some of them would say they don't fall sick. So why do they need the insurance? What they forget is that sickness doesn't tell them it is coming. In 2021, when my late president was still alive, Madam Peace Osigwe, we had discussed with the Lagos State Government and they gave us insurance of N8,500 per year but for someone to get the deal, we had to get a good number of people to register. We couldn't get that number because most of our members were not ready to key into it. Because some veterans have been falling sick, some of our actors are now willing to do health insurance. The association can do what it can, but how much do some of them pay? Some have not paid dues in ten years. Some of them are not active in the association. Some of them don't even belong to any association. So what do you think the association can do in that instant? Most of them didn't pay dues when they were active. People come on social media to shout that Nollywood doesn't support themselves. We are just an umbrella with different bodies. Those who go on social media to solicit money should do it with all respect. Nollywood is like every other profession where people make money and keep them. I always advise people to live within their means and have multiple means of income. You cannot be working in Nollywood and be living as if you are in Hollywood."
Patience Ozokwo states the reason for not remarrying
In a previous report by Legit.ng, the actress opened up on why she remained single after her husband's death.
Speaking as a guest on Mercy Johnson's show, Ozokwo said her children begged her not to remarry.
She noted that it worked well for her as no sacrifice was too big for her to make for her family.
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Source: Legit.ng
