The Nation Newspaper

Category: Glamour

  • Marriage doesn’t restrict my acting -Ashionye

    Marriage doesn’t restrict my acting -Ashionye

    Ashionye Michelle Raccah is a lady with an infectious smile; an affirmation that she is enjoying a great balance with her career, family and social life. She shared with YETUNDE OLADEINDE her achievements, challenges and plans for the future, including the launch of her new movie, Journey to self.

    WHAT has been happening to you? I run a company called Alleykat Media which worked with Fressia Entertainment to produce the movie, Journey to self. Basically, I wrote and produced the film, while the executive producer is Fressia Entertainment.

    It is my first screen play and I also featured in it with Katherine Obiang, Nse Ikpe Etim, Dakore Akande and Tosin Sido. Of course, there are other support and cameo appearances.

    It is an intense story of friendship, sacrifice, empowerment and self-respect.

    Four childhood friends, Regina, Nse, Rume and Alex, get the news that another long time friend of theirs, Uche, has died.

    Uche was the magnet that pulled her friends together and over the years had become their shoulder to cry on, so much so that she never felt she could tell them about her own problems.

    As part of her last request, the ladies travel to Uche’s home in Abuja for her funeral.

    The four ladies, on arriving at Uche’s house, find that she has left a series of letters in which she speaks to them from beyond the grave. The letters provoke her friends to open up on emotional baggage, as secrets and fears are revealed, leading to a journey of self discovery. For Regina, Nse, Rume and Alex, the weekend they spend in Uche’s house becomes an emotional roller coaster as individual characters are tested.

    Why are you interested in doing this?

    Basically, I have been interested in empowerment. If you look at my journey so far in entertainment, you would see that I am passionate about women and children. When I was writing the screenplay, I was interested in the happenings about a year ago. The stories of the women in Journey to Self are actually the stories that I read about.

    Personally, I felt there was a need to read about their stories.

    As you’re probably aware, I’ve always been a proponent of women’s rights and female empowerment in the past, the ‘Girlpower’ series being one of my initiatives. It was natural, therefore, as I set my mind to writing scripts, that one of the first I wrote would deal with some of the issues women face in their relationships both with men and in there friendships with other women.

    Are the stories positive or negative?

    They are positive stories and it is a family movie. It is basically talking about the problems of five friends. It is a journey of struggles; things they go through are things that affect other people in their lives. It could be their children or their husbands. I believe that it is a story real people would like to watch. These are real issues that affect real women not just in Nigeria but all over the world.

    Talking about family and friendship, many believe that it is difficult sustaining marriages these days. Those who are married are not sure of what to expect. What do you think of the trend?

    I played the role of a character who is married to a banker, played by Kalu Ikeagwu, with two children. She is in an abusive relationship. A lot of women today in Nigeria and in the world can relate with that.

    Basically, we are using the movie to send out a message, that whatever the situation you are in you can find a solution. If you have been in an abusive relationship for years, you don’t necessarily have to be there suffering in silence. There is someone out there who is ready to listen to your story.

    Personally, you are married. How has it been like?

    It’s been fantastic, my husband and I are like friends; we are like brother and sister more than being husband and wife. We don’t have secrets, we share everything together. I believe that is what has been keeping the marriage going, So far we have been married for three years plus and we have a son who is two years plus as well. We thank God for the journey so far, and we are praying to be together till we are grey and old.

    What about the challenge for women having to drop their jobs or identity after marriage; what advise do you have for men?

    I don’t think marriage should change that aspect of a woman’s life. For a man, you are dating a woman, and if she is an actress, you met her in that career or job, you should let her keep that job. Fine, you can have restrictions. You could give restriction, like no kissing on set or doing certain things on set. Restrictions of that sort, I say restrictions for a better choice of words. This, because I know men are jealous, African men. Nigerian men are jealous. But it does not mean that you can limit your wife and ask her to stop the job she loves.

    Yet the men do all kinds of things…..

    Well that is another topic for another day.

    From my angle, I am lucky to be married to someone who is also in the business, who enjoys it. There are no restrictions he believes in professionalism. If he calls for whatever, I have to do it but we sit down and discuss it.

    And if I personally feel that I can’t do what I am asked to do on set, then I have to let the director know that we have to twist this thing a bit and find a way around it. We did that on the set of Journey to Self for Dakore Akande.

