In a gathering that saw the industry council of elders convening over legacy, loyalty and influence, some of Nollywood’s most respected veterans assembled to publicly throw their weight behind Hon. Desmond Olushola Elliot and his quest for a fourth term representing Surulere 1 Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The appeal was directed to Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, whose political influence in Surulere remains both historic and deeply symbolic. For the veterans seated at the table, this was not merely about another election cycle. It was about continuity, strategic positioning and rewarding what they described as years of steadfast loyalty and grassroots service.
The room carried the gravitas of Nollywood’s golden era. Veteran actors, filmmakers and cultural voices including Fred Amata, Emeka Ossai, Ejike Asiegbu, Zik Zulu-Okafor, Zeb Ejiro, Ralph Nwadike, Francis Onwochei and Bimbo Manuel were all in attendance as an assembly that underscored just how seriously the entertainment industry is taking Elliot’s political future.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Zik Zulu-Okafor framed the appeal as both political and personal. He reminded attendees of the period when Gbajabiamila’s fifth-term ambition faced stiff resistance, noting that Elliot stood firmly beside him at a critical moment in his political journey. According to him, that unwavering support became part of the foundation that propelled Gbajabiamila to higher national prominence, culminating in his current role as Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
For the veterans, the message was clear that loyalty should not be forgotten.
They argued that another term for Elliot would not simply preserve his seat in the Assembly but elevate his capacity to negotiate stronger developmental outcomes for Surulere. In their view, legislative seniority matter and a fourth term would place him in a more strategic position to influence policy, attract projects and deepen constituency impact.
Elliot’s supporters were quick to reel off what they described as his record of consistency, from social infrastructure projects and educational support initiatives to healthcare interventions, electrification efforts and grassroots empowerment programmes across Surulere.
Veteran filmmaker Zeb Ejiro, revered as one of the architects of modern Nollywood, described Elliot as a bridge between entertainment and governance and a public figure whose political journey has become a source of pride for the film industry itself. According to Ejiro, Elliot’s years in office have provided experience that would greatly benefit the people of Surulere 1 constituency, while simultaneously projecting Nollywood’s influence beyond cinema screens and into policy making corridors.
In many ways, the gathering revealed something larger than a routine endorsement meeting. It was a portrait of an industry defending one of its own; not with glamour or red carpets, but with the language of political strategy, institutional memory and calculated succession.
