Category: Celebrity

Nollywood actress, model and event host, Ify Ubah, worked as a banker before calling it quits to face acting in 2015. In this interview with JOE AGBRO JR., the 26-year-old actress and filmmaker who has starred in movies such as Kemi, Ajo-Obi, Gain Nothing, Beware, Not My Migh

How exactly did acting start?

Well, already I was a model. So, I already had friends who started going into music videos. I was a vixen in Koffi’s video too. And Koffi started producing his comedy TV series which I was part of. So, gradually when you’re in that circle, there would always be information. But because then, I was working, I will get the text message but I won’t be able to show up and things like that. So, it wasn’t really steady but when I finally made the decision, I just had to take this seriously as a career path. That was in 2015.

You studied Banking and Finance at the University of Lagos. How did you veer into acting and modelling?

Yes, I actually worked in a bank (laughs). I gained the banking experience because it’s good to do the theory but the practical is also important. But as I was in banking industry, atimes I would still do my modelling and try out one or two things. so, it’s a passion that has always been burning on the inside and at a particular point, I said ‘Ify, it’s time to make a decision because if you’re in banking industry, you really don’t have time for any other thing.’

When did you leave the bank?

That was first quarter, 2015. I finally made the decision that I should resign and focus on passion, acting.

And how long did you work in the bank?

I was there for three years.

Weren’t you scared making that move?

From school, I was a model and saw that the entertainment industry can be lucrative depends on how you position yourself and what you really want to achieve. So, I wasn’t scared to say I don’t want to do banking. I know it will need me to adjust for a while because of the comfort of the regular allowances and things like that. I think so far, I’m grateful I made the decision. It’s better to make the decision early and adjust early.

So, has acting been paying all the bills now?

(Laughs) It’s not only acting I do but acting on its own has been good and I’m happy. Since I do modelling jobs, event hosting.

So, two years of fulltime acting now. Has the acting world been what you expected?

Yes, it’s been wonderful. I’ve done interesting roles, leads, sub-leads, feature films and cinema movies. It’s been really an experience. I’ve travelled to different parts of Nigeria and meet different people. And learn from them. So, I’m really happy.

Are you looking at going into production?

Yes, I was able to do a short film, ‘Mirable’. Mirabel is the story of a teenage model. She had aspirations to be a model and had to get her father’s approval. Well, the father didn’t want to give her the approval because of his experience with her mother which she did not know because her mother abandoned her to be a model. So, it’s a family movie with its twists and turns.

So, what informed you doing it?

It was a story that a friend brought to me. She was like, ‘Ify, I think since you also say you’ll like to try out filmmaking’ and I just said, ‘fine, let’s just try it.’ And it came out well. It was an experience managing people for six, seven days on a movie set, technical challenges, the camera, location, accommodation, welfare. It’s like you’re the mother of so many toddlers and they’re like, ‘I want this, I want that.’ And I was happy that my crew were so supportive of me. They’re part of the EXCOs of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Lagos.

There is a thing about models being perceived of as women of easy virtues as they get to flaunt their bodies

Well, my first appearance on the runway was in a mesh top. And for people into fashion, if you know what a mesh top is, it’s more like a fish net. But, most people feel nudity is pornography when it comes to modelling but it’s not the same. People in the entertainment industry are among the most disciplined people. I think I can say that because I’ve worked in different sectors. Some of them are really hardworking and that they show parts of their body is for a reason. It’s what the designer wants to do. The body of a model is merely like a ‘hangar.’ It’s like a mannequin. You’re not meant to look at the mannequin. You’re meant to admire the outfit, the art of what the designer is trying to do.

So, how far are you willing to express nudity for art sake?

Yeah, nudity for art sake, it depends on what it’s for. Certainly, it’s not pornography but at least the message should be important. And we should know the target audience and if the audience is ready to receive it. But I think in Nigeria, the entertainment audience are beginning to be more open-minded to see the difference between the two. So, for me, I don’t have an issue on nudity but it should have a reason. A woman should not just go and be nude, either on runway or for photography.

Has there been any reason for you to go nude?

No, I haven’t done any nude job or role. But I don’t frown at it. I know I’ve seen some people that have done it. For me, I really don’t have issues with them.

