ENTERTAINERS IN POLITICS, WHAT IS MOTIVATING?

Nigeria is one of the countries in the world where one could easily achieve anything in Nollywood movies.

Nigeria’s Nollywood has proven to the world that Nigerians are magicians who can create an empire out of nothing. That settled, the magic is about to be reenacted in the reality of Nigerian politics.

Our entertainers may have completed their magical wand in the entertainment industry and are about to unleash same onto the leadership circle.

They have dreams to lend a helping hand to the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan lead government by vying for elective political placements.

One of them, Kate Henshaw Nuttall seems to speak for the others when she revealed to the media that Hollywood Star Arnold Schwarzenegger's success as a politician when he contested as Governor of Florida; America in 2003 is her inspiration for going into politics. Yes, we all agree that Hollywood always inspires Nollywood.

Meanwhile, generally, elections in Nigeria are treated like carnivals and the 2015 general elections have not failed to thrill. Many entertainers both from Nollywood and music industry have indicated interest to contest different political positions. Instead of being used to promote politicians’ campaign programmes by either singing or speaking to their followers in a bid to canvass for votes as in the recent past, many celebrities will not be available to do these jobs this time because they are now contending with the politicians for the same posts.

While Nigerians are still watching the space, a fellow renowned actor boldly picked holes on their ambitions. Clarion Chukwura made a clarion call two days ago as she was quoted from an interview she granted to Punch as having said, “Nigerian Artistes are going into politics for money” She reiterated, “The motive of those who are embracing partisan politics is purely monetary. Let us call a spade a spade. If you tell me that you want to go into politics to serve the people, I would want to look at your record first. “I want to see what you have done to better the lives of the people in your immediate community. How many boreholes have you sunk in the community? How many hours of community service have you given for free over the last four or five years? How well are you known as somebody who yearns for improvement in social development?” 

Though Clarion may be speaking the minds of many Nigerian, yet the role call has a fair stock. Even when it started as crude jokes from comedians like Julius Agwu, the posters are now all out on the streets. And despite what we all speak in our bedrooms, it is their constitutional right to seek ways of cutting their own piece of cake from the surplus money in the political terrain.

The following is the list of Artist turn Politicians and their intended positions;

Comedian and singer Julius Agwu (Governor, Rivers State);
 Yemi Solade, movie star (Senate, Lagos State);
Offiong Kate Henshaw, Movie star (House of Reps, Cross River State);
Desmond Elliot, (Lagos State House of Assembly)
Jibola Dibo, movie star (House of Reps, Ondo State)
Keneth Okonkwo, lawyer turned movie star (House of Reps, Enugu State).
Abolore Akande a.k.a 9ice, music icon (House of Representative, Oyo State);
Bob Manuel Udokwo (Anambra State House of Assembly). 
Funke Adesiyan, Oyo State House of Assembly
Anthony Olanrewaju Awotoye simply known as Tony Tetuila, (Kwara State House of Assembly)
Kenny Saint Best (KSB) (Lagos State House of Assembly)

If winning in real life politics will be as easy as in entertainment, we wish them great luck in their ambitions.