Veteran Nollywood actress Gloria Anozie Young has revealed that despite her love for writing, stress and hard life made her quit journalism for acting.
Gloria who made fame as an actress studied journalism, graduating with an Associate Degree from the El-Centro College, Dallas, Texas, and even practiced for a while before veering into acting.
“I worked with Daily Times, I worked with Classique magazine,” she recalled in a chat with The Nation.
“All I wanted to do was write, but I left journalism because I couldn’t stand it anymore. I still do my writing. I still love history. I’m still an artiste. I still prouce radio plays, radio progammes.”
Speaking further on why she left journalism, she said, “I got tired of walking up and down Lagos streets and my shoes were ‘chopping.’
“Jokes apart really, I didn’t want to continue. It (journalism) wasn’t giving me the satisfaction I thought I would have from it. All I wanted to do was write.”
The actress came into prominence in 1992 when she acted in ‘Glamour Girls’, a movie some Nigerians criticised as ‘soft porn.’ She then wedded fellow actor, Norbert Young, over a decade ago and has not had any scandal surrounding her name. She attributes this to being careful so as not to ‘soil’ both her family’s and her husband’s family name.
“I don’t know about being involved in any scandal,” she said.
“I think I’m being extra-careful. I’m just being me, a total Nigerian to the core. We have our conservative side and I respect that a lot. I respect the family that I come from and the family that I am married to. I try not to mess around with the names that I answer. I answer my father’s name and my husband’s name as a compound name.”
Uche Elendu is a Nollywood actress who is passionate about what she does. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she goes down memory lane to talk about how it all started, memorable moments, challenges and more.
WHAT attracted you to acting?
It is something that I am passionate about but it started formally over 10 years ago when I was still in the university. Then I got introduced by a friend to her father, who was then a veteran actor at the time. At that point, he saw the talent and passion I had in interpreting roles, he decided to give me a shot and look where I am today. Life as an actress has its up and downs; the popularity is a plus and also a minus too. Once you step out of your house, automatically you become other people’s business. I don’t usually have that freedom to do what I used to do freely before like taking strolls, going to the market and so on… But all the same I thank God because it is by His grace that I am where I am today.
What gives you inspiration to do the things you do?
First of all, I would say God Almighty is my ultimate inspiration. I go to him every time in devotion and He has never failed me. He directs my footsteps and guides me all the way. My parents also inspire me greatly because I try to make sure I am not a disappointment to them in any way and I follow every guideline and principles of life they have taught me HAT attracted you to acting?
It is something that I am passionate about but it started formally over 10 years ago when I was still in the university. Then I got introduced by a friend to her father, who was then a veteran actor at the time. At that point, he saw the talent and passion I had in interpreting roles, he decided to give me a shot and look where I am today. Life as an actress has its up and downs; the popularity is a plus and also a minus too. Once you step out of your house, automatically you become other people’s business. I don’t usually have that freedom to do what I used to do freely before like taking strolls, going to the market and so on… But all the same I thank God because it is by His grace that I am where I am today.
What gives you inspiration to do the things you do?
First of all, I would say God Almighty is my ultimate inspiration. I go to him every time in devotion and He has never failed me. He directs my footsteps and guides me all the way. My parents also inspire me greatly because I try to make sure I am not a disappointment to them in any way and I follow every guideline and principles of life they have taught me and complications came out lifeless but God in his infinite mercies used a nurse to give her mouth-to-mouth respiration and she heaved a breath, before the doctors took action because they had already given up and also having my second angel after nine years of having the first child wasn’t easy at all. But honestly, these things just make me more assured that I’m special to God and I’m indeed a child of grace.
What are some of the challenges encountered?
One of the challenges I encounter in the course of my career is having to go to work on set and be away from home for weeks without being there for my daughters. Our job can be really challenging, time consuming and demanding; so having to incorporate it with my family life is a real challenge for me. But I’ve come to terms with it and worked out a strategy that makes it so easy for me to be away from home working for months and I’m sure my kids are very fine.
Also, of course, in the course of the job, having to leave your comfort zone and camp in the bush if need be for the success of the production is an interesting challenge too.
To say the least, my job is very challenging and possessive that I find it difficult to keep up with any side hustle because I need to fully concentrate on putting my best into the interpretation of any role I’m given.
How did you cope with them?