Is Ify Ubah married, single, divorced or widowed?

I’m single for now but searching hopefully I find someone.

Really? A beautiful lady like you, why?

I have no idea.

Or are you being choosy? What do you look for in a man?

I don’t think I’m overly choosy. What I look for in a man is someone loving, caring, supportive of what I do. Yes, because I know most mentality of most men is they are not too comfortable with the entertainment industry. But for me, you have to be supportive of what I do, encouraging and also God-fearing.

Okay, tell me about growing up?

I was born in Lagos, Ikeja. Growing up, Ify was a quiet person, a bookworm. I still like to read. We’re three, my sister (first born), my brother and me. My sister was mostly in boarding school so, it was just me and my brother in the house. Everyone will say Ify is quiet.  Well, not so many friends when I was growing up. But right now, it’s different. More friends, more outings.

So, you’ve overcome being shy

Most people think I was shy. But I don’t think really I was shy. So, maybe it was something inside that needed to come out but it was taking the opportunity to come out. I guess maybe being in a school like Unilag and having the opportunity to go through the beauty pageantry, maybe, it just brought out something I never knew was inside.

Tell me about the beauty pageantry

Yes, I did Miss Unilag in my first year. You know, when you’re in first year in school, you feel you have all the time in the world. Miss Unilag is usually like an annual thing held by the Student Union. Normally, when I’m walking to class from the hostel, they’re usually large shouts from the male hostel like ‘Agbani Darego’. Then, I was super skinny and walking to the hostel. Gradually, Maybe because I was in Business Administration, some of those people in the Student Union were also in Arts. For one reason or the other, they scouted me and they kept asking me, ‘are you a model?’ I didn’t really take it seriously. It was when people like Bayo Haastrup started coaching us on walking, cat walking, beauty pageant walk, that was when I said, ‘this is really serious.’ Then, we went to camp at Unilag Guest House. I didn’t win but I learnt a lot. I made very important contacts that helped me starting as a model, getting runway jobs, things like that.

Tattoos on your body

Yes, I love my tattoos. It’s personal to me, you know, put things that I like. I love arts and put things that mean things to me. It’s not just that just drawing anything or writing anything or writing ex-boyfriends’ names. I just put things that I always want to remember, that I always want to think about because atimes, life gets a bit too busy or crowded.

How do you relax?

I like to read, I like to keep learning new things, I like to play all genres of music. I try to write but maybe the environment is too noisy here. I think I read about writing but I haven’t gotten to writing even half a page but I keep reading about writing on Pinterest. And I think I would like photography because it’s something I’ve been downloading, learning to photograph, finding the light.

t talks about acting, women empowerment, and other issues. Excerpt

In faraway Liberia, Queen Juli Endee, has made a name for herself as the country’s Culture Ambassador as well as the Traditional Queen of Liberia. However, she says that she is ready to take her music to the rest of Africa. Endee, who is also the Executive Director of Liberia’s Crusaders for Peace speaks to OVWE MEDEME on her journey so far, relationship with Highlife artiste, Flavour and sundry issues.

How did you become the Traditional Queen of Liberia?

I work in the community and because of my humanitarian services to the Liberian people, the traditional people in the 15th Political Subdivision in 2001 decided to give me three years to see whether I can live up to the expectations of the traditions and the culture and also, as an advocate for peace, health and education in Liberia. Based on that, I was crowned in February of 2006 at our historic site in Liberia called the Providence Island. All the traditional leaders and the chiefs, elders, women came together to say this is our Queen. This is the voice of the traditional people. So that’s how I was crowned the Queen of the traditional people of Liberia.

What do you do as queen?

I help in the developmental process of our people, and our traditional leaders. I uphold our culture and tradition in Liberia. I am a liaison to the general public and the traditional people. And also I help the traditional people carve out proposals and visions to maintain the development agenda of Liberia because the land is owned by the traditional people.

So what is your mission in Nigeria?

