This is an update on Nollywood’s (arguably) highest paid actress, Mercy Johnson’s alleged ban by movie marketers for charging exorbitant fees (N4/5million per movie). Remember her reaction? “Those who can’t afford Heineken should buy kaikai”. These Movie marketers, under the aegis of Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FVPMAN) have cleared the air, according to them, the ban has absolutely nothing to do with her fees but unprofessional conduct on set. And they have vowed not to lift the ban until she tenders a letter of apology to them.

Mr. Ajaegbu, spokesman of FVPMAN told Vanguard that it is a case of established indiscipline on the part of Mercy Johnson. “We did not ban Mercy because we have resolved never to play ourselves god in any one’s life. We only resolved to severe our business relationship with her because she have shown strong disregard to the rules of professional conduct and abuse on the terms of production contracts. The issue in question has no bearing on her fee or charges as widely speculated. It is a function of misconduct, unjust and unfair treatment of film producers. We are obviously not agitated over what Mercy is being paid because, we pay the bills.

We are strongly agitated because we anticipate that professional justification ought to have been given to the contract to act or perform. We believe that the sanctity of contract ought to have been respected. The facts as we know before are that some of our members contracted Mercy at a particular scale of charge, when she collected money from higher bidders, she disregarded the contracts at lesser price and to some, she gave stringent and unprofessional conditions. We had written a letter to her in this regard about a year ago. The letter was a private advice from our union as well as a caution. We thought it wise to first
caution her in case it was an unconscious attitude.