    When was the turning point in your career?

    In my career there have been lots of turning points. I have been doing this for about twelve years and it is what I have always wanted to do. I am happy that I am using being a celebrity to touch people’s lives.

    Are you going to be doing this for ever? Or do you have other dreams like moving into public life?

    Politics? No, not at all. For now I am not thinking about it. Maybe, never say never. But right now there is no politics on my agenda.

    Yes I want to do this for the rest of my life. I want to do music, I want to do acting and want to do more of production. As I said before, I have a production company called Alleykat Media. I want to do more of this, for film and for television. This would be the very first of loads of things to come.

    Talking about women’s empowerment, do you think we have gone far since Beijing?

    Yes, we have gone far but I think there is still a lot more to be done. There are loads of areas that need to be touched but I believe it should start from home. I think charity should begin from home. I believe every woman should build a happy home and spread out. I think there are lots of women that go through battering in their homes. I don’t think any woman should go through battering in her home.

  • I’m not an ordinary person —Ara

    I’m not an ordinary person —Ara

     Aralola Olamuyiwa, known as Ara queen of talking drum, has had her share of betrayal in life; a world she thought would end as fairy tale. In this interview with DUPE AYINLA-OLASUKANMI, she reveals her plans for her new project through her NGO which has to do with women, children, and others. Enjoy

    TELL us about the concert you had recently in Osun.

    It went very well. I will describe it as a huge success too.

    What about your tour abroad?

    We are still working on that, and it will take place next year. It is to promote the movie Osun Funke, as well as Ara in Concert. We will be going to places like Copa, and some states in the US.

    Can you explain the reason behind this tour of yours?

    It is within my territory as an entertainer. Most artistes that have been able to do it, have the financial capability and the grace to thrill their audience. For me, Ara has been on stage for the past 25 years, and I don’t have a single CD in the market. So it is only those who have the privilege to come to my concert that have the opportunity to see me perform. And I feel that celebrating my silver jubilee with a movie and collection of video is worth the time.

    Having been in the industry for 25 years without an album, is this deliberate?

    It was not planned that way really, because I have recorded several songs in the studio, hoping to release them. But a lot of factors came in and it had to be put on hold. The most of it, is that Ara is always on the road for one thing or the other. Like my concert, appearances, or my NGO project or family issues. But mainly it is because of my busy schedule. And because of this I somehow find myself sort of different in the box. Because when I am on stage I let loose, but when I am in the cage, I mean studio, I find it difficult to let loose. But I have been able to get over that, and now I have work that I will be releasing, and one is the one I did with Tuface, Olomi remix.

    What does your NGO project?

    The Ara NGO is a project that has to do with what I am passionate about. I am very much passionate about issues that have to do with women and children. Even before I became a mother, I had this concern to reach out to children which I did through different orphanages before I had my child. So after I had my child, I realised that there is more to just buying gifts for children, that there is more, like taking care of them, which has to do with the time they are in the womb and the time they are born. A mother is more or less like a god to them, so taking care of them has to do with education, basic amenities, creating a positive environment for them. The one I am working on right now is on maternal mortality And the reason I am very passionate about this issue is because I have seen, heard and read about how a lot of mothers die for reason next to nothing, and their babies too. Recently, my youngest brother’s wife lost a five-month-old baby. I was the one who drove her to the hospital and she delivered the baby normally and I had the belief that if there had been enough equipments, the baby would have survived. I was the one who buried the baby and everything was already formed. And I asked myself how he died, and I just realised that it was lack of equipments that are inexpensive. And I have heard of nine months pregnancies too. So I went online and Google to find out how much incubator costs and I was shocked, that most of our maternity hospitals do not have incubators, and then risk the lives of mother and child. So I am doing something that will involve Lagos State and other states too, and see how we can work together to provide these equipments needed to save mother and child. As far as I am concerned, I will do my best and leave the rest. I have a voice and a name and one of the purposes I have that is for a purpose to make people happy. There are some deaths that you know you cannot avert, but there are some that you could avoid. My son at one year had malaria, and slumped and they could not resuscitate him at the hospital we took him to, I had to use mouth to mouth. They have oxygen machine, but the doctor on duty did not even know how to use it. He was gone for about 45 minutes; it was God that brought him back. What we are after is to save as many mothers and babies that we can. Another thing I am working on is thyroid glands, a lot of women have this, but I have seen men who have it too. I know about this, because I had it and I know the test, and treatment is expensive. And I know what it does to the body too. This is my second or third project, but right now we are trying to get incubators and monitoring machines for distributions. That is the Ara Passion Project.