My mission is two-fold. I first came to give support to Semah who was featured by Flavour. That mission has ended and Semah has returned to Liberia safely. So right now, I’m here to finish my project that I started before meeting Flavour and then getting him to meet Semah. Because of the Semah project, I decided to let him go ahead because he is a kid and after that I will continue my project. My project is a music album that I’ve done with a lot of producers. I’ve also featured a lot of Nigerian big artistes. I’ve done a video and all of that. I came here to speak with the marketing agent and we’ve concluded on that. I’ve finished a video and it’s being edited so that it can be released to the public.

How soon are you hoping to launch the album?

As a social worker, I’m very known, but when it comes to music, I’m known in Liberia and certain parts if Sierra Leone and the US. I’m not known in Nigeria. Since Nigeria is the big brother of Africa, and being an advocate for the love of African solidarity in the West African region, especially ECOWAS, I want to crossover to Nigeria. I’ve come now to introduce myself to the Nigerian people.

Also, I’ve come to Nigeria to really appreciate those gallant men of the Armed Forces of Nigeria who joined ECOMOG to save Liberian lives in our country and those force commanders that have passed on. I want to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to their families and the people of Nigeria for the level of support given us during the civil crisis in Liberia and for continuing to sustain peace in our country. I’m grateful to the Nigerian people. You are our brothers and sisters, and we salute you. So I’m waiting for this marketing process to kick off in terms of introduction to the Nigerian community and then I will take it up from there to give the actual date of the launch. But I know that in about two months, we will be releasing the album. In the meantime, we’ll just be sending teasers out so people will understand what we are doing because without a proper plan and a structure, you can’t be successful. And if you don’t know, you need to ask.

Aside music, what else would you be doing in Nigeria?

I’m here for music, but at the same time, i want to cement the relationship between Liberia and Nigeria from the industry perspective. The industry in Nigeria is improving greatly and we’ll like to tap into the expertise of those who have made it in the industry here to help a virgin industry in Liberia with youth empowerment. We are also networking and engaging experts for the youth empowerment. We’ll be having some seminars, some trainings, various workshops.

What is the title of your album and how many songs are in it?

I can tell you how many songs, but I can’t tell you the title. I could say this is the title, but it would probably change. What I can say is that I have ten tracks in the album and all of them talk about love peace, happiness, the beauty of Africa, beautiful women, what makes us different from others.

Which Nigerian artistes are featured in it?

First is the voice that I’ve been crazy about in Nigeria, and that is Omawumi. That’s my girl because she’s a straight shooter. I also featured Yemi Alade, and Jodie, the girl who sang ‘Kuchi Kuchi’. For the males, I featured Flavour in one of the songs and a host of others. I intend to feature more. There are lots of artistes that I like. One of them is Adekunle Gold. I love his music. I love Don Jazzy. These are the kinds of people that i really can jive with.

How long have been working on the album?

You know, before you can put out content or a material, you should first of all appreciate it and know how to defend it. You should make a justification and indicators when you put it out. I’ve been working on it for the last eight years since I did my last album. But within that time, I’ve done a lot of jingles and music for health education, Ebola and all of that. But those are just for humanitarian work, and to my credit, I’ve done over 800 of those kinds of works. I didn’t want to just do Liberian music. I want to crossover and do African music, so all of that had to be planned and that I’ve been doing these eight years. After recording the music, I couldn’t release it because the little boy was being featured by Flavour. I wanted to see his dream come true first before i could finalise mine. Now his dream has come true, thanks to Flavour for the love and the humble spirit that he has. I am now confortable to move on with mine.

How did you meet Flavour?

It was a wonderful. He didn’t know me, but I met him through Masterkraft. He produces most of my songs. A guy call OJ introduced me to a Liberian called Timothy, and then we went to the Liberian embassy and OJ took us to Masterkraft and I started the production. I wanted to feature some Nigerians but I didn’t know who. So he got Flavour for me. Honestly, i thought it was a joke. But then, he took me to Flavour’s house and I heard my music in Flavour’s studio, and i was surprised.

What was your experience during the war in Liberia?

I was in the US when the war started. But while people were running to the US, I was running back home. So it was strange to people and they felt something was wrong with me. So I came back to Liberia and I started advocacy. I visited different refugee camps, in different countries. I even came to Nigeria. It was in Nigeria that the ‘Liberia Cry for Peace’ and ‘The Crusaders for Peace’ were formulated, at our embassy. So Crusaders for Peace has been around for over 23 years, advocating for peace, health, social work, and elections. I’ve disarmed soldiers and now they are working with me to tell the story. It has been a wonderful experience doing that.