Well, as a professional, there’s always a way to manage career and personal life. So, every time I am about to work, I make sure I know how long I’ll be spending on set. Then I make sure everything is in order in my home before I leave. God has just been there; it isn’t easy balancing work and home duties. I just make sure I do all the shopping needed and my mum has been supportive. She used to be a headmistress in a private school in Lagos, but I had her stop work to give her enough time to spend and take care of her grandkids. So with her around, I can go to the moon. I’m sure she even does it better.
Who or what do you consider as the greatest influence in your life and career?
God is my influence through and through. He guides me, provides for me and protects me because He’s the only One I look up to.
Let’s compare when you started and now; what has changed?
Life is a whole lot different now than it used to be some years back, like I’m getting older by the day, more mature and much more learned and experienced, much more responsibilities and many more people look up to me. So, I have to make sure I don’t let them down. Aside that, not much has changed. I still go where I want to go, hangout with whom I want to hang out with. In my industry, a lot has changed progressively. We have graduated from doing dramas to making movies. The past people see our movie as just another drama or joke, but now the masses are taking us seriously. We have increased our expertise and technically we are going with the trend and getting more reasonable pictures. Our stories are more diverse and relatable. We have so many nice movies with very good storylines and role interpretations. There are diverse means of movie distribution. I mean way back we used to go to the cinema to watch only Hollywood movies but now our Nollywood movies are sold out in cinemas as compared to Hollywood movies. People are beginning to embrace us, corporate bodies are beginning to invest in Nollywood; brands have begun to evaluate our commercial value and endorse us to make their brands popular and sellable. Nollywood is being represented in highly placed government positions and our voices are heard and recognised in government administrative issues, In fact, we have really grown and even though we are still working hard to get there, I’m proud of Nollywood and proud of how far I have come and it is all by the grace of the Almighty God.
What are some of the changes that you would like to see in the sector?
For me, I would love the law to fall heavily on those pirating our movies. It’s not helping our industries at all because it has eaten deep into the system. A situation whereby a producer will spend money to do a movie and someone somewhere will get a copy and pirate other fake copies and start selling to the public, this is what we have been fighting against for years and are still fighting. If it can be nipped in the bud, it will encourage the production of more quality movies with great contents.
What is your definition of style?
Comfortability. I want to be comfortable and classy with what I do, how I dress, where I go to, so I don’t get into undue pressure and get unnecessary attention. Style is all about being yourself. It’s as short as that. For me, I do the things I am comfortable doing, wear what fits me and never settle for less. Just as all human beings are different in some ways, so are our styles. So, anyone who tries to be like another person automatically has no style. That’s the way I see it.
What are some of the items that you treasure most in your wardrobe?
I’m not particularly vain or materialistic but I treasure every wardrobe item; the handbags, jewelleries, shoes, the outfit itself, perfumes and so on, because all these make me complete when I go out.
How do you relax?
I’m an extremely private person and I enjoy quiet times a lot. I read books because I like to broaden my knowledge and I also love to rest. But I go to the beach with my kids on weekends or accompany them to their friends’ birthday parties when my older daughter insists. I rarely go out with peers and colleagues to functions; I just love to stay indoors.
Let’s talk about the people you admire and role models
I admire Eucharia Anunobi a lot because of how passionate she is about her job and she goes all out to interpret her roles. She has been my role model since I got into the industry, and she’s someone I can work with anytime. Also, we seem to have similar areas of interest and spiritually we connect. We also look alike. I receive a lot of prayers and spiritual advice and guidance from her. Also, I admire the likes of Olu and Joke Jacobs, Genevieve etc. These are all great professionals I admire. My mum is my role model, for sure, due to the way she handled my siblings and I while growing up and the role she has continually played in our lives and is still playing in the life of my children physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually.
If you had to advise young people, what would you tell them?
Everything can be achieved by hard work and determination. Never back down on your dreams. You can achieve anything you want if only you set your heart towards it and always talk to God about anything because He is the one to make it happen.
Gabby Ibeabuchi is a designer and CEO of Twelve06 fashion label. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, the model turned designer talks about his inspiration, early life, working in the corporate sector, challenges and more.
WHAT is life as a designer like?
I believe that life as a designer is quite interesting especially when you are doing it for the love of the job. It is also very demanding because you have to creatively put yourself on the line all the time. You have to constantly innovate and relate with diverse peculiarities. It’s fulfilling when you constantly bring solution to people’s style needs. It fuels your passion to do more.