    When did you realise that you had passion for acting and writing?

    I have always been in the entertainment, but not in movies. Well in secondary school I did a lot of stage plays and did win a lot of prizes for my school then. I had acted in one movie, where I played a nurse. I did act on stage this year at the Black Image event. I wrote the story and was scripted by Tunde Babalola, and hopefully we will be working with uncle Tunde Kelani. Ara is a total entertainer that involves singing, dancing, and acting. We have Ramsey Noauh on board already; he will be playing the lead act in the movie Osun Funke. We are not on set, because the script is still in process. But for the book, we are done with chapter one and we have eight chaptersin all. The book has everything about me.

    Why did you decide to write an autobiography?

    You see as stars, there is more to us than you see. We are just like every regular human being, but with special talents. We are more or less the chosen ones and our life should be role models to people. Our life is not always perfect, but people see a perfect us on TV. We cry, we curse, we bless, we fight, we yab, we fart, we shit, we make babies, we make love, some of us cook, we make friends, we make enemies, we do everything. But we have the extra responsibility of making your world a better place for living with our talents. So I believe that you should know that part of us that is like you and learn from it. In that regard, I respect two people a lot. Oprah Winphrey went from rape to miscarriage, and still came out successful, and Nelson Mandela, from prison to all sort of things. So I want to share the story of my positivity, my first kiss, my first boyfriend, and all those things.

    You used to be a tom boy while in school. Do you still smoke and drink?

    No, I have stopped smoking way back. But I still drink occasionally. But I am still a tom boy in a way. An example is the one I mentioned earlier that the dead baby of my brother’s wife was placed in my hands, I removed the baby from the pack, wore a glove and looked at all the parts and I prayed for him and buried him. And my mother was like iwo, omo yi sha. A woman naturally will not do such things. And after doing those things, I sometimes ask myself where I get the strength. Like when I do all those things I do on stage and sit down to replay, I ask myself if I was the one that did all that. And for me I don’t see obstacles because I am a woman. If I want to get something, I go for it.

    Has it ever occurred to you that, there might be something unusual about you?

    I know a lot is unusual about me, that is the spiritual angle. I know I am not an ordinary person and that is the reason I chose my friends. I cannot even say I have friends, but I have people that I work with. And because I have a very strong spirit I can see with my third eye. So I am not fooled by certain things. But people like me; our weakness is attached to the people that we give our heart to. They are the people that can mess with us. No matter how powerful we are, our weakness is with the people we love, they are the only ones that can break us. Somebody like Samson gave his heart and secret to Delilah and he was captured. Don’t forget that a prophecy had gone ahead of him. So that explains a lot of things about me. I am a very spiritual person and my mother knows, so there are some certain things that she won’t tell about me. Like when she was pregnant with me, the things she saw and after I was born. Over-spiritual people will start terming it to mean different things, so I rather keep that part of me and use it, as long as I don’t over step my boundaries with God, my creator. I don’t runaway or deny it anymore. Even my secondary days, they knew that something was wrong with me.

    What is it like to be a single mother?

    For me I have come to a conclusion that life is how you take it. If you want it to be hard, it will be. If you want it soft, it will be. I am blessed, so I can take care of my needs, I do not need to wait for any man to do anything for me. To that, I praise God that He is putting food on my table and clothes on my back. Because I was an up and doing person, everybody was surprised that I became submissive to my ex when we got married. I won’t take any decision or step without consulting him. I don’t advise it being a single mother; I still will get married again and have more children. I am not pushing it or rushing it, I am waiting for that time. I know it will happen, because I have suitors. It is just a matter of choosing who I want and a matter of time too. I am not committed to anybody.

    How do you create time for your son, being on the road always?

