The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has withdrawn its membership from the Federation of Registered Nollywood Guilds and Associations (FRENGAN).
AGN’s National President, Emeka Rollas, announced the guild’s withdrawal in a letter addressed to the leadership of FRENGAN on Monday.
FRENGAN is the umbrella body of all registered guilds in Nigeria’s film industry whose members include the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN).
Others are the Movie Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPAN), and the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners of Nigeria (TAMPAN), among others.
Rollas explained that the guild decided to pull out of FRENGAN so that it could “focus on the growth, development and welfare” of its members.
He added that the AGN would continue to support and promote good industrial relationships among all the guilds and associations in the5 Nigerian film industry.
“After a careful consideration of suggestions and opinions expressed by our members and5 stakeholders on AGN’s membership of FRENGAN, the national executive council has regrettably resolved to withdraw AGN’s membership from the5 body.
“This is to enable the executive council to focus on the growth, development and welfare of members as we presently operate as service contractors, meaning that we fall short of labour protection with no access to social security.
“However, since filmmaking is a collaborative effort, we shall continue to support and promote sound and articulate industrial relationships among all the guilds and associations.
“We shall continue to uphold fair contractual practices and a regulatory environment to improve the livelihoods of our members whilst making the future of our industry more sustainable,” the letter read.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has called for calm over the purported crack in the Nigerian film industry following the withdrawal of the Actors Guild from the federation.
The NFC, in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Brian Etuk, maintained that there is the need for various film industry and guilds to work together for the common interest of the sector.
“It is only a unified and cohesive body that can be effective enough to positively benefit from government policies that are favorable to the growth of Nigeria’s film industry.
“Indeed, the present Federal Government Administration has show its determination to reposition the creative sector (film inclusive) as a fulcrum for national development by creating the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture & Creative Economy,” the statement partly reads.
It further urge all parties to the dispute to give room for the NFC-brokered resolution.
