Elikem has received backlash after he thanked Ghanaian producers for the times they didn’t pay him for a job and said it motivated him to get a day job. He then asked other Ghanaian actors to get day jobs too and stop relying on just acting.
The Big Brother Africa star, who used to be married to co-star Pokello, took to Instagram to narrate how producers used him as an errand boy before they gave him roles. He said he was sometimes never paid and his joy was just that he got featured in a movie.
He added that the fact that he wasn’t paid most times, and when he was paid it was peanuts, forced him to get a side job and he is grateful for it today. He said if producers hadn’t treated him that way, he would have been lazy and would have relied on just one job.
He captioned the video: “Letter to my Fellow Actors. STOP complaining. leave the producers alone. find a day job. and see who they will shoot with .”
Well, this angered numerous Ghanaians and they called him out for encouraging producers not to pay actors.
Actors Juliet Ibrahim and James Gardiner are among those who called him
out
.
Following the outrage, Elikem released another video to explain himself. He said his statement was not directed at veteran Ghanaian actor Kofi Ajorlolo even though it came after Kofi Adjorlolo’s outburst that some Ghanaian movie producers don’t pay actors.
He went on to apologize to Ajorlolo, adding that he didn’t mean any malice when he gave the advice that actors should have a day job.
He said in the video: “I want to apologise to Kofi Ajorlolo, I respect him as a father, I sincerely apologise if it came across as if I was debunking his statement or going against what he said…”
He added in the caption: “An Apology also to Kofi Adjololo. Let’s come together as Actors. Let’s not complain.”
In another post, he wrote: “That post of mine sparked up alot of controversy on social media. I was not referring to Mr Ajololo in anyway . If you listen closely I even said while you persue your acting career. I stated my views and made point. If my fellow actors, successful ones and incoming or upcoming ones dont think its advisable to add another stream of income to their full time Jobs as actors. Then that’s their opinion. It’s worked for me. Not everything works for everyone and not everyone wants to be a millionaire. So if you’ll take it. Take it. If not. Leave me alone to do my th
ing. ”
His colleagues were not appeased by his apology and they told him that he was out of line.
