Bimbo Akintola, a well-known actress in Nollywood, has shared her reasons for endorsing Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-elect of Nigeria.
In the recent presidential election held on February 25, 2023, Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged victorious amidst controversy, with 36.61% of the votes cast and a total of 8,794,726 votes.
Akintola has high hopes for the upcoming administration under Tinubu’s leadership, particularly with regards to the film industry, which she believes will receive significant support.
She said; “The Lagos State government has given grants to actors and producers. I was part of the Presidential Campaign Committee. Asiwaju involved actors and musicians in the committee. His wife is also a huge fan of the arts. She was even telling us (actors) about all the films she had seen us in. I don’t have anything against any other person (candidate), but I would rather go with someone whose track record I know.
“I want to know that the person has worked before and will work again. I believe that in the next dispensation, many things will be different in the industry. Tinubu works with people who he knows are intelligent, intellectual and are performers. He has a think tank around him. He never works alone, and the problems of Nigeria cannot be handled by one person.”
Bimbo Akintola, also said that the movie industry only reflects vices in society, rather than create them.
She said, “It is not true that movies are responsible for the decadence in society. Yes, the industry educates on what is going on in society; but, are you telling me that Nigerians don’t raise their children at home anymore? I remember my upbringing; and I know what was real and what was not.
“What is happening in society these days is that mothers are so busy. With existing realities, both parents have to make money to keep their children on a certain level of affluence.
“Now, children are practically been raised by nobody. My mother raised us. She had a big shop which she usually closed at the same time with our schools. She was a millionaire, but she would always go home to be with us. But, parents cannot afford to do that anymore.
“Back then, a lot of mothers stayed at home, but mothers cannot afford that anymore. The industry is not what is affecting society. Rather, it is reflecting the problems in society.”