2023: Don’t die for any Nigerian politician- Filmmaker, Pascal Atuma

Canadian-Nigerian actor, screenwriter, film producer and director Pascal Atuma has called on Nigerian electorates not to make themselves tools for politicians to commit atrocities.

The socially-conscious Nigerian filmmaker, based in Canada, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The filmmaker said that seeing Nigeria decay and collapse to this level because of the selfishness and self-centeredness of a few people holding the country to ransom, is heartbreaking.

“Do not die for any Nigerian politician or allow yourself to be used to commit their atrocities; they should bring their children back from their safe havens overseas to die for them and do their dirty jobs.

“They loot the country, transfer Nigeria’s wealth overseas with their children and come during elections to use children from poor and less privileged homes for thuggery, election malpractice, and destruction,” he wrote.

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Economic divide

Mr Atuma, whose most recent film, ‘Clash,’ topped the Netflix charts in July 2021, said it is not uncommon for children with low socioeconomic status to be used to eliminate individuals who constitute a nuisance to greedy politicians.

In his statement, Mr Atuma, the CEO of TABIC Record Label, insisted that the politicians should bring back their children from abroad to do their dirty and evil deeds in this election.

“Let Nigerians wake up and understand that the suffering in Nigeria today is artificial. The politicians systematically created poverty and are using it to control the masses to retain power and control.

“It is time for Nigerians to rise and deliver the country from the wicked hands of these politicians and corrupt leaders,” he added.

Naira scarcity

Speaking further, Kevin Hart’s ‘Laugh Out Loud Competition’ winner recalled how he was recently in Nigeria to film a new project, ‘The Imported Wives’ and had to use Naira to buy Naira to carry out the production.

According to him, the ruggedness and understanding of his executive producer, Joy Madubuike, was the only reason it was easy to justify spending additional Naaira to purchase Naira.

“Unfortunately, permit me to say Nigeria is a total mess now. Something has to give; Nigeria cannot continue this way; the country is literally at war, and all the characteristics of war-torn nations have already manifested to the fullest!

“Hunger, insecurity, fuel and electricity scarcity, bad roads, dilapidated hospitals, run-down public schools, etc. We will continue to pray for the intervention of the almighty God,” Mr Atuma added.

Mr Atuma, whose breakout directorial debut, “My American Nurse,” premiered in the United States at the 2006 Pan African Film Festival, however, stated that Nigerians must rise and use their Permanent Voters’ Card to ensure that greedy and obsolete politicians do not find themselves in the corridors of power in Nigeria.

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As a director, Mr Atuma has helmed most of his movie productions.

As an actor, he starred in several of his productions, as well as other projects, including ‘Sweet Revenge (Winner 2018, Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud, Just For Laughs “Eat my Shorts” Lions Gate Competition).” “Bloodlines,” “LAPD African Cops,” “The Other Side of Love,” “My American Nurse,” “Faithfulness,” and “Secret Past,” Amongst others