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Celebrities Who Regret Supporting ‘Change'
5 years ago
~7.5 mins read
The 2015 presidential election has been described by
some as a watershed in the country's chequered political
history. It was the first time in the country that an
opposition candidate would defeat the incumbent
president at the polls. Prior to the elections, several
celebrities supported the then candidate of the All
Progressives Congress, Major General Muhammadu Buhari
(retd). Five years down the line, the stories have changed.
Saturday Beats takes a look at how the entertainers
involved have changed their minds
9ice
Not only did singer, Abolore Akande, aka 9ice, support the
President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), in
2015, he was also an aspirant of the All Progressives
Congress for the Federal House of Representatives seat in
Ogbomosho North/Ogbomosho South/Orire Federal
Constituency of Oyo State.
9ice also performed at some of the party's rallies,
especially in Oyo State.
However, the singer is now
disillusioned with his earlier choice. Some days ago, he
told his followers that he was thinking of releasing a new
song and asked them to assess a snippet of the song.
He sang, "Ja (run)/Don't let them deceive you no more/
Go against every decision/Iku to n pa ojugba eni, owe lo n
pa fun eni (The death that kills one peers is a proverb for
one)/Osha bo le gbami, fimile bo se ba mi (An oracle that
cannot help me should leave me the way it met me)/Ko
ma ye won mo (They don't know what they are doing
anymore)/They wore uniforms before but now, they are
wearing agbada…"
Shortly after the President's national broadcast on
October 22, 2020, the 'Gongo Aso' singer had written, "I
did not bother watching. I would have been disappointed,
same as you are now #EndSARS."
Ronke Oshodi-Oke
Actress, Ronke Ojo, popularly known as Oshodi-Oke, can
be passionate when she's talking about what is dear to her
heart. Some may even tag it as being overzealous but she
is wont to express herself freely when caught in a wave of
emotions.
Shortly after the shooting of unarmed protesters at Lekki
tollgate, Lagos, the busty role interpreter took to her
Instagram page to express her displeasure over the
incident.
Wracked in sobs, Oshodi-Oke expressed regret
that she supported the current regime during the elections,
describing it as a wound on her conscience. She added,
"I'm short of words because I was one of those that
canvassed for votes. I campaigned for them (current
regime)."
Iyabo Ojo
Actress, Iyabo Ojo, was one of the celebrities that lent her
support to the APC for the presidential and other elections
in 2015. Though she did not explicitly appear in any
advert, she attended some of the party's campaign
programmes in Lagos.
Also, in 2019, the mother of two rallied support for
President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo, as well as then Lagos State APC governorship
candidate and incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Under the umbrella of the 'League of Lagos Artistes', they
'endorsed' the candidates.
Other members of the Jide Kosoko-led group were
Adebayo Salami, Lanre Hassan, Yemi Solade, Fausat
Balogun, Ayo Badmus, Taiwo Hassan, Akeem Alimi,
Funsho Adeolu, Ronke Ojo, Kemi Afolabi and Tayo
Amokade.
However, Ojo has had to swallow her words as she
strongly announced that she would 'never' support either
of the two biggest political parties in the country which are
the People's Democratic Party and APC. She wrote on
Twitter, "I, Alice Iyabo Ojo, will never support, campaign
or vote for any APC or PDP member ever again in my life
even if you are my family or friend, we need a New Nigeria
Flag of Nigeria, we need to stop recycling universal
recycling symbol #EndBadGoverance."
Banky W
Bankole Wellington is not just a singer. He is also an
actor, record label executive, politician, preacher and many
other things rolled into one.
The artiste popularly known as Banky W had for a long
time been telling his fans and Nigerian youths in general to
get more involved in politics and socio-political issues. He
took a bold step in 2019 when he became the candidate of
the Modern Democratic Party for the Federal House of
Representatives Eti-Osa (Lagos) seat.
In 2015, the entertainer featured in campaign materials for
the then APC Lagos State governorship candidate,
Akinwunmi Ambode. He appeared with the now former
governor in a music video titled, 'I Believe'.
In 2018, the singer was rumoured to have been paid N57m
to support the reelection bid of the President, Major
General Muhammadu Buhari (retd). But he debunked the
stories on social media.
A follower had tweeted at him, "Mr Wellington, come out
and support Buhari with your chest. You can't be non-
partisan forever.
Your company, EME, was converted to a
public relations firm after it got a contract of N57m
through one Abubakar Ahmed to promote Buhari. Why
have you not been doing your work?"
Banky responded on Twitter, "False. Completely false and
untrue. I have never met this person and never collected a
dime to do anything for this President. I dare you to show
proof of the false stories you are peddling. Why would I be
running with an independent party in my own constituency
if that was my plan?"
Funke Akindele-Bello
Popular actress, Funke Akindele-Bello, was part of the 'I
Believe' music video for a former governor of Lagos State,
Akinwunmi Ambode and APC candidate.
