Tag: Collette Orji

Collette Orji, an amiable, articulate and kind-hearted Nollywood actress, is the CEO of Coco Medicare Foundation, a non-governmental organisation. The Abuja-based actress, in this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, talks about her growing up and love life, among other interesting issues. 

WHY are you still based in Abuja and not Lekki in Lagos, as some of your colleagues?

I don’t like to live in Lekki. I feel like I am a people’s person. I want to be able to reach out, so I don’t want to lock up myself. People should be able to reach me for something. So, Mainland is more like it for me.

You just embarked on a community project, where you gave school materials to students in your community. Is it a one-off thing to start the New Year?

No, it’s not a one-off thing. I run an NGO, Coco Medicare Foundation. This NGO was founded last year after I took my mom for a surgery in India as a result of arthritis. The hospital in India, Work Hard Hospital, was so amazing. When they found out that I am an actress, they approached me. They said they had done well in the hospital and pharmaceutical industry, but they wanted to do something with me as a celebrity in their country. So, they asked me what I would like and what I have a passion for. I said I like to help people. So, they partnered with me and we came up with Coco Medicare Foundation.

Last August, we launched it and I played host to over a hundred widows. The hospital brought in some medications, T-shirts and stuff like that. A few of my own friends, you won’t believe it, sent N10,000, N20, 000, N30, 000 and even N50, 000. We added it up and got medical doctors, nurses and medical equipment. We gave the widows and some producers donated movies. It was a grand launch.

The last time I was in the village was when I went to bury my dad. And from all that I saw, I just wish I had so much money to take care of everyone. However, I wasn’t going to let that stop me. If they say charity begins at home, I thought I should do something in my community.

I have never really been to my place alone. Most times, I go with my mom or my dad. I had to wait for my mom to come back from the UK. In fact, I cut short her trip. She came in and we went to the village. Schools had resumed and we thought of what we could do for the children. Their parents are working so hard. To get a textbook, an exercise book, a pen, somebody has to go and farm. To get school bags, somebody needs to go and get woods from the farm. So, what if somebody can just help them? That had never been done in my place. A group of my friends donated dresses, shoes, handbags and so on. Everybody just bought stuff for the teenage girls who are there in the village. We gave books, pencils, rulers, bags and other school materials for all of them.

When exactly did you launch Coco Medicare Foundation?

It was exactly on 10th August, last year (on my birthday). You see, it just cannot be a one-off thing. I have so many things I can do with my money. You just realise in life that you were made that way. How can people be having a problem of N2, 000, N5, 000 every now and then and we are picking up shoes of N50,000 every now and then? And how much of these things can we really get because after you wear them for one red carpet, you can’t really wear them again; at least, not for another red carpet.

So, that cash can go a long way to help someone else. The women, for instance, had no idea that I had a surprise for them. I have a shop, Coco House, where I sell India Saris and wrappers. I picked up over 25wrappers from my shop that I sell and brought them. The women were just surprised when I was throwing one at each of them. They danced and I was just so happy.

What is the vision of the Foundation?

Coco Medicare Foundation deals with women. If you have any health-related problem and we get to you, we will cut down on your bill for the treatment into half because we work hand-in-hand with Work Hard Hospital.

From August till now, Coco Medicare Foundation has sent three people to India for knee replacement. The last one was a friend who had an accident. She needed to get a new artificial leg and she had an infection in the other leg. So, they needed to, first of all, treat that infection before they get her the artificial leg. She had gotten fat because she had been staying in one position; they needed to also do her liposuction. Her case was really very serious. Even the hospital confirmed it was serious. But this year, we haven’t sent anyone because we just started the year.

Where exactly do you come in and where does the hospital come in?

According to Work Hard Hospitals, they just want to be of service. For instance, if a treatment costs you N5m in Nigeria, they are going to make sure that half of that bill is already gone because you are coming through Collette Orji, who they signed with. I am in the position to talk to people. I talk to the Ministry of Health and Commissioner for Health. They always want to see us do these things. Even the Commissioner for Agriculture was involved in the last one. He just surprised us. He said someone told him. He didn’t even have my number. Someone told him and he became help to us. I’m just so inspired. With my position, I am able to walk into offices and tell them this is the situation. Some people want to help, but they don’t trust people. They need to trust you to know that if they are investing something in you, you are going to do the right thing with it.

So, why Coco this, Coco that?

My name is Collette, so most of my friends call me Coco and that’s why my boutique is called Coco House. You also have the Coco Medicare Foundation.

Did you grow up a privileged child?

