Nollywood actor, Francis Duru, has denied being paid to campaign for President Goodluck Jonathan’s ambition in the forthcoming 2011 elections.

Contrary to reports that the light skinned actor, Duru, with over 50 Nollywood stars, collected N300, 000 each to campaign for President Jonathan, some of the actors have denied the claim. They said they joined the campaign team because they believe Jonathan is the man that can bring positive change in Nigeria.

The star actor said: “It’s funny to see how my colleagues have embraced this project. It’s so amazing that these people left their busy schedules and time just to do this for the cause they believe in. They were not paid a dime for what they are doing. As a matter of fact, they are all doing it for their love, support and belief in the man. And for me, Jonathan is the man, I have seen him, met him, seen his works and I know he deserves to handle the baton.”

The project, which is coordinated by the actor and Richard Ossai, motivated by Hon. Ned Nwoko and supported by the Sea Petroleum and Gas boss, Stella Odua, has been designed to help propagate the goodwill of Jonathan’s presidential ambition.

Managed by the Naija Artistes for Goodluck with an umbrella body, Goodluck Campaign Group, top Nigerian actresses and actors have supported the project.

While 31 make-believe stars recently completed a video shoot with the theme song Goodluck 2011, produced by award winning producer, Cobhams Asuquo, 20 Nigerian musicians have also produced a heart warming song for the presidential campaign with the same theme, Goodluck 2011.

Top Nigerian music acts that participated include the award winning gospel singer, Sammie Okposo, African Chyna, Daddy Showkey, Zaaki Adzee and Tosin Martins .

Also in the team are Linc and Yul Edochie, Yemi Blaq, Mercy Aigbe, Ejike Asiegbu, Uche Iwuji, Chinyere Winifred, Uche Obodo, Emmanuella Njudigbo, Maureen Solomon, Tony Umez, Emeka Enyiocha, Benita Nzeribe, Anne Macaulay and several top Northern-based Nigerian actors .

Desmond Elliot, Ufuoma Ejenobor, Ngozi Nwosu, Nonso Diobi, Clem Ohameze and Femi Brainard are also among the MSquad crew to shoot a video for the song

Winifred said: “I believe so much in the candidacy of Jonathan Goddluck and that is why I have thrown my weight behind this project. Aside that, we entertainers are serious minded people that have been neglected and we feel this is the time to take our own destiny in our hands and vote for the man we believe can do the job for us.”

Ebube Nwagbo, Uche Iwuji and Emmanuella Njudigbo also said their support for the project simply means they are casting their votes for no other person than the Bayelsa State born- professor.

Femi Brainard and Desmond Elliot, also expressed their delight to be part of the campaign.

“I decided to join the train because I think it’s a noble venture. Aside that, the man has a good record because what Bayelsa is today, President Jonathan was part of it, when he was a deputy governor and governor of the state. So for him to be the next president simply means he would be continuing his act of governance which is quite exemplary,” said Femi Brainard.

Also commenting on the project, Desmond Elliot said: “Of course I believe strongly in the cause and that is why I have thrown my weight behind it. We all have choices to make and this is my choice. No doubt I would be voting for Jonathan.”

The Goodluck Campaign group is under the auspices of Barrister Gullac, who has been working round the clock to achieve success with the Nigerian entertainers.

So, it seems sometimes it really does all work out alright on the night.

Robinho might have perfectly performed the role of 'trouble-maker' for much of his two year stay at Manchester City (and towards the end of his prior stay at Real Madrid) but the one-time £32.5 million man still managed to spend the majority of 2010 where he wanted to be - on loan at home club Santos, and on full pay - and then subsequently engineer a move to his preferred destination, Milan.

Some people get all the luck.

The 26-year-old now joins a strikeforce at San Siro that threatens to share many of his interests — with both Ronaldinho and fellow new-boy Zlatan Ibrahimovic not averse to a little social unrest. But Robinho also becomes a member of a more exclusive (but even less prestigious) club; that of the world-class players who
have failed to live up to their reputations during a stay in the Premier League.

England's top flight prides itself (to the mockery of some onlookers) on its unique, all-action nature, but clearly it is not everyone's cup of tea.


Robinho
Manchester City (2008-10)
£32.5m

The Brazilian international hardly hit the right note from the start, admitting his pleasure at signing for Chelsea — despite the Blues (who also announced the transfer a little presumptuously) being beaten out by the newly cash-rich Eastlands club.

His goalscoring record (14 goals in the 30 league games of his one full season at the club) stands up to comparison, but his attitude off the pitch and generally unsettling nature caused ructions throughout the club
Starring for the national team, and Santos during his loan spell, only angered City fans used to watching his less-than-robust work ethic week in, week out. Now moving to a third big European league with Milan, it would surprise many to see him get back to his best form.







