RITA DOMINIC STANDS UP FOR SHOWBIZ

rita dominic
To an onlooker, the speech Rita Dominic gave at the pre-inaugural presidential lunch with youths by President Goodluck Jonathan serves a dual purpose. One, it serves as a voice to the voiceless, and for Nollywood, an industry known to have employed thousands of people, it also serves as challenge to President Jonathan about the highly publicized $200 million subvention to the entertainment industry.

While thanking the President for intervening in the industry with the fund deposited at the Bank of Industry, Rita pointed out that stringent conditions attached as criteria for accessing it are impossible.

'Mr. President, some of us have applied for the loan, but the requirement of collateral in the traditional sense is about to dash our hopes and dreams. If the youths had enough collateral, we would not have needed intervention in the first place. It is imperative that the people administering the loan understand the spirit behind its creation.'

Need we say that her speech attracted standing ovation?

But before bowing out and taking her seat beside fellow actress, Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Rita praised the efforts of the heroes past and those still in the effort of sustaining the structure-less industry.  'We thank the Igbo marketers who invested in the industry that has grown to become what we now know as Nollywood. We also appreciate Globacom for deeming it fit to appoint 13 ambassadors from the industry and empowering them to turn from actors to producers,' sh said.