COVID-19: Celebs ask FG to reopen cinemas
Celebrities and stakeholders in the entertainment sector have faulted the Federal Government’s decision to shutdown cinemas.
Rapper and actor, Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana said many celebrities have gone broke for several months due to the suspension of the industry.
Falana, however, said thousands of people have been left to their fates without any financial and economic alternative for several months.
In addition, Falz said, “Presently, the government is contributing almost nothing to it’s creative sector and it continues to attempt to stifle the sector in every way. The entertainment industry must be allowed to gradually get back in business! Let’s start with cinemas reopening,” he tweeted.
Corroborating Falz, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde berated that unlike other businesses, the cinemas are easier to regulate.
Omotola who believed that cinemas are easier to monitor and regulate and should be allowed to reopen, temperature checks, masks, social distancing can be easily regulated in the cinemas. If other indoor places are open, why not the cinemas? We need to work together to ensure safer ways to keep the Arts going. Many livelihoods depend on this. It can and must be done as safely as possible,” she said.
In the same vein, Living in Bondage sequel co-producer, Steve Gukas expressed that the ability of the film industry to grow and sustain itself is directly linked to how much money films earn in various windows.
According to Gukas, cinemas are a very important revenue fetcher and keeping them shut has dire resultant effects on the industry. Given the teeming number of youth earning from this industry, it is time to give it a reconsideration.
Also, the chairman of the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria, CEAN, Patrick Lee has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to open the sector, including the film industry to prevent it from imminent collapse.
