Emmanuel Okhuelegbe, the Lagos-based filmmaker who owns Signature Film Studio, is yet to pay wages of actors he hired in February 2023.

Days before the February 25 presidential election, Okhuelegbe had gathered the actors at the Caleb British International School in Lekki, Lagos, to shoot a scene.

He earlier negotiated to pay some of them N5,000, while others were promised N7,000 and N10,000.

A deal that was supposed to be closed in one day has now dragged on for eight months, and the actors have expressed frustration.

In a chat with FIJ, some of the actors said they were brought to the set by Lekan Lafinji, an agent who works with Okhuelegbe, and they were made to shoot all day until late in the night when the school management had to take students back into hostels.

READ ALSO: Movie Producer John Attah Commences Actors’ Payments After FIJ’s Story

“We asked for our money, but the agent and filmaker kept telling us that they would pay, and that their budget was stretched because they had to reshoot some scenes,” the actors told FIJ. “When people complained, they only gave us N500 to buy food.

“We were asking for our money, and they said we would be paid when we came for a reshoot because they were not able to complete their shoot.

“They fixed a reshoot for Egbeda and paid some actors for the Lekki and Egbeda shoots, but those of us who only came for the Lekki shoot did not get paid.”

On September 22, FIJ called Okhuelegbe, but it was not until a day later that he was willing to speak on the matter.

We sent him a WhatsApp message on September 23, and he told us his phone was stolen and he wanted to comment only when his shoot was complete. Soon after we sent him questions, he called us to tell his side of the story.

READ ALSO: After FIJ’s Story, Yellow Brick Road Pays MTN Advert Actors Owed Since March

“We used those actors,” Okhuelegbe confirmed to FIJ. “And I never disputed they were used for the shoot. Some were invited for a reshoot, we increased their pay and they witnessed it. The budget was strained.

“We paid for equipment, gadget and school. We used Caleb British School and paid for fuel, and also to secure the school. At the end of the day, the shoot wasn’t completed. The purpose of that budget was defeated.

“It took us extra time to raise money to complete the scene, and we invited people. I told them I would pay when the movie was out, and if I didn’t, they should hold me responsible.”

Okhuelegbe said he had planned for the movie to be released in the first week of October and promised to pay the actors afterwards. He also told FIJ he would address the actors.

He told FIJ he would speak to the owed actors on October 6 but failed to do so. He later told FIJ he was set to finish filming by October 10 and would address them afterwards.

On Wednesday, October 11, Okhuelegbe again told FIJ he was still filming and would finish on October 22. He again promised to speak with the actors but failed to do so.