Majid Defends American Actor Morris Chesnutt In Nigeria

Ghanaian actor Majid Michel has defended American actor Morris Chestnut over comments the latter had allegedly made about the Eko Hotel in Lagos, where they had been lodging.

Morris and Hollywood pals Rockmond Dunbar, Jimmy Jean Louis, Lynn Whitfield, and actress Maya Gilbert arrived in Nigeria on the invitation of African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).

Not long after, local newspaper reports said that Morris refused his Eko Hotel and Suites accommodation, describing it as ‘crappy’ and expressing displeasure at the standard of the hotel.

He was quoted as having said “…it is crappy…I am displeased at the standard of the hotel”.

On Saturday, April 21 2012 organizers of the AMAAs held a press conference to clear the air on the purported comments.

Chestnut’s management categorically denied the allegations at the conference.

The Hollywood officials said they were comfortable with the hotel and loved its ocean view.

Chestnut was late to the press conference organized at the Eko Hotel but he told journalists that he was comfortable.

“It is an amazing hotel and hospitable,” he said.

It is Morris’s first time in Africa and he described his experience as “nice”.

Majid Michel was the only African to share the high table with the Americans alongside AMAA representatives.

When he was given the opportunity to talk, he appreciated the fact that he was given the chance to sit with the Hollywood personalities.

He also proceeded to defend Chestnut in his own style. He said he was first at the Eko Hotel in 2006 as part of another AMAA event.

He continued on a lighter note by saying, “but journalists are always writing stuff, we can’t stop them. Keep writing until the day you die. Write what you want, make your money; bring twenty percent to us if you make the money. Nothing is wrong here, this is a wonderful hotel. I don’t know what they are writing about the hotel. They are always writing fake stories, fiction, negative stuff, I don’t know why but be careful.”

However, a section of Nollywood press got peeved at Majid’s comments.

AMAA representatives had to coax them into accepting that he was just joking after they demanded an apology.    

credit: NEWS-ONE