I must say that the life of a designer is a very busy one and it is demanding as well. Currently I am busier than when I was in the bank especially when you are working to build a top-notch brand that will live the test of time. Building excellence, something that would attract and sustain the kind of clientele you want calls for extra hard work.
On a daily basis, I wake up very early in the morning sometimes earlier than I used to when I had I plum job and a lot of times I go to bed very late trying to avoid a backlog. My next day usually starts a day before .It’s really hectic at the same interesting because of the passion for fashion.
What gives you inspiration to do the things you do?
I really love what I do! God blessed me with exceptional creative abilities. Every day I realise how blessed I am. I get inspired by my environment. Almost everything inspires me. I can actually use one particular fabric to create different unique designs that would obviously look different from everyone of them. I practically pray about everything I do as little as buying fabrics, asking God to help me to create designs that will appeal to majority. I am inspired by customers who don’t settle for less. I like customers who insist on excellence all the time. Knowing I shouldn’t fail and I can’t fail inspires me.
GABBY
Let’s talk about some memorable moments as a designer?
It’s funny when I tell people I never thought of ending up as a fashion designer. Growing up I loved redesigning my school uniform. I always wanted to be different. Little did I know I was grooming my passion and purpose. My passion for fashion grew more when I was modeling. I participated in over a 100 fashion shows. I noticed flaws that could have been avoided just by making extra effort hence my desire to eliminate those flaws. A lot of times designers ignore those tiny elements as little one inch addition or subtraction which determines the fitting to a large extent. I wanted to make a difference. I started making (designing) my clothes myself and that of my friends at no cost.
In the middle of my masters degree I decided to get a job being the usual societal expectation/pressure I got a job in Globacom and while in the job I used to make clothes for my colleagues for free until somehow they started paying. At weekends I will go to Lagos Island to buy fabrics and give to a tailor to sew. At this time I was getting better but had no clue that it was my calling. I was just having fun!
After a few years I moved to the bank where I continued the trend of making clothes for colleagues and friends until it became clear .After consulting my mind and my personal worId, I resigned to everyone’s surprise including my boss who is now the current M.D. of Fidelity Bank. I went to a fashion school briefly and here we are today, one of the top fashion houses in town.
What are some of the challenges encountered?
Leaving a high paying job to start a new business especially in Nigeria is a challenge on its own. A lot of times, it seems like a gamble with sweeping probability. Not even one friend of mine supported my move. It was discouraging! Overall starting up was not easy, getting a suitable location for the kind of brand I wanted to sell, convincing people you can do it, manpower etc. However thanks to celebrities who supported at the beginning like Rykado Agbor, Charles Inojie, Okay Bakassi and Anthony Monjaro. These guys believed in me from the start then more came later. A lot of them that were even closer to me at that time never picked my calls after the first introduction. I’m grateful to them also because they gave me reason to rekindle my fire. I really thank God for all the challenges that made me better.
How did you cope with them?
I’m always positive. I learnt to encourage myself even at the lowest point I keep confessing positive. Knowing I had burnt my bridges was enough motivation to succeed. I never take no for an answer. I constantly reinvent myself with the mindset to always be on top. I take courses online on customer service and growing a world-class business. I motivate and train my staff always. I pay above industry standard knowing someday when I get to where I want to be, people will desire to work even for free for you. We provided after sales services with the quickest turnaround time of 48hrs with assurance of replacing what doesn’t suit the customer. My experience as a relationship manager in the bank is always brought to bear at all times. We have over a hundred and fifty designs per time at the showroom creating variety and spice.
Tell us about your career as a model. What are some of the high points .
I would say modeling was good to me. I was among the few people in the world that could combine both fashion and photography modeling effectively because of my unique look. With over a hundred fashion shows for the best designers at a time and serving as ambassador for great brands like Unilever, MTN, Guinness, Dangote, FCMB, Gulder (first ever face of Gulder ultimate Search)’ Sweetco to mention a few. I bought my first car immediately after graduation through a single job I did for MTN. I sponsored my master’s degree through my earnings from modeling.
Fashion modeling also paid off with lots of awards. I won the first ever ECOWAS best model with a contract in Paris. Modeling took me to Aso Rock when the presidency then acknowledge my achievements. It was good overall.
What lessons have you learnt over the years ?
I have learnt to believe in yourself if you are sure of yourself. Constant logical reappraisal of yourself will reveal your true self to you if you are honest. I don’t follow popular opinion if it won’t apply to your situation. For those that have seen my designs my style is brave. I take a lot of risk. I express myself to the fullest and a lot of times it is accepted.
