Lawyer makes case for law to protect Child Actors

Entertainment Lawyer, Rockson Igelige has called on the National
Assembly to put forth a legal framework for the protection of child
actors in the country.

Iglige in a statement made available to Vanguard said the call
was upon the recent invitation by the Senate President Bukola
Saraki to popular seven-year old child female comedienne,
Emmanuella Samuel, to the upper Legislative Chamber, be a catalyst
to putting a proper legal framework for Child Actors in place in
Nigeria.

Saying that the invitation and recognition of Emmanuella should
be the basis for enactment of a Child Actors’ Law in Nigeria as in
other countries cited the California Child Actor’s Bill (also known
as Coogan Act or Coogan Bill) designed since 1939 to safeguard a
portion of child performers’ earnings for when they enter
adulthood.

The lawyer emphasized that a bill such as the Child Actor’s Bill
is long overdue in Nigeria adding that such a Bill is necessary as
a response to the plight of such successful Child-actors like
Emmanuella and others who earn millions of naira only to discover,
upon reaching adulthood, that their parent or managers had spent
almost all of their money.

He said: “this discovery has always led to stars taking their
parents or managers to court over money they earned as child actors
being pilfered or mismanaged. Examples of such stars whose fruits
of their early careers were squandered by their parents include
Gary Coleman, Mischa Barton, Macaulay Culkin, Dominique Moceanu,
LeAnn Rimes, Mimi Gibson, Shirley Temple and Jackie Coogan among
others”.

In another vein, Igelige strongly advised the Nigeria Senate to
be futuristic in their Law making like their counter part in the
Western World. According to him,” Child` Actors law has been in
existence since 1939 or so. The “Coogan Law,” in California was
created in response to the misfortune of Jackie Coogan. Jackie
Coogan was an extremely successful child television star who
started his career in the days of Charlie Chaplin. Upon turning 18,
Coogan discovered that his mother and stepfather had legally
squandered all of his earnings.

The Child Actors` law or Act should be put in place now to
safeguard the future of our young actors in Nigeria as regards
their wealth and education. “We don`t need another of Jackie
Coogan`s experience to prompt us to act. Who knows? There might be
cases of Jackie Coogan among us here in Nigeria at the moment,”
Igelige submitted.

Entertainment Lawyer, Rockson Igelige has called on the National
Assembly to put forth a legal framework for the protection of child
actors in the country.

Iglige in a statement made available to Vanguard said the call
was upon the recent invitation by the Senate President Bukola
Saraki to popular seven-year old child female comedienne,
Emmanuella Samuel, to the upper Legislative Chamber, be a catalyst
to putting a proper legal framework for Child Actors in place in
Nigeria.

Saying that the invitation and recognition of Emmanuella should
be the basis for enactment of a Child Actors’ Law in Nigeria as in
other countries cited the California Child Actor’s Bill (also known
as Coogan Act or Coogan Bill) designed since 1939 to safeguard a
portion of child performers’ earnings for when they enter
adulthood.

The lawyer emphasized that a bill such as the Child Actor’s Bill
is long overdue in Nigeria adding that such a Bill is necessary as
a response to the plight of such successful Child-actors like
Emmanuella and others who earn millions of naira only to discover,
upon reaching adulthood, that their parent or managers had spent
almost all of their money.

He said: “this discovery has always led to stars taking their
parents or managers to court over money they earned as child actors
being pilfered or mismanaged. Examples of such stars whose fruits
of their early careers were squandered by their parents include
Gary Coleman, Mischa Barton, Macaulay Culkin, Dominique Moceanu,
LeAnn Rimes, Mimi Gibson, Shirley Temple and Jackie Coogan among
others”.

In another vein, Igelige strongly advised the Nigeria Senate to
be futuristic in their Law making like their counter part in the
Western World. According to him,” Child` Actors law has been in
existence since 1939 or so. The “Coogan Law,” in California was
created in response to the misfortune of Jackie Coogan. Jackie
Coogan was an extremely successful child television star who
started his career in the days of Charlie Chaplin. Upon turning 18,
Coogan discovered that his mother and stepfather had legally
squandered all of his earnings.

The Child Actors` law or Act should be put in place now to
safeguard the future of our young actors in Nigeria as regards
their wealth and education. “We don`t need another of Jackie
Coogan`s experience to prompt us to act. Who knows? There might be
cases of Jackie Coogan among us here in Nigeria at the moment,”
Igelige submitted.