Sylvester Madu, a Nigerian movie star popularly known by fans as Shina Rambo, has spoken out after surviving a gun attack in a rare visit to Bamenda, headquarters of Cameroon’s restive North West Region.
He was invited to Bamenda by Dama Films for a movie shoot titled, ‘Abakwa’
Madu recalls his experience as, “My black night in Bamenda”.
He was attacked in an epicurean outing at BIG G snack bar by suspected Ambazonia fighters, who are fighting to create an independent state in the English-speaking North West and South west regions of Cameroon.
An official communique said five people died and nine others got injured in the gun attack.
Movie promoters who had brought Sylvester Madu to Bamenda were arrested, imprisoned and charged before the military court.
SYLVESTER MADU SPEAKS
Upon his return to Nigeria, Madu recounted the incident with startling revelations.
“It was a tragic thing. It is something that was never suppose to have happened if the right thing was done by the people who brought me to the country,” Madu said in a live broadcast on his Facebook page.
According to the movie star, there was security negligence despite concerns raised.
“As a matter of fact I underestimated my popularity. They never imagined I would pull such crowd with my presence. So adequate security measures were not made knowing fully well that their country is a volatile place. ” he went on.
I WAS TAKEN TO A RED ZONE WITHOUT SECURITY
While in Bamenda, Madu explained that he was taken to a red zone in the crisis hit town without any form of security.
“There is a whole lot of commotion of crisis going on and from all i gathered while I was there are 3 zones. There is the green zone, the yellow zone and the red zone you don’t just go there. I was a stranger and there is no way I would have known that where they were taking me to that night is the red zone and without security after much questioning trying to find out from them.
“Seeing what happened on the first day – the kind of crowd I pulled, almost all streets were blocked, traffic everywhere. For any reason, a sensible organizer would know that this man is not ordinary and take security measures,” stated Madu
He revealed that nothing was done to ensure his safety during the relaxation outing, despite all assurances given.
“Many things that were said to me- messages, voice notes and others, out of a 100% it was 0%. Nothing was done,” he revealed.
CONDOLENCE MESSAGE TO VICTIMS
While narrating the sad experience, the movie star extended a condolence message to the families and friends who lost their loved ones during the attack.
“I would like to send my deep condolence to those families whose loved ones lost their lives. I would like to say the Almighty God will console them, give them the heart to bear the loses.It is rather unfortunate it happened when it was never suppose to happen,” he said.
MY HEART BEATS WHEN I THINK ABOUT BAMENDA
“It was a long night that I do not ever wish to recall. Such black night in Cameroon that beats my heart makes me feel sad each time I think about it. But I thank God and really not forgetting everyone that came to my aid.”
Madu, extending words of appreciation to one of Cameroon’s movie stars, debunked widely circulated claims that he was brought to Cameroon by Alenne Menget.
“Alenne was not the one who brought me to Bamenda.I only stopped by his place to eat before moving to Bamenda and I sincerely do appreciate his efforts for ensuring that I get justice. I see some posts of people threatening him but he is not the one who brought me to Bamenda,” said Madu.
“The person who brought me to Bamenda is Dama films who failed to do what he said he was going to do.”
GOVERNMENT SHOULDN’T SCARE MOVIE INVESTORS
After regaining freedom and returning to his country, Nigeria, Madu advised the Government of Camerooon not to scare away movie investors with counter-productive actions.
“I have come to know that some people just go to prison for what they did not do. The Cameroonian Government should know that some of these things can shy away investors who want to do business in the Country because you cannot bring money to invest in a country and yet you are suffering,” he said.
Madu added that, “These things can discourage film making with foreign actors because if you tell them you are going to Cameroon they will say No because of one man’s negligence, ignorance and incompetence.”
He regrets that, “I left while the producer was still detained for what he knows Nothing about.”
“How can a young man who brought money for a project to be done to improve the economy of the country now be suffering? he questioned, pleading with authorities to release those held in detention.
“Sincerely I plead with the Cameroonian Government, the Bamenda administration to please consider that man’s case and every other person that is there. It was an act of mistake and we do learn everyday.
“There is nothing bad if the Cameroon film industry becomes like that of Nigeria,” he sounded, cautioning authorities not to destroy the industry.
MOVIES TAKE YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS OUT OF THE STREET
According to Madu, movie production is a moral booster as it relates stories that can take out young boys and girls from the street.
“Where movies are constantly produced, it atleast helps in taking girls and boys away from the street. I believe ‘Abakwa’ will be a big hit if we allow these things to strive.”
Owing to the security challenges in Cameroon, he added that, “Movies can be produced in a volatile country because the story touches on things that are happening in the society that can curbed such as drug addiction, child abuse, sexual abuse, child trafficking, human trafficking, human parts trafficking all of these things the movie ‘Abakwa’ addresses it.
“These are things that happen in all societies around the world but somebody needs to talk about it either verbally or through representation so that people can be stopped +people like and believe what they see than what they hear. We only came to interpret a story but some people were offended.”
“Look at the program, we came to hold the drug addiction campaign. That was my utmost desire that on Tuesday we were to hit two schools to talk to them about drug addiction because we know most of these drug addiction thing starts from schools but it was cut short,” he regretted.
