Lagos-based actress Glory Baba has accused filmmaker George Okeh of withholding N50,000 of her N70,000 payment for a February shoot, three months beyond their contractual agreement

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ilmmaker Payment Dispute has erupted in Lagos, with actress Glory Baba accusing filmmaker George Okeh of withholding N50,000 from her N70,000 payment for a shoot that took place on February 26.

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This comes three months after the engagement, and significantly beyond the 60-day payment period stipulated in their contract.

Baba explained that she and her sister, Rosemary, worked on set for Okeh’s production company, Unistaworld, on the same day. Their contracts explicitly stated that payments would be made no later than 60 days after the shoot.

However, both actresses only received N20,000 each, a partial payment made well past the agreed deadline.

Okeh made the N20,000 part payment to Glory Baba on May 15, and a similar payment to Rosemary on May 17. This was three months after the shoot, and at least 19 days after the contractually-binding 60-day period (which would have fallen on April 28). While Glory Baba was entitled to N70,000, Rosemary was owed N65,000.

The situation escalated when Rosemary threatened to publish a video describing Okeh as a “thief and debtor.” In response, the filmmaker reportedly told her he had reported the matter to Area G Police Command.

Okeh then stated that for Rosemary to receive her balance, she would have to sign an undertaking before receiving a cheque for her N45,000 balance on June 6.

However, FIJ (Foundation for Investigative Journalism) contacted Okeh on multiple occasions in May, leading to him eventually paying Rosemary on May 26.

When FIJ inquired about when Glory Baba would be paid, Okeh requested more time, claiming he had issued her a cheque a while ago for June 4.

Recounting her frustrating experience, Glory Baba told FIJ, “I and my sister went to work for a production called Unistaworld on the 26th of February. We signed a form that our payment would be received in 60 days; which was a long one.”

She continued, “April 28 represented 60 days, but the man George Jeffery Okeh didn’t stand with his words. He started telling us stories, postponing us and even threatening.

He was putting the word ‘police’ to our faces. He managed to send me N20,000 and said I should go to the police after two weeks to get a cheque.”

Both sisters refused to report to the police station. Okeh then sent them pictures of cheques issued in their names, promising to withdraw them from the police to hand over in person or transfer the money to their accounts on the scheduled cash-in date.

However, when June 4 arrived, things took a different turn. Okeh failed to pay and then claimed that the number ‘4’ was erroneously written on the cheque, and the intention was to write ‘9’, noting their visual similarity.

When FIJ pressed Okeh on Thursday regarding his failure to honour his pledge, he replied, “We are not refusing to her. We paid her N20,000 already. The balance of N50,000 she will get by Monday.

It’s just the mistake from the date we were supposed to get our paycheck in. And if you think N50,000 which is to be cashed by Monday is the biggest case ever to publish about a production company with quite a list of productions to their credit, no problem go ahead.”