Veteran actor, Enebeli Elebuwa ‘Andrew’ battered
Posted To The Web: Thursday,
December 04, 2008 - By AZUH AMATUS
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Enebeli Elebuwa
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Nigeria may soon lose the services of one of its
finest entertainers, Enebeli Elebuwa, if urgent
medical attention is not provided for his left eye,
which was recently battered by a heartless Nigerian.
In a voice laden with pains and regret, the veteran
actor, who became famous in the “Andrew Wants To
Check Out,” TV re-orientation promo in the 80’s,
narrated his ordeal in the hands of his attacker,
simply identified as Dike, an auto dealer at Berger,
Apapa, Lagos.
According to Elebuwa, 62, “ What you are looking at
(removing his dark spectacles to reveal a battered
left eye), happened in the evening of Friday,
November 28, 2008, at the Mobil Filling Station,
Aguda, Surulere, Lagos.”
Explaining further, Elebuwa, now weeping and
writhing in pains said: “ We were on a moving queue
when this young man came from nowhere and wanted to
jump the queue with his car, but other law abiding
motorists protested but the man refused. That was
when I alighted from my car and was trying to plead
with him to follow due process.
But to my consternation, he started cursing and
shouting my full name and told me to get out of his
sight. When I tried again to calm him down, he
started abusing me and boasted that my being an
actor does not mean he cannot deal with me and
nothing would happen. I later got closer and asked
him, if I was not old enough to be his father. I had
not finished saying this when he brought out a sharp
object and stabbed me in the eye at a close range
and I immediately passed out.”
Elebuwa, further disclosed that when this happened,
an angry mob that had already gathered descended on
Dike, and were about lynching him, when some
policemen came and whisked him away to Aguda Police
Station, Surulere.
At the station an officer who pleaded for anonymity
confirmed the incident to Daily Sun and disclosed
that Dike was detained for three days, before being
released on bail. He referred the reporter to the
Lagos police spokesman, Frank Mba who pleaded for
time to get information on the incident.
Elebuwa, also called on well-meaning Nigerians to
immediately come to his aid, adding that his doctor
had advised him to travel abroad for further
treatment, but he could not afford the cost.
“I’m totally helpless now and cannot even work due
to my condition, and have spent so much on the eye.
Well-meaning Nigerians should come to my aid, I do
not want to go blind,” he pleaded.
While condemning the unwholesome attack on Elebuwa,
Mr. Ejike Asiegbu, the national president of the
Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), also urged the
Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, to
ensure that the suspect does not go scot free. “We
are appealing to the police authority to ensure that
the man that perpetrated this evil act does not go
free.
The security agencies should do something, because
attacks on entertainers, especially our people in
Nollywood are on the increase. We are just
entertainers doing our best to help re-brand and
repackage the image of this country through our
creative arts, but some social misfits and
disgruntled Nigerians, are not happy with our
collective efforts. Its uncalled for.”
Also speaking, Mr. Adim Williams, the vice president
of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP), said
his association and all the other bodies in
Nollywood condemned the attack in its entirety,
adding that the suspect must be immediately brought
to justice. “We want this man to be quickly charged
to court, and jailed if found guilty, at least, that
will serve as a deterrent to others still lurking
around to do evil.
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