THE LEGALITY OF MODELLING AS A JOB, AND THE LABOUR ACT IN NIGERIA

 

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 Ahh Models…the skinny, pretty faced young woman with most of her body (mostly bones) on display with sometimes surprisingly petite curves to match, strutting in the latest designer gowns and accessories on the runway, giving her best fierce look for the camera…yes models used for all sorts of advertising campaigns which we love to ogle at as we drive around Lagos…Models…bought and sold matching well with expensive cars and gold. 

I have worked in the fashion and modelling scenes of Nigeria for more than a decade to know that these individuals are not treated as actual workers as provided for by the Labour Act as applicable in Nigeria, and the these models have constantly been served the short end or no stick at all. Section 91 of the Labour Act, specifically defines a worker and nowhere did it state that “…you may exploit the youth of Nigeria and not pay them…just tell them it’s for their publicity…” naah it didn’t…and there apparently aren’t enough people being sued for this mindless and unprofessional practice.

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I came across an advert for models just the other day, and it specifically requested for “Volunteer models” and I wondered maybe it was for charity, but on reading further I realised that these models were being sourced to be used for a commercial shoot for a bridal brand….something wrong is going on here….why are brands being coached to believe that they can by-pass paying models they use for their advert campaigns…where are the advert agencies? Where are the modelling agencies and the people that understand that in marketing you don’t rob the Golden Goose of its Golden eggs, there simply aren’t any more Agbani’s out there willing to enter for a beauty pageant…you only find the dry boned wannabe types wobbling on stage with poorly fitted dresses… “Queens” they are called at the end of the day… there’s nothing more queer than that…anyway I digress  where are the proper contracts being signed and the model release agreements? 

Backyard business is now the norm in modelling and that is why the few working modelling agencies in Nigeria need to peddle our girls abroad with the hopes that they will get work on the fashion weeks, where the icons of the world of modelling walk…nawa ooh! 

Is there an industry for these models to actually reap from their hard work within Nigeria? I often observe that the models are treated badly by the numerous clients they offer their sweat and blood to promote, who in turn take them for granted, for there is a constant supply of skinny young girls and muscle men that seek instant fame, milking them dry of their looks till they look like “Old Models” of their former selves, sad…but are these models ready to learn? Very few of them seek to go to school to better themselves…which I advise anyway…you can’t help but feel sorry for them; queuing up in the hot sun at casting calls…you might think it’s a refugee camp.

I am yet to hear of sexual harassment suits against agents or managers who sleep with and pimp out little girls to “clients” or any Labour law suits on the non-payment of models wages as in my calculation a model with a signed contract to work for an agency is a Worker in the legal definition of the word (Section 91 Labour Act), this is the education I am serving out to the ignorant out there, as I will NOT hesitate to handle any legal matter concerning the breach of acontract of this nature, the slavery must end, and I see the “Modelling Industry” in Nigeria is ripe for a wave of class action suits that will at least stop the nonsense that’s ruining our young ladies and robbing them of hopes of a self-made life of success…you hear the sob stories and wonder what kind of society we are creating for the future ones, isn’t this present Government about change? Well I drop my pen at this point…whew!!! Y’all skunks got me worked up!!!