Why actors beg in difficulty – Patience Ozokwor on Nollywood financial struggles

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Patience Ozokwor, a well-known actress in Nollywood and popularly referred to as Mama G, has shed light on the financial difficulties that numerous actors in the Nigerian film industry encounter, attributing this issue to the absence of royalties for their performances.

The actress, during her guest appearance on Isbae U’s podcast/show “Curiosity Made Me Ask”, stated that numerous entertainers are paid only once for the films they appear in, no matter how frequently those films continue to earn money.

She claims that this is the reason why some actors, despite having spent years in the industry, are compelled to publicly solicit assistance.

“The problem why you see us beg is because they don’t give us royalties. We just work and toil so hard, and then that peanut, that money you gave us on board to come and shoot for you, is the only thing we get.”She said.

Ozokwor drew a comparison to what happens in more advanced film industries, where actors keep earning from their work long after production is completed.

“Go and look at the smallest actors in developed countries. Every work they do fetches them money every day of their lives.”

She mentioned that in those countries, royalties persist even after an actor’s death, aiding their families in maintaining financial stability.

“Even when they are gone, their families still live on that. We, we are still working hard.”

The seasoned actress pointed out that the absence of residual income has driven many Nigerian actors to seek out alternative platforms, especially YouTube, where they can make money directly from their content.

“That’s why everyone is running to YouTube,” she said.

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