With your pedigree, do you intend to contest for elective office?

When you fear God and you seek his face like I do, and know that he’s faithful, he tells you your calling. As long as you deviate from your calling, you become a failure. So I will stick to the arts, I will stick to my social work and I will stick to supporting peace building in Liberia. Wherever He wants me to be, He will let me know and I will feel it because I know Him. I know Him for myself.

Are you married?

Oh yes, and I have beautiful children. I have biological children and those who are not my biological children and they are beautiful and they are my children.

How do you make time out for your family?

They like what I do. They sing, and they do production. My daughter fixes my costumes while my son runs around with the camera.

Growing up in a family of music, it was not much of a surprise that London-based Nigerian, Folashade Aboderin, also known as ShadyBlue, went into music. In this interview with ADENIYI ADEWOYIN, she talks about her entry into music, her return and why she doesn’t feel intimidated. Excerpts:

You have been releasing singles frequently. What really prompted this?

After almost seven years break from my music career, to raise my children and focus on other aspects of my life, I was yearning to get back to my passion and what I love. I never stopped writing or recording and never really stopped performing with (the) band but I was not active, but continued recording and collaborating with my main producer TeebeeOto whom I am very grateful. He was one of the few people that really believed in me.

As a perfectionist, I wanted to make sure the sound was right and the music was well-crafted and polished. My producers and I recorded for a while then finally decided to release some songs. I took my time as I wanted the music to be perfect and unique. I didn’t want to just be releasing songs for the sake of being current or consistent but wanted to release new songs and music that was properly produced with high quality and in tune with the current sounds of the times that could appeal to the new age and be able to keep my signature edge (Afrocentric soulful sound).

How will you describe the feedback so far?

I will say the feedback has been awesome so far and I’m very grateful that despite the break I am still being accepted and my music is still being embraced by all. The feedback has been very positive so far Glory be to God.

Some people have noted that your recent works have more touch of Nigerian flavour despite you are not on ground. How did you come about this?

I have been doing lots of research and I always make sure I stay current by listening to what is being released. I am very passionate about what I do and always like to do my best and still stay true to myself. I wouldn’t want to tone down who I am and my style to fit in with other people as there is no need for me to fit in because I believe I was born to stand out.

I was born and raised in Nigeria, Ibadan, Oyo State to be precise and I wanted to infuse my culture, my roots and my influences into my sound so I collaborated with my producer TeebeeO on every song on my album as he was the only one who seemed to understand what I was trying to create and with his help and expertise I was able to do this. TeebeeO and myself have similar influences and he also comes from the live music background – we have even performed live before he relocated years ago to Nigeria. He understands my tone and my influences like my father, Anjola Aboderin, Fela Kuti, Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade and Onyeka Onwenu, Lagbaja, Sade Adu, Jill Scott, Anita Baker etc.

What is your next focus after the singles?

The plan is to release the album entitled ‘MY WAY’ this year 2018 by God’s grace and then do a European and African tour while I work on my next album. The tour will enable me connect more to my fans and music lovers and perhaps possibly afford me getting a live recording of my tour on a CD and DVD.

How has life been staying abroad?

It has been a roller-coaster as you literally have to combine different aspects of living into one from having a nine to five professional day job as Project and change manager to being a mother of two children and managing my fashion business and still conducting my music career. It’s hard to find a balance but God has been faithful and has enabled me to carry on and make things happen. I wouldn’t want to pretend and say it’s been easy; God’s grace has afforded me tenacity. There are times I survive on little or no sleep. Basically, I would say that my faith in God keeps me strong.

Do you feel Nigeria has all it takes to compete with the music standard abroad?

I feel there is still lot of room for improvement but I also know there is true talent in Nigeria. I feel some need to work on perfecting their craft before going out there.

Don’t you feel threatened among foreign musicians in London?

No, I don’t feel threatened and never will. Everyone is unique and I feel as long as you are not trying to be who you are not by staying true to yourself, staying unique and not trying to fit in and staying creative and not competing then there will never be a reason to feel threatened.