I was very privileged growing up. I am the only daughter and I have five brothers. Most people think when you are charitable, it means you grew up not having so much and you really want to help. That wasn’t my case. As a matter of fact, I was born with a golden spoon. I had over eight house helps and maids working with my mom and us. And we had over 25 guys staying in our Boys’ Quarters for my dad’s business. My dad is late now. He was trading in tyres and car parts. We had about 25 boys and 16 of them were staying with us. There were others who were going and coming back. We always had helps. There were always girls around me and these girls went to the same school with me. Yeah, when they were making a dress for me, they were making it for them too.

I always had everything I wanted growing up. I was usually the first to pay fees in class. In my primary school, if there was any competition, it was Collette Orji; if there was a singing competition, it was Collette Orji. I was just in everything. But even as a child my dad was so simple that he never believed in mansions and he made me, in particular, that way. The boys could be anything. But there was something about my dad and me. He made me somewhat so different. Until he died, I don’t know one person he didn’t talk to. You see, my own friends in the primary school days would go behind me to my dad and tell him their problems and my dad would give them money. Later, they would come back and tell me. In fact, I would go to my dad and collect school fees like five times in one year. My mom would ask me, ‘Have you taken another one’ and I would say, ‘Yes, I took another one yesterday. You know it was just like that.

But I understood from a childhood that some people did not have. You look at your neighbours down the road and you know that they are struggling. So, I grew up that way. My friends, till date, know that if it’s Collette, just go and she will give you. From my year one in the university, I had a car; so, I’ve always been comfortable.

How did you come into the movie industry?

I read Geology for my first degree and Chemical Engineering for my second degree. I’ve always been a bookworm. Acting, for me, was just a normal stuff. I always knew that I was going to do something in the arts, but I didn’t know what it was going to be. I didn’t know if I was going to be a presenter, run a TV show or something, but I knew I was going to do something in the arts.

Tell us about your first day on set

I was at the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) secretariat for my registration. I registered with AGN, Enugu Chapter. It happened that there was an audition going on and that same day I was given my first role. The title of the movie was Two Aside. The cast included me, Jim Iyke, Patient Ozokwor and others.

You acted alongside A-list actors on your first day. Could you share your experience with me?

Oh, my God! Look at Jim Iyke, the American boy. Then, I saw Mama Gee and I was like, Oh my God! It was just great and they were nice. When you come close, you find out that these people are so warm. They were like Collette do this and that. It was all fun.

What are your plans for 2014?

Right now, I’m done with my first activity of the year. I have a couple of movies between now and the end of next month. Then, I’ve got businesses to seal in the US, so I have to go back.

Do these businesses have anything to do with acting?

Yes, most things I do, if it’s not my NGO, it’s my movie works. Then, the next thing is I’m going to produce my movie. I believe that we all have stories to tell. I am a screenwriter, so I could just sell these stories to some producers, as I have been doing. By producing, I will be creating more employment. I care about standards and about values, so I want to be able to show that you can interpret every character that you want and still keep this value that we have as Nigerians. I really have to do my own movie. I want to tell my own story.

How was it like when the guys started coming as a teenager?

I think from a very young age, I knew I was pretty. At home, my brothers would say, ‘If somebody tells you that you’re beautiful, tell them that you know.’ So, at a very young age, I started saying things like, ‘I know’. People would be like shut up, say ‘Thank you.’ I would be like, ‘yeah, but I know.’ But before I got to be like 15 or 16, most of my brothers were already out of the country to study. So, it was just me, my mom and my friends. But I’ve always been an assertive person. If something is not right, first of all, it’s really hard to get me twisted. It takes time to get me twisted on things that I am not comfortable with. But growing up as a teenager, you had to make your own mistakes.

When was the first time you had your first date?

I was 18 when I had my first date. But before then, I got loads of love letters. I had my first relationship in school when I was doing my advance level.

Has love been fair to you?

I think the answer is yes. But have I been fair to love? I don’t think that the answer there is yes.

Is it that you don’t feel that the time is ripe to be in a serious relationship?

I have been in a couple of serious relationships. But you know, it’s just not easy.

Is it harder for an actress?

Yes, it is harder. No matter how normal and simple you are, someone really needs to know you. If someone doesn’t know you, you wear a shoe, but they say, you are wearing this kind of shoe because you are an actress. And when you buy a bag, they say you bought it because you are an actress.

Personally, I am not going to be sorry for saying this: I was born into wealth. Maybe it wasn’t mansion, but I was the child who had everything she wanted. Yet, I worked, even with all that. So, when it comes to relationship, I’m somebody who gives a lot. My female friends know. So, it affected my relationship with guys because they intentionally come to take. Can you now see the problem?

