In an exclusive interview with www.nollywoodgists.com Emeka Duru explain to us why he petitioned AGN on Ini Edo. Enjoy it:

Can you give an account of what led to Ini Edo's ban?

Ini Edo was on a movie location that I managed. The movie is entitled 'The Most Wanted Bachelor' produced by Get Rich Productions. On the first day of the movie production when we were supposed to be on set but Ini told me she would be coming late because she had a police case. I gave her a whole day off. I told her to resume at the movie location by 9.00am the next day. But she did not show
up until mid day.

There was another instance when I called her that she is expected to be on set in Surulere. She promised to come but Ini switched off her phones and she did not
come to the location that day. She came the next day and I told her for delaying production she has to pay us a fine of twenty thousand naira. Her reply was that
she would not talk to me because I am a bloody production man. She said she can only talk to the executive producer. Though I made sure the matter ended like that and we kept shooting.

On the last day of the shoot we had worked for about twelve days. We were supposed to shoot an office scene. On that location we artistes like Mike Ezurunoye, Uche Jombo, Uche Elendu, Monalisa Chinda, Justus Esiri and other artistes. I had to plan the shooting in such a way that non of the artistes would
feel bad that he or she is not being attended to. I made sure we shot the scenes at random. Initially we had planned to shoot overnight to make sure we ended
the production. I pleaded with her to report to the location by 6.00pm. she came and we started shooting.

She had two scenes left and she was to do a voice over. she shot a scene and I told her to go and change but to my surprise to executive producer called my
attention that Ini was leaving the location. I looked through the window and I saw her driving off. The executive producer and I followed her with his bus but we couldn't catch up with her. We both called her at different times and her phones were switched off. I later called Uche Jombo who told me they were at Rock
View Hotel in Festac Town. We drove down to the hotel claiming we were guests but I think Ini had instructed that we should not be allowed into the hotel. While at
gate the Executive Producer called my attention to her car which had been covered by a tarpaulin. I immediately created a scene and the manager of the hotel came and confirmed that Ini Edo was a guest in the hotel but she is not expecting any visitor. He advised that we call her on her mobile phones. I made the man to understand that her phones were switched off. We returned to location that day but we all felt embarrassed and insulted by Ini's action.

The next day the movie director, Afam Okerere called Uche Jombo to inform Ini to go to Surulere to do the voice over but she did not call or come to the movie
location.

I reported the case to the national president of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) who told me to make a formal presentation of complaint. I wrote a petition to that effect.
She was summoned to a panel on 16th of April by 12 noon. She did not come until 2.25pm. The chairman of the committee, who also doubles as the nation secretary of AGN gave her a grace of one hour thirty minutes. By 2.25pm the committee took an action to ban her.

Aside being indicipline were there other reasons for her being banned?
No.

But there were insinuations that she was drinking and smoking on set?

I don't have any business with what anyone takes. What I am concerned with is movie production as long it does not affect movie production. But I will frown at
any artiste who does not take his or her job serious. Ini's disposition to her job as become an attitude of sort. I have only acted who is professional about his job.