Actor Gideon Okeke, from Nigeria, has made fun of several of his colleagues who have put on weight after making a few film appearances and earning some money.
In a video posted on his Instagram profile, Gideon Okeke claimed that his weight gain had caused him to miss prospects for work because he didn’t look like himself when he was earning money.
The former Big Brother Naija 2006 contestant used the comments of wealthy Africans like Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola to support his thesis that they don’t appear obese but rather intelligent without excess flesh.
What Gideon Okeke has to say is as follows:
“Dear actor, is your body still the best tool that you got? Is your body still the best tool that you possess for your job?
I’ve observed that soon as actors get on the up and up, and by the up and up I mean start becoming a household name, start booking some more, start coming into some money, start holding some money, the operative word there is ‘some’.
Soon as actors start touching some money, that money begins to show up on their faces, on their neck lines, on their waist line, on their belly, but all you came into was just a couple millions in naira. That’s all you got.
Just a couple millions in naira but it’s already showing up on your face and all over your body.
Here is another observation: the people who have real money, who have always been in real money really don’t look like that. Alhaji Aliko Dangote is the richest African on the continent but doesn’t look like the weight of the money he got. Mr Chief Otedola is also one of the richest men around but he don’t look like the weight of the money he got.
But talking to the actors, you just made a few million in naira but those millions are already showing up on your face. My brother, my sister, that’s why I asked the question “is the body still the best tool you got?” Here’s where my question is coming from. I had the opportunity to sit in several casting rooms where pictures of my mates where put on the wall and we were all being analytical of who gets which character.
As much as I recommend my brothers and say put this guy on, guess what producers and casting directors say? They don’t even look the part no more. They look all bloated now. We don’t have two months to wait for this guy to get down from where he is, we need plug and play, we need to go now, and that’s how some of my friends missed out on some couple roles that had their names on it. Because they didn’t look the part no more.
Just a few millions in naira and you already look [big].”
