Nasty Fight Between Idikoko & Socrates

THERE WAS a nasty fight between two movie producers, Idikoko and Socrates Safo, at last Thursday’s meeting of the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG).

NEWS-ONE gathered that Idikoko, President of FIPAG, got enraged when the association’s Public Relations Officer, Socrates Safo, attempted to question why Idikoko, instead of the association’s treasurer, was in charge of keeping money.

“This is not the first time they are fighting. There was a time they used to fight and scream until Diana Hopson moved from the MUSIGA office and crossed over to their meeting and ask them to calm down.

“But last Thursday’s episode was too nasty. Socrates was shouting at Idikoko to stop walking around carrying the association’s money in a black nylon bag under his armpit when they have a treasurer elected purposely for that task, but Idikiko also stood his ground that Socrates was fond of showing disrespect to the president and this was what brought the fight,” a NEWS-ONE source said.

“During the scuffle, we heard them yelling, banging on tables, throwing chairs and trading insults but Idikoko, at a point, sounded as if he was actually crying as his voice was breaking. You know Socrates is loud and knows how to run you down with his mouth so he was having a field day,” the source explained.

Another source at the FIPAG meeting confirmed the incident and said that even before Idikoko arrived and the money issue came up, Socrates had grumbled aloud about the attitude of the president and what he found unacceptable about it.

“We were not surprised at what happened because the way Socrates was talking before the meeting started, it was clear there was going to be war when Idikoko arrived, and he too did not handle the issue well and that was what brought the fight between them,” the source disclosed.

A few weeks after assuming office as FIPAG president last year, Idikoko, known in private life as Augustine Abbey, was reported to have accused Socrates Safo and the then Copyright Administrator, Bernard Bosumprah, of blatant cheating and perpetuating fraud.

Idikoko complained that he had noticed several discrepancies in the financial accounts of FIPAG as he went through the association’s documents when he assumed office as president.

The fraud, Idikoko alleged, was being perpetrated through the National Anti-Piracy Committee made up of Ghanaian actors and movie producers, which was established to fight piracy and to account to its members’ revenues accrued from the sale of stickers.

Still on FIPAG, NEWS-ONE has picked signals that the Kumasi branch of the association may soon announce a breakaway group.

A source close to the Kumasi group said they had resolved to stop attending FIPAG meetings in Accra because their views were never respected and decisions they took at meetings never got implemented.

“There is pure discrimination and selfish interest among our leadership and no one can talk about it because you would be sabotaged. The association is just full of selfish businessmen who do not care about the movie industry; they only care about their individual movies,” the source revealed.