 How do you intend to connect Nigerian fans with your latest vibes?

I would like to do a tour across Africa, Nigeria as a start to be able to connect with my Nigerian fans.

Do you feel you are doing enough with your music career?

Yes, I am currently doing my best as I possibly can. The dream will be to be able to do this as my full time career and dedicate more time as music is what makes me happy and I believe music is what I was born to do.

 What has been you greatest challenge in the industry?

Being a woman most of all. There seems to be a wrong perception of women in the industry especially in the African music scene. I would think one of the biggest issues would be having children, and not having it held against you. A woman can be a mother as well as a working musician/artist. She may want to work even more after having kids, with financial needs, as well as the need to feel like herself and not just “the mom.” The life of a musician/artist is difficult and the schedule is demanding. How does one juggle responsibilities to family, home, art and self? This is difficult for any working mother, and particularly for a working musician artist mother.

Another issue I feel is age discrimination and sexualisation of women by the industry as portrayed in the media. The media portrays a distorted view of the successful female musician/artist. Another challenge is about creepy men in the music industry, trying to decipher between which men are honestly being helpful and nice, and which are just trying to sleep with you can be daunting. The biggest issue affecting women is that most men still think the industry is a boys’ club. Traditionally, the industry is a male-dominated profession.

Traditionally, females are often judged first on their appearance and afterwards on their ability which is not fair.  Most of all, I feel even in the 21st century, women with something to say and something great to offer are not acceptable commercially unless they “sex it up” or look like a supermodel. I’m not sure the media moguls allow women into the high-profile scene purely on talent. To sum it up, I also feel artists and musicians do not support each other enough and focus on competing instead.

What has life taught you as a musician?

As a musician and an artist, life has thought me so many things. First of all, to be myself. “Fitting in” is highly overrated. I will continue to be me. Confidence is sexy. Besides, great leaders didn’t get where they are by following the crowd. Never giving up on my dreams and passion (music) despite the challenges. Taking time for myself to meditate and do some writing and creating good music which is where I derive most happiness. No one is perfect and also saying no when I need to as I used to take on so many tasks and tried to please everyone but me which was overwhelming and lead to stress.

Tell us how music started for you?

I started music at the age of four. I was born into a music family. My father, Anjola Aboderin, is a renowned musician who plays all instruments. He built his own guitar when he was a child in primary school. I would describe my father a musical genius. I was raised in a musical home where a chicken poultry was converted into a music studio, and our compound was filled with musicians, day in day out. I shadowed so many top musicians mentored by my father daily.

I would watch bands rehearse daily and even have to sleep through my father and his band rehearsing for their next gig. Can you imagine waking up to sound of your father’s saxophone playing the same song over and over trying to perfect the song and expect music not to be a part and parcel of your existence? Music is my foundation. I had my first group at a tender age of six performing my first gig and at cultural centre Ibadan alongside Wale Thompson. I then continued singing and pursuing my passion for music in church as a lead singer and a key member of the church choir.

Do you feel female musicians are underrated in Nigeria?

Yes, I think so. We as female artists should come together and empower each other, then the future will be better for us as female artist several underrated by the male dominated sector. Traditionally, the industry is a male-dominated profession but this doesn’t have to be so in this century as there are so many other talented female artists that have not been discovered due to the challenges.

Call her desperado, Ijeoma Grace Agu, is one woman who is set to achieve her heart desire if it means going the extra mile. Married to a filmmaker, the beautiful mother of one, who is currently working on a new epic movie, in this interview with DUPE AYINLA-OLASUNKANMI, speaks on her passion for acting and other issues related to being a professional actor. Excerpts

Tell us about your upcoming project?

It is a new film coming out; an epic titled Zrna. This is actually House5’s first epic. The script was too good to let go despite the genre involved around the movie.

What are the challenges with this new project being the first epic of your production outfit?

As with every other film, the challenges were predominantly lack of funds. Investors didn’t come through as promised. Regardless we pushed through. We also did good with the cast – Ireti Doyle, Bimbo Akintola, myself, Omowunmi Dada, Baaj Adebule, Keira Hewatch, Nichole Banna and a host of others, to make it one of its kind at the end of the production.