    I work my schedule round my son, because I am his mother and father. So I create a balance. But single parent is not the best, because there are times that you will want just a hug, a kiss on the forehead, not forgetting that I am a very sensitive and emotional person. There are times that I just need somebody to hold my hands. I am not the type of person that will just go with any type of person, if I am not into you. Like kissing, because this has to do with my spirituality. I cannot share myself with two people. It will affect me and that is why I have to be extremely careful. But I thank God because he has been faithful.

  • Yomi Edu’s ex- wife, Fatimah Wali, savours marital bliss

    IT is no longer news that Fatimah Wali, the ex-wife of Chief Yomi Edu, former Minister for Special Duties and close associate of Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has remarried.

    An architect of repute, who got married to her childhood love, Suraj Abdulrahman, in Kano, has been telling who ever cares to listen that she thanks God for the new man in her life. Not only that, her friends could not hide their joy for her as they claim her beauty now radiates even more.

    Fatimah who used to be married to Epe, Lagos State-born politician could not but be fulfilled having battled marital instability for a long time.

  • O’tega Emerhor coughs out $250,000 for anniversary gift

    THE 25th wedding anniversary of former bank Chief, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and his wife, Rita may have come and gone . But the displayed of love and affection showed by the Group Chairman of Standard Alliance to his wife has continued to sent tongues wagging.

    The Delta State born businessman, we gathered gave his wife brand new Rolls Royce Phantom said to have cost the princely sum of $250,000. The couple no doubt proved to the all and sundry at the octane soiree that they are soul mates for life.

    Trendy, nothing in her trim physique suggests that she is a grandmother. Rita who is also the chief executive officer of Standard Alliance group, and a big player on the party scene in the days of yore until she limits her attendance of social functions after the birth of her twins some years ago after the lost their eldest son in an armed robbery incident in Lagos.

  • Between Dapo Olumide and Jimoh Ibrahim

    THAT Dapo Olumide, the erstwhile managing director of Virgin Nigeria Airways came to the scene with a lot of energy, zeal and ideas, and that he had an unambiguous idea of how to turn around the fortunes of the airline, is stating the obvious.

    But no sooner had billionaire businessman Jimoh Ibrahim acquired the airline that people went to town predicting that the alliance of Olumide and Jimoh was one union waiting to fall flat on its face as both of them are too independent-minded. Not a few people believed that the handsome aeronautical engineer would not jell well with the group managing director of the NICON Group and Global Fleet, who is fond of buying debt-ridden businesses with a view to turning them into profitable conglomerates.

    Two years after, the fair-skinned dude disappeared into thin air, he has lend credence to the prediction that his resignation is not unconnected with the shrewd businessman’s acquisition of the airline. Especially with the crisis that is engulfing the airline now.

    Ever since he threw in the towel without even informing the tycoon of his exit, nothing has been heard of or from him. The gist making the rounds is that he is re-strategising to make a big come back.

  • I’m a risk taker —Rukky Sanda

    I’m a risk taker —Rukky Sanda

    Light-skinned actress, Rukky Sanda, is certainly a thespian that knows her onions, judging by the way she interprets her roles. The fun-loving actress opened up on a range of issues in this interview with AHMED BOULOR. 

    WHAT really influenced you to go into acting?

    Watching stars on TV basically influenced my decision to become an actress. It sounds weird, but watching TV while I was growing up, I just knew I wanted to be in it. The rest, as they say, is history, as I am enjoying every moment of being an actress at the moment.

    Have you achieved your vision as an actress yet?

    Yes, I am definitely achieving my vision gradually. I haven’t achieved it yet, but I definitely will, because God told me so. I’m headed in the right direction in my career and I am in charge of my future.

    As one who has been on the scene for quite a while, what plans do you have for Nollywood which has brought you relative fame and fortune?

    I am basically carving my own niche, and telling my own stories. Stories I can relate with. I am also giving my audience something different; telling it exactly how I want it to be told. As different individuals from different places, we all have different stories to tell and different things going on around us. We all also have different views and that means we all offer something different. I would like to use this opportunity to commend the efforts of my fellow colleagues like Uche Jombo, Emem Isong, Tonto Dikeh, Ini Edo and others who have distinguished themselves while also contributing their quotas to the development of Nollywood.

    Are you mentoring any upcoming actress at the moment?