I don’t accept failure rather it is a prompt for reinvention. I have learnt to support people to grow hence I have a lot of mentees and still growing. Every time you help someone you have just straightened your own foundation.” I don’t follow trend, I create one”. I believe and respect consistency. I learn from everyone even children.
Overrall I believe in God. With him ALL things are possible. I am sold out to Christ!
What are the memorable moments while growing up?
Growing up was very interesting as the last born. I have been an ambitious person from the start. I remember from owning 5 day old chicks and 3 surviving to owning a big poultry at the age of 13. I have always been doing something even without pressure. I come from an above average family in Umuahia, Abia state. I can’t remember everything right now but growing was amazing.
Let’s compare when you started and now, what has changed?
A lot has changed. Earlier I faced challenges every new business would face anyway. At the beginning customers would want to see the final product before they pay. Currently I have not seen 50% of our customers face to face and they comfortably pay 100% before we start producing. These are product of referrals whom you don’t need further assurances to convince. At the start a lot of celebrities didn’t want to support/endorse our brand which I totally understand, today they call me to introduce themselves.
When we started we had a small showroom, today we have a standard showroom and pop-up stores in two countries (more coming this year). We used to have customers from within, now have a galaxy of customers across the globe. People find our success story so motivating hence I get invites now and then to come talk about our amazing growth and transformation. I like teaching and supporting people anyway so I do it with joy.
What are some of the changes that you would like to see in the sector?
First I will like people to see fashion as a business and profession not a “side-chick”. Don’t come in for the glamour and financial rewards, come in because you are sure you are creative and can play and other things will be added into you. It’s very demanding and competitive so you have to be “loaded”.
I would like to see the fashion industry get the same attention as the music and comedy industries. We need support from corporate bodies. So many of us have so much to offer. I must commend GtBank for their support to fashion even though “they are beginning to miss it”…
I would love to see fashion designers become brand ambassadors of great companies. Nigerian fashion designers are intelligent, creative, very smart, brand builders, well educated, embodiment of excellence etc. Let the government acknowledge and tap from their endowment as change to build their states, our country and the continent at large. We need large scale production companies that can eliminate the manual and time consuming process of producing clothes. We can focus on creative design while production is automated and have plenty for export to boost the Naira. Fashion designing can put Nigeria on the map just like Music is doing right now. We need fashion shows. I have been working on that for a while and most corporate bodies are not interested. It’s sad! By the grace of God I will pull one this year…
What is your definition of style?
Style for me is your fashion mannerism.
Fashion is universal while style is relative. Nigerian designers are truly amazing. One of the most creative in the world. Our products are in high demand across the globe. Every time I travel out of the country I practically sell my personal clothes because of the love for our creativity. We are independent just a little push and we will take over the world.
What are some of the items that you treasure most in your wardrobe?
Right now I do more of trads so I have a lot of them. I love sunglasses, classy wrist watches and nice perfumes. I’m a simple dresser anyway.
Let’s talk about the people you admire and role models.
I don’t really have role models but there are people I admire based on what they do. I like Mudi Africa, I used to model for him anyway. I respect his consistency. Over 2 decades of innovation and growth beyond the shores of Nigeria. He is truly a fashion icon.
I like Tony Elumelu. I have worked with him too. He attracts loyalty from everyone. He is very likable and someone you dare to hate. He drives you to achieve while yielding consciously and willingly. I’m really working to be like him in that regards. Being able to manage everyone’s weaknesses and strength and exploring their potentials.
I like the Arabs especially UAE. They make hard work look effortless. They turned the dessert into a utiopic Eldorado. They are focused, innovative, limitless and 100% confident that can be number one in the world and they are not relenting.
Fresh from the disappointment of his failed bid to acquire 9mobile, BUA Group’s boss, Abdulsamad Rabiu, has bounced back in a big way.
The billionaire magnate has moved on to other things; he is currently planning to build a world-class hospital in the heart of Kano, Kano State. The hospital is projected as a medical and architectural wonder that will dwarf other medical facilities in the country. Rabiu’s hospital project is expected to reduce Nigerians’ exodus abroad for medical tourism. The proposed hospital is estimated to cost N7.5 billion. It will be a 220-bed specialist hospital, built on 15,000 square metres. The project will be wholly funded by BUA Foundation.
In keeping with his humanitarian inclinations, the hospital will be open to all and sundry, unlike other facilities that cater exclusively to the rich.