Andriy Shevchenko
Chelsea (2006-09)
£31m

One of Milan's greatest ever players — indeed, the second highest scorer in the club's history — Roman Abramovich's love for the Ukrainian forward led to Chelsea paying more millions than his age (then 29) to grab his signature back in 2006.

It proved a wasted pursuit. Shevchenko had his moments in the capital, and did score a number of goals, but never at the level both fans and the club expected. Loaned back to Milan after two injury-ravaged and uninspiring seasons, he even struggled at his former stomping ground.

Finally leaving the Blues and rejoining first love Dynamo Kiev in the summer of 2009, it seems his unfortunate period in the Premier League was a much a result of being past his best as a failure to adapt to the league's special rigours.


Diego Forlan
Manchester United (2002-04)
£6.9m

Certain, shall we say, more ignorant sections of the English media might never let the Uruguayan forget what an unmitigated disaster his stay at Old Trafford was.

And, to be fair, it wasn't the best, as Forlan started off with a goalscoring drought for ages (which led to the now-classic nickname, "Diego Forlorn". But he had his moments — a double in a victory against Liverpool, and a long-range volley at Chelsea that hinted at his future success as an all-round marksman — despite an eventual record of 17 goals in 95 games.

A move to Villarreal followed, and soon so did successive European golden boot awards, as Forlan took to La Liga like a duck to water and scored goals wth reckless abandon. English football continued to ridicule him, however, until a Europa League trophy and Golden Ball award at this summer's World Cup finally put to rest any lingering questions about his quality.

Seems the Premier League — and remember he was only 23 at the time — just wasn't for him. Sometimes it's really that simple.

Juan Sebastian Veron
Manchester United (2001-03), Chelsea (2003-04)
£28.1m, £15m

The daddy of all Premier League flops? Veron became a renowned star in a title-winning campaign in Serie A with Lazio, and then cemented his reputation late in his career with a trophy-winning turn at home club Estudiantes — but in between those twin high points he was a colossal waste of money at both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.

'The Little Witch' failed to adapt to the pace of the game in England, with his usual faultless range of passing seeming to disappear in two difficult seasons on these shores. Chelsea then helped United recoup some of their loses (very kind of them) in the hope they could bring out the best of him — in the process making him the most expensive footballer in history (cumulative transfers) — but again, Veron failed to sparkle (despite a promising start).

After a while even they cut their losses, and he was loaned out to Inter as the club tried to sweep his period at the club under the rug. Forgettable.

Fernando Morientes
Liverpool (2005-06)
£9.3m
Morientes seemed to have left his talent at Real Madrid when he left the club, looking a shadow of the player that was such an effective foil for Raul upon touching down in Liverpool.

Just five goals in his one full season at Anfield (having joined the club in January 2005) was a poor return, and he was quickly sent back home with Valencia for a mere £3m as Rafa Benitez looked to cut his losses.

What is worse, Morientes was cup-tied for the Reds' successful 2005 Champions League run, so the only trophy he won while on Merseyside was the 2006 FA Cup — in which his appearance in the final was only as a second half substitute.

Jose Antonio Reyes
Arsenal (2004-07)
£10m (potentially rising to £17m)
Another who got off to a bright start in England, but quickly and disappointingly failed to keep up that standard as time went on.

Reyes, a shy boy from humble Romani beginnings in Seville, looked a likely star while playing as a teenager for his hometown club, but couldn't adapt to the new surroundings and attentions of England and its football when the Gunners decided it was his time to be groomed.

Arsene Wenger persevered with the expensive acquisition for a number of years, before finally admitting defeat as he posted him off to Real Madrid on loan. He similarly failed to impressive at the Bernabeu, but city rivals Atletico took a chance on him nonetheless at the end of the 2006-07 season.

Only now — three years and a loan spell at Benfica later — are los Colchoneros finally seeing some sort of return on their investment. Arsenal, however, never will.

Marco Materazzi
Everton (1998-99)
£2.8m

Show me an Everton fan that tipped Materazzi to eventually become a World Cup winner after his one year at Goodison Park, and I'll show you a bare-faced liar.

The centre-back may have remembered as uncompromising throughout his subsequently successful career (where he also won numerous Serie A titles and a Champions League with Inter), but he struggled horribly with discipline during his time in the Premier League which quickly annoyed Toffees' fans, who also had questions about his pace and timing.

His quality on the ball and efficiency in the tackle was already in evidence, however, which helped the club realise a small profit on the player when they sold him back to former club Perugia. Rumours abounded that the Italian hated Liverpool — his wife even suggesting she was scared to go outside — and he would go on to carve a fine career for himself back in his homeland.


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