Celebrities worldwide have always believed they are above the law. One popular Nigerian comedy star and celebrity may have just learned that she and her family may not be.
Funke Akindele-Bello, star of the comedy series Jenifa’s Diary was one of the faces of Nigerian government’s public announcement warning Nigerians about lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but apparently she did not heed her own warning.
Akindele-Bello, along with her husband Abdulrasheed Bello was arrested for throwing a party in their Lagos home during the lockdown.
During the heat of the lockdown, they faced a Lagos judge under a Lagos state law that bans gatherings of more than 20 people, and were fined 100,000 Naira (about $250) each, and sentenced to two weeks community service.
The couple were arrested after Mr. Bello posted a video of the April 4 party on social media.
In a video from the party, Bello said it was his birthday and he had to invite friends to celebrate with him at their home.
He said, “Na here we dey, those of us wey get mind. This is the best estate to be stuck in during the lockdown. It is my birthday.”
Guests numbering around 20 attended the party, including popular singer Naira Marley and actress Eniola Badmus.
Akindele-Bello appears in a video for the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) as an ambassador for Dettol cleaning products, urging good hygiene.
Most Nigerians were not having it.
A Twitter user tweeted: “Funke Akindele and her husband should be arrested this morning.”
Another user said, “The government won’t succeed with this lockdown if people like Funke Akindele are not punished for their reckless behavior. A scapegoat needs to be made of them.”
Yes another user called on the federal government to arrest the couple for breaking the rules.
“Dear @NCDCgov, your Ambassador Funke Akindele, Her Husband JJC, Eniola Badmus, Naira Marley & the Entire Family threw a packed House Party Ystd. I love Funke & have nothing against her but everyone in that House should be Forcefully Quarantined. Pls treat as Urgent. Face with medical mask.”
A twitter user wrote, “See the Crowd at Funke Akindele’s Party with Naira Marley in attendance, Eniola Badmus and people who just barely returned from the UK. The height of irresponsibility!”
Another Twitter user questioned Funke’s credibility as NCDC ambassador asking “imagine how irresponsible Funke Akindele can be so what exactly was the essence of the NCDC using her in a video to create awareness about the harmful effects of Covid19?”
One infuriated user tweeted: NCDC Ambassador, Dettol Ambassador, Did two awareness videos on social distancing. Yet, Funke Akindele Invited Eniola Badmus and Naira Marley who returned from the UK into her house, as if that wasn’t enough, she threw a full house party.”
“This level of recklessness is insane!” said one user.
“Funke Akindele and her husband are selfish and wicked, how can a sane person host a party during a social distancing phase? Doctors and Nurses are stressing out and dying and they do this? She needs to be called out and held accountable,” another Twitter user wrote.
Defending her actions, Akindele-Bello apologized, and added that the guests were already in her home before the lockdown.
“My husband and I run the Scene One studio in Amen Estate where we live. We have about twelve studios in the estate where we film our movies. We have strength of about a hundred workers. When the pandemic started, we had to stop all works, including ‘Omo Ghetto, the Saga’ that was supposed to start in April.
“Before the lockdown was announced by our president, a lot of youths were in the estate for a boot camp, some of which u you saw in the video. When the lockdown started, some of the staff that live outside Lagos couldn’t go back so they had to stay back.
“Naira Marley is part of the Omo Ghetto project. When the lockdown started, he decided to stay back because he loved the environment. Then my husband’s birthday came up and we all celebrated as a family,” she said.
This incidence which happened few months ago is still in the memories of well meaning Nigerians who believe and lauded the actions taken against the celebrity couple at that time. The praised the forts of law enforcement officers whom through the authority of the FG, held that no one should be above the law and that all forms of impunity especially from role models and renowned personalities, should be treated with all the seriousness it deserves.
Gift Joseph Okpakorese
Staff Writer
