Dumsor vigil celebrities are ‘very shallow’ – Abeiku Santana

Radio presenter, Gilbert Aggrey, known in media circles as Abeiku Santana, has described the ‘dumsor vigil’ as unnecessary. He said the celebrities who are organizing the vigil in order to force the government to fix the energy crisis are “shallow” because they “do not understand the issues.”

“I’m saying that they don’t even appreciate and understand the issue let alone to fight for the nation. 

As for the energy crisis, it’s a national crisis. Government will do all it can to resolve it,” he argued. On Saturday, some celebrities will embark on a vigil christened: “Dumsormuststop vigil.” According to them, the Mahama-led government has for three years failed to find a permanent solution to the energy crisis which is hurting many businesses.

 However, Abeiku Santana who is aspiring to represent the people of Mfansteman West Constituency in Parliament on the ticket of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) suggested that the celebrities should fix their entertainment industry which is on the verge of collapse.

 Speaking to Citi News at a handing over ceremony of executives of the Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN) of the Methodist University College, he said instead of embarking on the vigil, the celebrities should rather contribute to a film bill which is before Parliament and also fight for the streamlining of activities in the movie industry.

He asked, “have they made any contribution or sent a memorandum to Parliament suggesting how the law should be made that will safeguard local contents?” “If they want to sacrifice, they should do something that will become a living testimony for others to see that they were the people who fought for the industry so that they will be remembered,” he advised.

 He queried them for sitting aloof and allowing “foreign soap operas to take over our televisions. Can’t you see that they are very, very excuse me to say, shallow? They don’t understand issues. If want to fight for something, fight for one that will benefit you.” “Go to Kenya and Uganda and South Africa and go and see if they are showing Nigeria movies on their television. Our film industry is collapsing. I remember when I was a boy; I saw UTNA and NAFTI producing lots of local contents.

 There are no local contents on our television. You are not concerned about that, you are concerned about something you do not understand,” he fumed. He however admitted that the celebrities have a right to embark on the vigil as well as demonstrate over issues, but he stressed that nothing will be achieved because “wongbo has done it…wahala has done it. So their demonstration will not make any difference”. 

“You can demonstrate that you are eating too much rice and you want yam, it is your right, but at the end of the day, if you don’t appreciate the issues, I don’t think anyone is going to take you serious,” he remarked.