What you set out to achieve with such movie and other things involved?

The film is basically a love story. It’s a fantasy epic about a cult of Amazonic women who live and exist without men. However, they kidnap men for procreation and castrate them afterwards.

This they do every twenty years. It’s time for the new crop of warrior girls to hunt for men and one of them defies the age long tradition when she falls in love with a captive and decides to do otherwise. Would they succeed? It is something that everyone will love to see when it finally hits the cinemas. We basically set out to entertain with this film.

 How did it all begin for you?

Right from when I was quite young, there’s been that flair for the creative stuff from liking movies to liking how they are made to writing. I started writing from primary three, trying my hands at novels. Of course, you can imagine how a primary three pupil’s novel will be (laughs) but it’s been a long time coming. I’ll say it started from childhood.

 A graduate of Biochemistry, how did you end up as an actress?

I have always been passionate about acting. I actually started taking it (acting) serious at the age of 14. I was part of a theatre group called the Creative Squad if I remember correctly. That was in Benin. We were performing at the Abacha Cultural Centre then. I think it’s named something else now. That was for me my very first stint in professional acting. And then I went to university. While at university, I was writing films and sending it to marketers. And then finished with university in 2006/2007 and started doing this full time.

 How do you manage your time as a woman and filmmaker?

Every day I learn as I go. There is no manual. Sometimes I mess up but keep it moving. It’s not been easy but when you have support, it seems like it is easy but it’s not easy. With every responsibility in life, you just have to man up and do what you have to do. So, for me, when it comes to the work, we do the work. When it comes to family, it’s all about the family. I just do not like carrying over family into work. They are separate entities and I treat them as such.

Tell us about your role in Taxi Driver Oko Asewo. How would you describe it?

I played Delia – a call girl. It feels good to be able to impersonate and play any given character. This was no exception.

 Have you always had hair on low-cut?

No… this was for a movie my company did, Taxi Driver Oko Asewo. I had a pink and purple mohawk for the movie. And after that, I cut it for another I did where I was a car thief. It was J and Hustle but called Jimi Bendel. I kept the look because my husband likes it.

You had to cut your hair for Taxi Driver?

Yes. Because I wanted the role and the director, my husband, didn’t want me to play the part because it was an asewo (prostitute) role and I’ve done a lot of asewo roles in the past but I don’t care. I just wanted to work. I wanted to act. It was my company producing it and I really needed the part. And I remember when he was writing about the character, he encountered a woman at Oshodi, a young girl who was a sexual worker. When he came home that day, he said, ‘oh, her hair was like this, like this. I want that character to be like that.’

So, when I saw that the role was not coming to me, I went to cut the hair like that character and came back and said, ‘do I look like her now?’ (Laughs). I got the role instantly. (Laughs) He didn’t have the heart to say no. I mean, I had cut my hair, the glory of a woman. I took it off for a movie.

You tinted your hair at one time; did you get frowned at as an African woman?

If anyone did, I took no notice. It’s my hair after all.

Tell us about the one-woman show you developed in 2012 held at Theatre Royal Stratford East

It came as a result of a grant I got to develop an original piece. I decided on a one-woman show chronicling the life and journey of eight different characters from various plays.

I heard about a competition where they wanted creatives to create something original for a grant in the UK. And they needed 15 Nigerians here and 15 Nigerians resident in the UK and I applied for it. The first project I sent in was turned down. Then I sent in another one which was the one-woman show. For me, loving strong female characters, I wanted it full of strong female characters in a similar story.

And I had to pull them from books written by Nigerian playwrights. That for me too, was quite difficult because I didn’t know how to marry all of them together – how they can become seamless. But I had help. Aunty Joke Silva tutored me along the way; I had friends who were writers. We bounced ideas off each other. One of them was my lecturer at film school, Sunkami Adebayo. And we came up with what became Chronicles of Heroines from Nigerian Plays. And I sent that in and got the grant. I performed for about 10 minute’s excerpt of it during the cultural Olympiad.

You have really done well for yourself, what is the secret?

Tenacity and hard work I can say is the secret that has taken me this far.

