Yes, that’s exactly how Nollywood heavy weights describe the late Oronto douglas. Pride Magazine serves you below a collection of tributes by Nollywood practitioners…
AMAA MOURNS ORONTO DOUGLAS
On behalf of the management and Staff of the African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, I join the family and friends of Late Mr. Oronto Douglas, Special Adviser to the President on Research, Strategy and Documentation, whose sad demise from mother earth happened early morning today Thursday April 10th, 2015.
AMAA as an award organisation has a long history with Mr. Oronto Douglas from his days as the Commissioner of Information in Bayelsa State. He actually midwifed AMAA when the then Governor Depriye Alameyesiegha told him to work on our proposal.
For about 11 years now we have maintained our relationship with this worthy son of Nigeria and environmentalist. The birth of AMAA also marked the beginning of his association with Nollywood, the Nigerian film Industry which Mr. Douglas has partnered and worked with till date.
AMAA and Nollywood will sorely miss him and President Goodluck Jonathan will also miss one of his trusted aides.
We wish his family, friends and close associates the fortitude and grace to bear this irreparable loss.
Signed
Peace Anyiam-Osigwe
Founder, AMAA
He was a good man – Kunle Afolayan
“I feel very sad because really I think he’s a good man and I think he has done a lot to support the entertainment industry. The few encounters I’ve had with him, I perceive a very genuine mind and a good man. That is all I know about him. May his soul rest in peace”.
He was an activist, a very hard working an intelligent man – Okey Bakassi
“His days at the River state University of Science and Technology, he was an activist, a campus journalist, a very hard working and intelligent man. It was not a surprise to me when he rose to become Special Adviser to the president.
He was a hard worker and a good friend of Nollywood. Most people don’t know why Nollywood was very sympathetic to Jonathan. Jonathan did a lot for Nollywood and people like Oronto were among the facilitators. Those are the things I can say about him”.
It’s so sad we’ve lost a friend of the industry – Segun Arinze
He was an amiable person you couldn’t help but like him. He was a great lover of the art and a great writer. He was a member of the association of Nigerian authors (ANA) and he was also a lawyer.
He loved the art and one of the reasons Jonathan was so passionate about the art was because of Oronto’s involvement in it. And I know that he was also part of those who made sure AMAA (African Movie Academy Award) came to Bayelsa. He was one of those that supported it. I think he was a Commissioner then. He was a lover of art.
On a personal level he would take his time to listen to you and find a way of getting solution to your problem. He would never ruffle with anything, no matter how much you panic he will tell you “relax, we will find a way to sort it out”. He was that kind of person. So his death really came to me as a shock. It’s so sad we’ve lost a friend of the industry. All the notable stars worked with him and we found him very, very amiable, a very dependable person that you could call on. He was a brother, he was a friend. It’s so sad to me personally. It is a personal loss”.