The Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) has prohibited its registered directors from recruiting or working with actresses Iyabo Ojo and Nkechi Blessing.

TAMPAN officials advised its members at a recent press conference to refrain from working with the actresses due to accusations that they had recently insulted the organization on social media.

Jide Kosoko, speaking on behalf of TAMPAN, stated that while the actresses are not members, the organization would not be continually insulted by claims made on social media by the actresses.

Despite their non-membership status, the group vowed to keep the actresses out of the film business.

According to TAMPAN’s news release:

“The attention of the Board of Trustees of TAMPAN and Elders of the Motion Picture Industry, especially of the Yoruba sector, have been drawn to the malicious damages being done to our sector by some unruly individuals that lack any iota of discipline and seeming to feel to be above the law.

“As you may be aware, certain unpleasant things have happened lately that has dragged the name of our association, TAMPAN in particular and the industry in general in the mud, which in totality are against what we stand for as individuals and as a group of professionals.

“We particularly observe the continuous derogatory statements made by Iyabo Ojo against the Association and the industry as a whole.

“Please note that we are not against her stand on the issue of alleged rape or sexual assault as the case maybe, which the Association and individuals have equally condemned at one time or the other, as we believe only a person without conscience will support rape or sexual assault in any form. However, Iyabo Ojo’s reckless accusations, abuses and embarrassment of our sector is also totally condemned.

“Unfortunately, Nkechi Blessing has also joined in the Ignoble tirades against the Association and by extension, the industry and we say enough is enough!

“As pioneers of this noble industry, if we fold our arms and allow the continuous blackmail that send negative signals across the world to go unchecked, the current situation that had impugned on our integrity will continue to grow to the detriment of humble practitioners, whose only source of livelihood is the practice of indigenous language movies (promoting Language to preserve culture).”