    Yes, I have quite a few new talents that I mentor while also giving them the opportunity to show their talents. I’m a risk taker, I can basically convince you to be an actor if you suit a character I want or would like to create. But not just actresses, I have more of actors. I made it a priority to always use one or two new faces in every production I do.

    What has kept you going thus far as an actress?

    My career has been on the move all this while – thanks to God. There really has been no secret but for Him guiding my path and directing my steps and showing me what to do. It also has to do with being patient, disciplined, knowing exactly what you want and working towards achieving it and mostly being optimistic. You also have to believe in what you do and love it. I have overtime developed a passion for moviemaking and there’s so much I want to learn.

    Do you have any words of advice for upstarts?

    My advice will be; it may sound trite, but you have to be confident and not arrogant. You have to be willing to work hard, pray hard and make the best of every opportunity and give your best performance if you’re lucky to get an audition. And never take anyone for granted because you never know who can help you. Most importantly, never let anyone take advantage of you. Don’t be desperate and don’t make wrong decisions you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life. If God has said that’s your ordained career, it will happen, you just need to pray, be wise and patient.

    Would you say being beautiful is a blessing or a curse?

    I’m blessed to be beautiful. God surely took his time in creating me, so it’s definitely a blessing and a super blessing at that.

    Has life taught you any lesson?

    Life has taught me to always stay true to myself, put God first and follow my instincts. Life has also taught me to be patient while also teaching me to put myself and family as my main priority.

    Why did you give N500, 000 to Funmi Lawal? Is it that you have too much money?

    It sounds like a cliché when you put it like that. I don’t know how a good deed will be perceived as an issue of having too much money or showing off. I’m comfortable, I thank God, and I don’t think there’s such a thing as having too much money. I would love to be extremely rich in every way but even the richest people want more money. It’s nothing like that, we never even intended for it to be public, I don’t know how it got out. She needed the money more than we did because she’s battling cancer and I’m glad we were able to help. So that being said, keep her in your prayers and let’s hope she recovers fully and gets back to normal health.

    Did you and Tonto take that decision together?

    Tonto actually initiated it; so most of the credit should go to her. I knew absolutely nothing about the story or the lady. Tonto had heard about it and she was really worried and concerned. She has such an amazing heart; that crazy girl. She actually called me at 6am on Tuesday because it bothered her and she could not sleep. But I didn’t really get what she was saying because I was sleeping, I told her I’d call when I woke up. When I finally did at 2pm, we spoke and she expressed her sympathy and said she wanted us to do something. So we decided to make the donation and contributed equally.

    How close are you and Tonto?

    Yes, she’s one of my best friends, she’s fun, naughty and amazing, and she’s my baby.

    How have you been able to manage the fame?

    It has not been an easy thing but then, I apply the principle of being humble in all things that I do and whatever I achieve in life.

    What would make you reject a movie script?

    If the storyline of the script is not good or attractive enough, I will reject it. If the director is someone I feel I cannot work with, I will also reject it.

  • Akinfenwa Akinsola moves on

    AKINFENWA Akinsola was one of the bank MDs affected by the sweeping reforms embarked on by the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. He has since moved on. Apart from his consultancy for various banks across the country and beyond, the bespectacled banker has now ventured into the hotel and hospitality business. The former bank chief, we learnt, is exploring new frontiers in Ondo State, where he has unveiled a multimillion naira hotel.

  • Lola Adefowope bereaved

    SOCIALITE and politician, Lola Adefowope, is bereaved. The former Ogun State liaison officer lost her mother. The family, we gathered, was on vacation abroad when the deceased succumbed to death at age 72.

    The former House of Representatives aspirant, we also learnt, is making arrangement to bring the corpse back home and also make preparations for the burial.

  • Why Funke Adedoyin is off social radar

    TWO-TIME federal minister in the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, Funke Adedoyin, used to be a recurring decimal on the social scene. The second daughter of the Agbamu, Kwara State-born billionaire-industrialist, Prince Samuel Adedoyin , has, however, maintained a low profile since her exit from government.

    A single mother of one, though never married, her love life has been shrouded in secrecy. But she had once been amorously linked with Segun Fowora, estranged hubby of Senator Gbemisola Saraki, who has since remarried to an American. Sources close to her said her world now revolves around her 16-year-old son, whom she never stops telling whoever cares to listen that he is the reason she wakes up in the morning and goes to bed at night.