Humans are social beings. Whatever the reason for their isolation, sooner or later, they get tired of playing hermit and go in search of comforting arms. This perhaps explains the latest moves of pretty Orode Uduaghan, daughter of former Delta governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan.
Few years after she sailed away from the shores of matrimony, vowing never to return, she has made a U-turn. It will be recalled that Orode’s marriage to Ryan Okpu crashed like the price of bitcoin a few years ago, due to ‘irreconcilable differences’, leaving her with the burden of a single mother. Now older and wiser from the experience, Orode is once more fluttering her eyelashes in a come-hither gesture at the opposite sex.
With the news that she plans to remarry, eligible bachelors have begun to up their game in a bid to catch her fancy. As the daughter of one of the most politically connected individuals around and her unearthly beauty to boot, the jostle for her attention is sure to get keener in the days ahead.
Pastor Wole Oladiyun, Senior Pastor of Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry, practises what he preaches. While his peers preach heaven yet amass treasures for themselves on earth, Pastor Wole does his utmost to care for both the spiritual and material needs of his congregation.
In the true fashion of a priest eager to win souls for God’s kingdom, Oladiyun understands that it is easier to win souls for heaven when their physical needs have been taken care of. Hence he combines his passion for prayers and evangelical crusading with a burning desire to help the less-privileged among his flock.
Just recently, the soldier of Christ built a 50-bed hospital on the premises of his church at Omole, Lagos. The facility has been providing succour for many who have benefited from the first-class medical attention on offer.
The Osile of Oke Ona, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, Karunwi III, is set for another grand birthday celebration as he turns 80 this month. His forthcoming anniversary coincides with his celebration of three decades on the throne, thus the next few weeks will be filled with pageantry, the like of which his subjects have never seen, according to palace sources.
The flamboyant monarch, who is a devout Christian, is pulling no punches in a bid to mark his admission into the octogenarian club in style. The father of popular politician, Lanre, who represents Ogun Central Constituency in the Senate, plans to mark the occasion in grand style with invitations already dispatched to the crème of high society.
Oba Tejuoso, who is one of the most respected kings in Yoruba land, has 24 children by three beautiful queens.
After he was dumped by his first love, man about town Ahmed Uwhubetine went to Atlanta and found succour in a foreign country. The boss of 11:45, a defunct popular hangout on Awolowo Way, Ikoyi, Lagos, is having a ball in far-away USA. It is as if the good times never ended for the fun-loving dude as he regularly hosts A-list guests in his night club.
It will be recalled that no sooner had the Delta-born Ahmed landed on the Lagos social scene than he became the darling of high society, with his 11:45 night club the watering hole of choice for the fun-loving crowd. That was until some issues surfaced and drove him out of business, forcing him to lie low as he picked up the pieces of his shattered dreams.
But all that is now in the past for Ahmed, as he is having a swell time on the fast lane in Atlanta. Those who abandoned him like bad business when he was going through tough times are now full of regrets as Ahmed is raking in big bucks from his Atlanta club.
They say it is easier to gain fame than to regain it. This is because entrants into the arena of fame are treated like clothes—embraced when new and discarded after use. This might explain why one-time darling of high society, Mina Okoloko, is still off the social radar after many years.
Her absence from the social scene for some time now has resulted in a flurry of speculations.
Since her marriage to one-time part owner of Oando and CEO Notore Fertilizers, Jite Okoloko, crashed like a badly-balanced tray of food, the owner of Beauty Concerns has vanished from the public in the blink of an eye, leaving nostalgic memories in her wake.
The mother of two lovely kids has moved on with her life just as Jite has found comfort in the arms of another woman. These days, she prefers a quiet lifestyle, devoting her attention to her children and business.
High society ‘big girl’ and presidential adviser on diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is ready to tell anyone who cares to listen how much her constituency means to her. The ex-House of Representatives member is joined to the hip in a marriage of love and service with her Ikorodu Federal Constituency.
Throughout her time in the lower chamber, she never missed a chance to funnel fund in her people’s direction, a gesture which elevated her to the status of a goddess among the worshipful masses. Even after she left office and was appointed SSA on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora to the president, her mind never strayed too far from her community’s needs.
The Ikorodu native has been putting smiles on the faces of the downtrodden in the area for a long time, as part of her service to humanity. The broadcaster-turned-politician is currently cooking up a new poverty alleviation scheme which will no doubt taste delicious in the famished mouths of the less-privileged.
