On July 28, 2023, the entire Nollywood stakeholders, both States Chapters and the national body of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) converged on Asaba for a seminar and the adoption of new bylaws to govern the association nationwide.
One of the highlights of the historic event was the appointment of some members as members of the National Task Force, of which Raymond Okafor was one.
Raymond Okafor who stands at 6.8ft, is considered the tallest man in the Nigerian movie industry. To him, his appointment by the national president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas is a huge honour and one to be treated with great commitment and an unalloyed sense of
According to the actor, who was born and bred in Benin City, Edo State, it was like moving from zero to a hundred as it would have taken years to attain such a position in the association.
“It’s a huge appointment. It’s like going from 0 to 100 in one day. It is something that could have taken me years to achieve. It means so much to me. I feel so honoured and privileged to serve this great and noble association, AGN. The job is not easy, it’s a heavy job, it’s a big responsibility. If something goes wrong on set anywhere in Nigeria, my phone will be called or any of my colleagues in the national task force”, he said.
“It is actually an elective position. If I wanted to get to this position on my own, I would have to contest for the State chapter first, contest for any position in the State chapter, and win, and that’s how I could become a national member and would have been a member for a certain period of time before I would be eligible to contest for a national position. That’s when I would be able to contest for a national task force member, ” he added.
The gargling actor says he is very much aware of the huge task before him and is ready to serve and make a difference. He said he has already hit the ground running with a deep sense of duty to the Association.
His words: ” I have already started making a difference. We had other task forces in the past but this new one has new bylaws that would change the game in the Nigerian movie industry. It is going to favour the producers, the marketers, the directors and the actors too. It is going to affect us positively. It will completely change the narrative so everyone will go home happy.
“Although I know there are bound to be bad eggs, people who don’t like progress but me, personally, I’m equal to the task. I’m willing, I’m ready and I’m going to come with my own approach. It’s not going to be merely about settling disputes and all that, I’m going to try in my own little capacity to educate our members and make videos from time to time and post on my social media and advise them on how to go about certain things.
” We don’t always have to learn from bad experiences, sometimes we could avoid bad experiences. It is better to save a situation than to look for a solution to it. I will urge them to always do the right thing, to be patriotic members of the Guild. And anyone who chooses to be on the wrong side would be corrected adequately, though in a respectful and honourable way. I will discharge my duty diligently .”
Raymond, who was born to Mr and Mrs Anthony and Virginia Okafor, from Orumba South local government area of Anambra State on May 15, 1993, grew up in the ghettos of Benin City. He is the 7th child of 9 siblings.
Although he started acting in 2015 but his break came in 2020 when he starred in “Blood of Enogie”, a TV series by Rock TV, which is still currently running.
Some of the movies he had starred include but not limited to Destiny, Better tomorrow, The Hookup , Twins Apart, Unholy Siblings, Amaka, Mama G-square, Our Bond and 21 Days Night
He is currently engaged to Kay-Ann Richards since 2021.