Tell us about the road to stardom

I am not a star; just a working actor. My film debut was in El Dorado. It was a TV series by Fidelis Dukker. I had about six scenes as the secretary. I recall very well. We shot at his (Dukker) office then at Finbarrs Road and we finished quite late. Even before we started, I was anxious because I wanted to please. You know, it was my first time on set, first time acting for him. I was hoping I nailed it for him and all that. No much correction was made. I expected him to say, ‘cut, no, that’s not how to do it’ but I didn’t get any of that. I guess I wasn’t the primary force. We finished quite late and I had no means of getting home. I wasn’t mobile. So, it was someone else who dropped me at Surulere where I was squatting with a friend.

What would you say is the best thing that has happened to you as an actress?

The growth brought about by playing different characters.

Keeping a trimmed figure, how have you been able to maintain it?

Trust me, I got my good genes from my father. However, I eat healthy. No fizzys or sweet tooth for me.

Why did you decide to marry someone from the same industry?

I fell in love. That’s what happened.

Does he interfere in your script selection?

He tries to but I am stubborn. I wanna work.

Does your husband get jealous of the roles you play?

Not at all.

 Do you share advances from colleagues with him?

Oh yes!

Your husband is also a filmmaker and with the role you played in Taxi driver. As your husband, how did he feel?

Trust me, out of five asewo roles, he has given me four. (Laughs) He’s a filmmaker. They are the ones who create these roles for us and put us in it. You’re an actor. You become what the script says you should become. It’s not a reflection of who you are or what you can be. It’s just a reflection of using your God-given talents to portray characters to its realest essence.

Do you see your marriage having challenges working in the same environment with your spouse?

It’s only normal. But we chose this. So we make it work regardless.

 Is your work one of the reason you are spacing on child rearing, which is unlike African women?

Personal decision. Thank you.

The first ever music concert experience they say. Taking a live music concert to screen in disguise of a movie certainly took us here in the Crithood by surprise. It gets an average thinker wondering, could it be artistically inspired? Or could it have just been purely business oriented? As it appears that Falz and his team left no room for waste in terms of making maximum profit on his concert.

The day’s work had just ended and giving little thought to what was next was the decision to go see what was new in the Box office. Falz Experience the Movie, needed no persuasion as naturally the art of the dramatist spoke loudly through the artiste, only it still felt as though something about this particular movie, didn’t exactly scream ‘movie’! Having doubts in mind, still picked up the ticket and asked the attendant, ‘is this an actual movie?’ and response didn’t help as the attendant was also unsure of the supposed experience. Therefore, since the response was unsatisfactory, there was only one option left. So, walked right into the theatre and saw firsthand what it was all about.

A blend of theatre and film, it appeared to be. Highly farcical in nature, most especially in character portrayal. Falz playing a multiply of characters in numerous scene, was quite commendable, only it wasn’t so much of a big deal because his brand was basically built around this act. Building up to the reason for the movie were series of slapstick actions and comical characters based on a script that dramatically interwove a concert into becoming a unique content that allowed the experience of the concert be relived in the four corners of a cinema hall as a movie. The picture quality was just average; not giving so much attention to the standard of the picture quality was not good enough. The shots were not the best, felt like a lazy work done just for the sake of it being called a movie, after all the concert ought to be the main focus.

The show was properly covered and clearly, was well put together. Every event planner of that class ought to see this one. The use of elements as light, costume, sound even down to the set design spelt out organization. The dance routines were on point, coupled with the infusion of humour that kept the performances interesting. The tempo and placement of the choice of music was properly thought through and engaging. On screen the concert was standard, hopefully it was the same at the live show.

At the end of it all, the movie is of a unique style. New to the Nigerian cinemas, leaving a lot of people clueless about the kind of movie it is. A number of unsatisfied movie lovers in the hall, as they were expecting something else, eventually had to take what they got. Definitely profit oriented in comparison to value for creating an artistic piece. This is our verdict. It is a nice attempt at a recreation of the concert artistically to suit screen, but making a movie goes past having funny characters and slapstick actions, the quality of picture is everything. Average is not good enough especially when it comes to an attempt at making history. It just makes the work flat and gives that sense of paucity that reduces the chances of making it grand.