by S’ola Filani

Nollywood actor, director and producer, Desmond Elliot has joined the league of celebrities cum politicians – yea, we are surprised as you are!

Weeks back, Nollwywood celebrities Julius Agwu, Kate Henshaw announced their interest in political positions for the 2015 elections and just when we thought we had seen enough – Desmond Elliot announced his political ambition too.

We wonder who is next – let’s leave the guessing game for later.

When photos of Desmond ‘Oluwashola” Eliot’s campaign poster found their way to the internet last night, Nigerians went all out.

“This is getting rather embarrassing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you all wake up and suddenly realize that y’all need to go into politics? Who will be left to do Nollywood movies now?” one Miss Bake reacted on Bellanaija.

Another Miss Mipemi on the actor’s Instagram page wrote “Dis (This) is getting really crazy…first it was music…now it’s politics…I don’t know why they can’t all just stick to what they know how to do best…the change this county needs can’t come from little minded actors and directors we have…I feel they should instead work on improving their wacky movies and their wacky acting #LongLiveNigeria”

While a certain Bruno wrote on Nairaland “Why are all these Nollywood people just going into politics..Desmond Elliott, Bob Manuel, RMD, etc., list is endless. Politics isn’t for everyone, dey think it’s another Nollywood script!! Anyway, I am not surprised everybody wants to eat out of the national cake, even the so called pastors have their own political parties and run for office. Everybody is hungry, for both power and money, Nigeria is now a free for all waste land, and I don’t think there will even be a Nigeria in the next 50 years.”

Tobena on twitter also says “They have realized that there is a lot of money to be stolen in the government, that’s why they are all jumping in, to get their own part of the national cake (people money). It’s all about money.  It’s gonna turn out to be a popularity vote. Soon wizkid and davido will declare their own. Rubbish people thinking that mediocre acting will translate into something”

Declaring support for the celebrities however, a twitter user, Morenikeji who spoke to YNaija said “Let’s cut them some slack …lol…I mean Ronald Reagan was an actor before he became the president of the United States and let’s not forget the Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenneger who later became the governor of California…I am not saying I am 100% all for it but let’s just hope for the best. I don’t just think we should conclude that because they are Nollywood actors, it means they will flop in politics…it’s worth a try, noh?”

Also speaking with YNaija, a die hard Nollywood fan, Oluwaseun Amobi said “As much as this sounds funny that all of a sudden all actors want to go into politics all in the name of changing Nigeria and planet earth, it does not cancel the fact that as humans some of them can make positive change. Acting is what they do not who they are. An actor can be a politician, a banker, or a pastor. There should be no limit to where people can go.

Another Facebook user, Daniel Emmanuel chose to sit on the fence saying “Wait! Do they all think that the legislature is a movie set? Warisdis? Kate Henshaw, Bob Manuel, 9ice, and now Desmond. Hian. Well, I believe everyone deserves a chance to do whatever he/she wishes.”

Oh by the way, a few further criticized Desmond and the sudden use of his Yoruba name ‘Olusola”

“Very sad. Like Jonna, who added Ebele to his name in other to full the Igbos, this one has also added Yoruba name to his name, just to get the votes of the ignorant people that will be carried away by his fame and vote.” One Blessing Efam wrote on twitter

What Say you?!

Sola