The President, Entertainment Database, and a Nigerian flautist, Omatshola Iseli aka Tee Mac, has called on the federal government to provide COVID-19 palliatives to Nigerian entertainers.

Tee Mac, who made this call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said Nigerian entertainers were worst hit by the restrictions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, with night clubs and multipurpose halls shut down and live shows banned, entertainers like musicians, actors, and comedians have been hugely affected.

Tee Mac said palliatives must be extended to entertainers as it was done in Europe and the United States.

“Nigerian entertainers are suffering. If the government bans live shows, night clubs and multipurpose halls from operating, they should also cushion the effect on entertainers who were not working by providing palliatives.

“In 2020, we were told that some money was earmarked as COVID-19 palliative for Nigerian entertainers but up till now, no musician, comedian, or actor has received any dime as palliative.

“This is disheartening, and I plead with the government to wade into this issue promptly because Nigerian entertainers are really suffering.”

Continuing, he noted, “In Switzerland, every musician gets $3,000 per month. In the United States of America, they get $1,500 per month while musicians in the United Kingdom get £1,500. This is because their well-being is prioritised.

“Nigeria should not be an exemption. The well-being of musicians, comedians, visual artists, and actors must be placed on the front burner.”

Tee Mac noted that there were over 400,000 professional musicians in Nigeria and about 1.2 million amateur musicians suffering due to the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The group of people who have suffered the most during this COVID-19 era are the entertainers. The said COVID-19 palliative should be extended to us,” he said.

(NAN)