There was this guy I was dating sometime ago. I remember I was driving his car on this particular day. We needed a phone charger and we were driving to get one. We got to a shop and the guy brought out the charger. They tested it and it worked. And the next thing, he was playing game on his phone and fiddling with his ipad. Then, the phone seller recognised me and was hailing me. It made me uncomfortable. They were calling my name. It was his charger we were buying, yet he couldn’t be bothered; he was just doing something else. I had to dip my hand in my bag and pay for the charger. And we drove off. After a while, I was like, ‘Why did you do that? It’s your charger.” You won’t even believe what he said to me: “Actresses spend money on their husbands. Do you think their husbands are rich enough? They spend money on their husbands and they don’t insult them. But you just bought a charger for me now and you’re insulting me.” I don’t have that kind of money and that is not the life I want.

You go into a fast food, you are two and everyone already knows you and they go like, ‘Hi, what do you want?’ And you make your order. You don’t know what he’s thinking by just frowning. You don’t know the next thing you’re going to do that is going to be wrong to him. Then, even the food comes and he doesn’t pay; he’s just doing something. You are in a queue and someone is behind you; so, eventually you pay. Now, I am even becoming meaner to my own female friends. I told them that I have to come to the point; I don’t spend unnecessarily again. If I can stop doing it for them, maybe I will be able to control it, generally. They are all working, so why should I be the one paying? That’s one thing that affected me in my relationships. I have been in two serious relationships that were all about ‘Collette, bring this and that.’ I go for a movie production and as I’m driving back into the house, the next thing I hear is: what was the fee like? Everyone is just trying to grab from you. And it’s not like you’ve ever bought something for me or you gave me something.

How do you now find real love?

I don’t know. Maybe we actresses have made them think that there is so much money.

Nollywood thespian, Collette Orji, may be perceived as new to the industry but she says she has a lot up her sleeves. Recently nominated as Vanguard’s sexiest woman, the stunning actress, screenwriter, model and entrepreneur speaks to OVWE MEDEME on issues surrounding her career, romance, family and a host of other issues.

WHAT has Collette been up to? I have been very busy with a lot of things, shuttling from one location to another. Apart from that, my mum was ill and I had to travel out of the country with her for treatment. That was December last year. She had Arthritis which developed to a serious condition so I gave my mum the whole of my December and January; I was busy taking care of her. My family is my ultimate. I took her to India for a surgery. Even when we returned to Nigeria, I still had to be with her; I was like her doctor within that period, a reason I couldn’t do any other thing.

How is she faring now?

By the God’s grace, she has bounced back to life. She is great now; she walks around now and even wants to continue with her business. I’m the one begging her to take her time.

You are known to feature more in epic movies, why is that?

Apart from being skilful in role interpretation, I think I also have this African woman look. I guess that is why they call me a lot for epic movies.

What do you mean by African woman look?

I’m an African girl, I’m a curvy girl. I’m not a tiny or skinny girl (Laughs).

How did you venture into Nollywood?

I grew up in Cameroon but came to Nigeria in 2003. I once visited my aunt and met her having dinner with Stella Ukwuegbu, a well known Nollywood actress. Right there, I indicated interest in acting and she promised bringing me into the industry. Not long after, I followed her to the Actors Guild of Nigeria’s office in Enugu. There I was told to register. I got a job that very day. At the end of my registration, I found out there was an audition going on which Stella immediately asked me to participate. I went for the audition and I got the job which happened to be my first.

What was the title of the movie?

It was titled Two Outside. It had stars like Jim Iyke, Patience Ozorkwor, late Pete Eneh, and so many others. I played the role of a girl who was raped by Jim Iyke. Imagine, in my very first movie, Jim Iyke was raping me. I was excited going for auditions and seeing myself in movies. Even at that, I never really knew then that I could take acting as a career.

Since then, have you taken a break?

I went back to school after about three or four movies. I attended the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu. I got admission to read Chemical in Engineering in 2004. I’m this serious person when it comes to my academics. I’m a bookworm. So I had to focus on my studies. In 2008 when I came out of school, I decided to give myself to the industry; I chose to settle down with acting as a career.

I travelled in November 18, 2008, to Asaba and got myself a one room apartment. I bought a small mattress of five thousand naira, and a small gas cooker. In fact the house was empty, but from that day, I started shuttling from one movie location to another. In fact, I was everywhere. For two years, from that time till 2010, I was just everywhere; people got to know Collette Orji and what she was capable of.

