Wicked
Nigerian batters veteran actor Enebeli…may go blind
With Azuh Amatus
Friday, December 5, 2008
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•Enebeli
Elebuwa
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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Nigerians may soon lose the services and sight of one of
its finest entertainers, Enebeli Elebuwa, if urgent medical
attention is not provided for his left eye, which was recently
battered by a heartless Nigerian, Onyeka Dike.
In a voice filled with tears and regret, the veteran actor,
who became famous in the “Andrew Wants To Check Out”,
TV re-orientation promo, in the 80's, narrated how his ordeal
began in the hands of 47 year old Dike, an auto dealer at
Berger, Apapa, Lagos.
According to Elebuwa, 62, “ What you are looking at
(removing his dark spectacle to reveal a battered left eye),
happened in the evening of Friday, November 28, 2008, at the
Mobil Filling Station, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos”.
Explaining further, now weeping Elebuwa, who was also writhing
in pains said: “ We were on a moving queue when this
young man came from nowhere and wanted to jump the queue with
his car, but other law abiding motorists protested but the
man refused. That was when I alighted from my car and was
trying to plead with him to follow due process. But to my
consternation, he started cursing and shouting my full names
and told me to get out of his sight. When I tried again to
calm him down, he started abusing me and boasted that my being
an actor does not mean he cannot deal with me and nothing
would happen. I later got closer and asked him, if I was not
old enough to be his father? I had not finished saying this
when he brought out a sharp object and stabbed me in the eyes
at a close range and I immediately passed out.”
Elebuwa, further disclosed that immediately this happened,
an angry mob that had already gathered descended on Dike,
and were about lynching him, when some plain clothes policemen
came and whisked him away to Aguda Police Station, Surulere.
Though, at the station, during our visit, an officer who pleaded
for anonymity confirmed the incident and disclosed that Dike
was detained for three days, before being released on bail.
Elebuwa, also called on well meaning Nigerians to immediately
come to his aid, adding that his doctor had advised him to
travel abroad for further treatment, but he could not afford
the bills. “I'm totally helpless now and cannot even
work. Well meaning Nigerians should come to my aid, I do not
want to go blind,” he pleaded.
The leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and the
Association of Movie Producers (AMP) have come out to strongly
condemn the unwholesome attack.
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