Over the years,
she has also appeared in different adverts for the state
government.
However, the state did not consider all that when in April
2020 the actress and her husband were convicted of
flouting the social distancing guidelines set out by the
government to defeat the rampaging coronavirus. The
couple was sentenced to 14 days community service and
ordered to pay a fine of N200,000.
Reacting to the Lekki toll gate shootings, Akindele-Bello
wrote on her Instagram page, "This is so sad. My heart is
broken. Why shoot? This is too much, our leaders! #
EndPoliceBrutality #EndSARS."
She also posted a video of a woman in the northern part of
the country who was hit by a stray bullet from the police
and was practically in a vegetative state.
The actress
added the caption, "Sad! This is one of many
heartbreaking stories of police brutality in our country,
Nigeria! We won't stop shouting. End police brutality in
Nigeria. End bad governance. Justice must be served."
Small Doctor
Singer, Adekunle Temitope, aka Small Doctor, supported
the re-election bid of President, Maj.Gen.Muhammadu
Buhari (retd) in 2019. He even performed at the party's
national convention in Abuja.However, Small Doctor
decided to stand with fellow Nigerian youths as he took
active part in the #EndSARS protests that rocked the
country.
He led a sizeable number of youths to demonstrate in the
Agege area of the state.
He also took his campaign to the
church. He was pictured in a white garment, holding out a
sign that read, "End police brutality'. He also posted
pictures of the protests in other parts of the country.After
the Lekki shootings, he posted a picture of the Nigerian
flag stained with blood.
Omotola
In 2016, top actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, called on
Nigerians to support the President, Major General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd). She maintained that she was
sure the president would do his job effectively. She had
written on Twitter, "I am just going to say I believe the
president; not until he, beyond doubt, convinces us that he
is actually not for our interests, I think I for now chose to
believe him based on his past history."
'I want to believe him as a man of honour, I want to
believe he knows what he wants to achieve and I wish
everyone will support him for now until he shows us truly
that he has ulterior motives.
For now, we should believe
him and trust him."
However, it is apparent that she no longer feels that way.
In April 2019, the actress directed a tweet to President
Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The tweet read,
"The country under your watch is hellish! The lack of
money in circulation coupled with the continuous assault
and killings by uniformed men will make this country
implode. It is unbearable. Do something. (There is)
insecurity, fear and desperation everywhere."
In reaction to the Lekki killings, she wrote, "Verified.
Stop
police brutality. End impunity. Who ordered the assault on
the peaceful protesters?"
Days earlier, she had written, "Me and my clan went out.
What a privilege to be a youth and in same generation
with them. It has been a long time coming."
Mercy Aigbe
Actress, Mercy Aigbe, actively took part in the #EndSARS
protests, calling for an end to police brutality and she has
expressed her displeasure with the current government.
However, as recently as December 2018, she was part of
celebrities that were at the seat of power in the Aso Rock
villa under the platform of the Buhari Support
Organisation.
The visit was part of BSO's campaign efforts
for President Buhari's reelection.
She also supported the President in 2015 and in an
interview she granted a soft sell magazine 2016, Aigbe
maintained that she had faith in President Buhari to
'deliver as promised'.
It is clear that the actress is not pleased with the
country's leaders at the moment. About a week ago, she
wrote on social media, "I woke up very furious and sad!
How the hell did we get here? Why in pete's sake did we
allow ourselves to be taken for fools for this long? So
much impunity, oppression and intimidation. Our leaders
are so insensitive. Whew! It's going to be a long road to
freedom."
Faithia Balogun
Actress, Faithia Balogun, teamed up with some of her
colleagues to lend support to the election campaigns of a
former governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, and
President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
Under the
auspices of a group called the Unique Charitable
Foundation, they endorsed the two candidates.
However, it seems the beat has changed. Some days ago,
she took to her Instagram page to post a short drama of
some people accusing politicians of not fulfilling their
campaign promises. She added the caption, "What we
need are leaders not rulers. Nigeria will be great."
In another post, she wrote, "One question for the
authorities. Are we still lazy? #EndSARS #
Endtimeforthewicked #sorosoke."
But some of her fans were not happy with the actress for
supporting the current administration in the first place.
Many expressed their displeasure in their comments on
her page. A follower, @pweetie_o, wrote, "Please, spare
us.Your eye service is too much. We don't need your
sympathy. You have failed us. All your fans know; they are
only trying to play along."
Eniola Badmus
In the heat of the Lekki shootings, actress and comedian,
Eniola Badmus, was rumoured dead but to the relief of
many Nigerians, she quickly debunked the false stories.
However, she was involved in the #EndSARS protests and
she even called on international celebrities to lend their
support to the cause.
She constantly posted about the
protests and demanded an end to 'bad governance'.
Meanwhile, she was part of the celebrities that supported
the current administration. In 2019, she was at the Tafawa
Balewa Square, Lagos, where she adorned an APC-
customised dress and campaigned for the party and its
candidates, including President Buhari.
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