Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has called on celebrities and movie producers to put an end to child labour in the entertainment industry.
In a recent video she shared on her Instagram page, the actress spoke about the exploitation of young girls and how it can negatively affect their mental and physical wellbeing. Daniel noted that she understands how dangerous the industry is for women, and she was only spared—to a certain level—because of the influence of her mom.
In addition to the physical strain, Daniels also highlighted the emotional toll that young women can face. She noted that young guys can defend themselves, but young girls will always be at the mercy of society, which may expose them to trauma or emotional distress.
The actress recounted the story of a young girl she met on a movie set and how she was forced to help the girl given the girl’s age and ordeal.
The little lady said that she had left home to work in Delta, even though her parents were based in Port Harcourt. She admitted that she had slept in a variety of hotels with both male and female guests and that she occasionally faced harassment from them.
She called on her colleagues to help put a stop to child labour in the industry and thus protect the interest and safety of young girls, and to promote ethical practises in filmmaking.
She said in parts, “There is something I want to share; it’s a story I wouldn’t like to share, but I have to because there are things that I can’t find an end to alone. It takes a collective effort. I met a young girl on a movie set; she said she was the make-up artist on set. When I asked her why she isn’t in school, she said her parents are in Port Harcourt and told me she sleeps in different hotels. I could immediately feel she was losing it. I told her to go back to her parents and that I would sponsor her. She told me she has been working with different celebrities and crew members, and I began to wonder if these celebrities are useless.
Most of these movie producers end up sleeping with such ladies. I took her to one of the best schools in Delta State. The society is bad as it is, and we know that young girls are at the messy bottom of society (the underprivileged ones). I urge other celebrities to not encourage child labor.”