Your diction is quite sound. Where did you pick it from?

I was born and raised in Cameroun. I think I have the Camerounians diction. I pronounce things the way I learned them in my own English school in Cameroon. At times when I go for an audition I see Directors correcting some people on how to pronounce certain words. And these are words I grew up knowing how to pronounce. I didn’t struggle to learn them, I don’t fake them. I think it is just in me.

How have you been coping with sexual harassment from producers?

Fortunately for me, I already had a breakthrough movie before I relocated to Asaba. It was titled Hidden Treasure, staring Ramsey Noah, Olu Jacobs, among other known names. The success was massive so everybody already knew me. They started giving me jobs based on merit because they had seen the stuff I was made of. They harassed me with jobs, not sex. I never found myself in a situation of sleeping with a producer or director before being given a role.

Besides, I don’t call it harassment. I’ve dated a producer but it wasn’t a sex for role thing; everybody knew about it. No producer would like to put his money in the wrong way. If a girl warms a producer’s bed for one month, she might still end up not getting the job if she is not good at what she does. I’ve seen some movies that are not too cool, and I can tell you why is not cool. When you see the crew on that job it would tell you what has transpired.

So far, in your journey through life, what have you learnt?

I’ve learnt that life is difficult and that money doesn’t come easily. Because of this, I don’t lavish money. I’m not this extravagant person. I don’t do hyping. I don’t join the crazy celebrities to attend all the events around the world. I don’t live fake life. I’ve always had money because I like working hard. I’m an only daughter. I have five brothers who are all very wealthy, but I don’t depend on them. They always assist me but I don’t depend on them. A lot of people are suffering and I like extending a hand of help. That is why I opened an NGO. Generally, life has taught me to always remember those who don’t have; to always give!

What is your NGO into?

It is a health related organisation called Collette Orji’s Foundation. We are partnering with an Indian based hospital. The hospital has about eight branches in India. The arrangement is for them to carry out certain health services for indigent Nigerians through the NGO. There are lots of people who are sick and unable to take care of themselves.

We would meet them and ascertain how much they can afford for their treatment. Whatever they have, my foundation in partnership with the hospital would take care of what is left. There are some wealthy people who are going to come in also to lend a hand of support. Whatever kind of illness, the hospital will treat the person; if it’s what they can’t treat, they will link the person up to another hospital.

If acting had failed you, what else would you have been doing?

I probably would have ended up as a TV presenter. I was this kind of a pretty girl in science class and everybody was wondering if I could succeed. But when they saw me dissecting an animal, doing it better than my male counterparts, they are always surprised. So I could have as well practiced what I read.

What was growing as an only daughter like?

Growing up in the midst of five boys was something else. When they wore their trousers, I wore mine; when they put on their cap I put mine on, when they go, out I join them. When they do their Tupac stuff, I do same (Laughs). In fact, I was a boy for a very long time (Laughs).

How do you cope with male admirers?

I love them. They are tempting at times but the bottom line is that I’m a Christian. I work with my conscience. I try to do the right things. And the fact that I don’t lack makes me able to resist all the temptations.

Have you ever been heartbroken?

I’ve never been heartbroken. I think I’m a good girl; people love me. I meet very nice people all the time.

How soon should we expect you to walk down the aisle?

God Knows I’m not desperate to get married. I’m still enjoying spinsterhood. It is so sweet being a spinster. I have lots of married friends. They are not inspiring me at all to get married. They are always telling me that marriage is not easy. I will get married one day, but right now I’m more interested in having a baby than in getting married.

Does that mean you have not met a man that sweeps off your feet?

I want Christiano Ronaldo. My friends would say I’m always saying that every day. I don’t know why. I don’t know whether it’s because I love Real Madrid. I don’t know why but I’m crazy about him.

How many times have you gone nude on a movie?

I can’t go nude in a movie. Nudity is not sexy. It’s cool wearing a bikini or being in a mini, exposing little things.

If you were to insure any part of your body, what part would that be?

My guy said he would insure my boobs, and I was laughing. I don’t have big boobs but they are lovely.

Aside acting, what else are you into?

I recently launched my clothing and cosmetic business. It’s called Coco House and is situated in Enugu state. I felt I should start up whatever I want to start from home. I’m from Anambra State but Enugu is my home. I’ve always been a business oriented person. I was even doing business when I was in school.

Congratulations on your recent vanguard nomination as ‘sexiest woman’ (actress). Why do you think you deserve it?

Thank you. I think I’m a real African woman. I’m not skinny and I think I’m pretty and sexy.