Nollywood actress and comedienne, Etinosa Idemudia, during the week on Instagram page says it was more important to give asthmatic patients free inhalers, instead of giving free sanitary pads to women.
Making clarification on her statement in an interview with Saturday Beats, she explained that she was not trying to discredit the push for free sanitary pads for indigent women.
She said, “Asthma is so difficult to live with. When I was 11, I had high hopes that I would outgrow it but I never did. It annoys me that the awareness on asthma in a country as affected as Nigeria is so low. One could walk into a pharmacy and not see inhalers. There are also times when one’s inhaler wouldn’t work. At times like that, panic could kill one faster than the attack itself.
“I am not against anybody’s cause. I only stated my preference on my page. I prefer rice to beans does not mean I am against beans. A public call was made for people to join the cause (for free sanitary pads) but I declined, stating my reasons. My value system favours saving lives over holding blood and that shouldn’t be a problem. All of us cannot have the same interests, so it’s fine to agree to disagree.”
She added, “I love the girl child. I am a woman and I have a daughter. My latest movie, ‘Charlie Charlie’, seeks to protect the girl child by raising awareness on drugs and human trafficking, with emphasis on Edo State, which is one of the most affected places when it comes to human trafficking.”
Etinosa also said, “People need to realise that I am a non-conformist. I will not go with the crowd or do something because everybody is doing it. Rather, I will ask questions until I make my decision based on reason, not sentiments. A lot of Nigerians are sentimental but I am not that way. I derive my peace from the conviction I have about certain things. I don’t settle (for less).”