Michael Afenfia: And the Oscar goes to…Dino Melaye!

If you are a Nigerian actor above 40, you should be very afraid right now. I’m talking Ramsey Noah, Segun Arinze, Fred Amata, Femi Branch, Jim Iyke, or even Richard Mofe-Damijo. Your position as leading men in Nollywood is seriously under threat, and the principal contender is not AY the comedian-turned-actor and movie producer.

Though relatively new to the acting scene in the country and not previously identified as an entertainer but an activist, this newcomer, from what we glean from his rising profile as an actor, is more than prepared to give all of the old guys a run for their money.

The person I’m referring to has a lot of things going for him that would guarantee him a meteoric rise in the industry, should he decide to moonlight or go full throttle into acting on stage or for television.

Firstly, he is highly connected politically and if the garish display of affluence and wealth we see on social media represents the true test of his finances, then this guy is loaded. So much so, he may not need the assistance of the Bank of Industry or the USAID to fund his movie projects or kick-start his career as an actor.

Do you wish to know another thing? This guy is a not only connected politically, he is himself a politician. In fact he operates at the highest levels of political leadership in the country, you know those ones they sometimes refer to as untouchable. He is a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, should he ever need the cooperation or collaboration of the BOI or any other federal government agency for his future movie project, that should be a walk in the park for him. All he has to do is mention it to his colleagues in the senate and they would be summoned to appear before the House or the committee of the Senate for Nollywood.

Did I mention his looks? Not shabby at all. His fashion sense is impeccable and his face on posters will surely sell DVDs. To cap it all, he is tall and built like a WWE wrestler. When it comes to biceps, I tell you The Rock and John Cena have nothing on him.

How about his experience on television? I would say considerable. He has appeared on a good number of televised sittings of the house where he vociferously lambasted positions taken by the executive arm of government. Before then, he was a well-known opposition figure against the previous administration, so I would say the cameras love him and his fearless rhetoric.

Above all, and this is why Nollywood should take note: this guy is a triple threat. He can sing. He can dance. He can act. And wait for this – he does his own stunts! When his first single, “Aje kun iya ni o je,” was released last year, I watched it over and over and over again. I had not yet become tired of watching his cameo on Kach’s music video when he dropped a follow-up song, a diss track called “Dis kain God oo.” That voice, those dance moves, how can one man be so blessed?

Only a few weeks ago, he stared next to the Nigeria Police in a series of untitled-but-must-watch short videos that went viral in a matter of hours. In one Oscar-worthy scene, the senator was said to have jumped out of a moving police vehicle. RMD, please let it sink in well – this guy does not need a stuntman or body double. He flew out of a moving vehicle!

All of the above are good qualities for a leading man, no doubt.  I can already see the posters and blockbuster movie titles – “On the Way to Kogi Part 1, 2 & 3,” “Kogi Go Hear Am,” and “Governor and the Senator.”

The only thing we are yet to test is chemistry. Which female actor will play the lead role alongside our leading man? I would give it to Omoni Oboli or maybe even Ireti Doyle. But on second thoughts, I think Genevieve Nnaji would do just fine. For the right price, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind coming out of retirement.