CONTRARY to the news making the rounds that the marriage of screen diva, Dakore Egbuson, to Olumide, son of the billionaire cum politician, Chief Harry Akande, will take her off the klieglights, the mother of one has continued to rock the social circuit.
The Bayelsa State-born actress co-hosted the Nollywood Movies Awards last weekend.
Not only did she anchor the event well, she proudly rocked baby bump. This is the second baby of the screen star. The couple already had a two-year-old daughter.
Early last year, Isang Awah had her debut in Nollywood, with a well acclaimed movie titled Bent Arrows. The star studded movie which paraded the likes of Stella Damasus, Omoni Oboli, Desmond Elliot, Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva, Ngozi Ezeonu and late Enebeli Enebuwa was premiered at Silverbird Cinema in Lagos and also at a similar venue in Abuja. For Isang, that was a major accomplishment, as her movie received great reviews. But Isang Awah is more popular as a writer than any other thing. Harvard-trained Isang said she has been writing since her early years, and today remains a trail blazer in the area of publishing customised books for children in Nigeria. Isang sees writing as her lifestyle. It dominates all that she is presently doing and dictated to her the strategic location of her office in high brow ‘urban shelter estate’ in Katampe, Abuja, few minutes’ walk from her home. So involved is she with children that her four children too play significant roles in her writing and publishing world. She spoke to PAUL UKPABIO, who was in Abuja recently.
AS a child, did you have a dream that you would one day be fulfilled earning a living as an accomplished writer?
To tell you the honest truth, yes, I did at some point. I have always had this vivid memory of when I was about seven years old playing in a garden, reading a book about a little girl who grew up to become a writer. And in that moment, something connected in my spirit and I wanted to grow up to be a writer. But somehow as I grew up, I developed other interests because when I was in secondary school, I was good in both arts and science subjects. Everybody encouraged me to go into the study of the sciences.
Way back then too, writing wasn’t really seen as a profession. So it wasn’t there as an option like something you had to go to school and do. That sort of left out for me the dream of becoming a writer. I therefore pursued other interests until a few years ago when I re-considered and decided to go back to school and do a Masters in Literature and Creative Writing. But the truth is even though I went on to pursue other things like going into the university for a degree in Bio-Chemistry, I was always writing through the years. I have always been into writing of poems, songs, stories and scripts. Writing never left me. I have always been writing one thing or another.
Tell us, what kind of childhood did you have?
I had a regular childhood; I grew up in a normal home with father, mother and siblings. I am a middle child. We had a lot of fun; we lived in different places, Calabar and Cameroun before returning to Nigeria. My father had a job that took him to Cameroun. I will say I was more attached to my mother. She was a teacher, which gave her more time to be with us at home. She was also a maternal person in nature. She spent time with us. She was very creative; during holidays, we had drama plays at home and we did all kinds of fun things. She was a creative person, baked, cooked and organised all sorts of fun activities for us.
Naturally, I was more drawn to her. I remember that she taught me how to be myself and why I ought to love the things that I love doing. From both my parents, I learnt that hard work is very important, also discipline, focusing to do what you choose and desire to do and honesty. These were values that they passed unto us.
I would say that my parents gave me the most wonderful gift any child could have. They made me have and believe that I should be confident. They made me to see that I could achieve anything that I set my eyes to do. I grew up believing that there is nothing that I cannot do. Knowing that gave me the confidence to pursue the dreams that I have been having through the years.
When you look back, what memories of childhood come readily to your mind?
We used to do lot of drama sketches from popular books then, most especially when we children were on school holidays, it was fun. Incidentally, none of us was interested in taking up career acting in front of the camera. On my part, I developed the creative aspect of me and love creativity. But at the same time, I love to be behind the scene. Even when I was actively involved in film production, I wanted to be behind the camera and not in front of the camera. You have to believe me, I am a very shy person though people don’t believe me when I say so.
How about your educational background?
I have a first degree in Bio-Chemistry and a Master Degree in Literature/Creative Writing. The two are far apart. I got a degree in science because I was good in the sciences; I worked in a savings and loan bank for a while before moving to a community bank in Akwa Ibom State. But when I got married, I decided along with my husband, that I should be a stay-at-home mom to personally raise the children. Through those years, I kept on writing because I cannot think of anytime in my life that I was not writing.
Much later, I found out that it was not just enough to have a talent. So it dawned on me that I ought to also get training in it. Though I did attend one or two courses along the line on writing, but it got to a point where I decided that I should have a professional training. Initially, I was in a dilemma about which school to go to. There was the option of a film school. But then again, I thought that would limit me to writing scripts. I consider myself to be a broad-based writer; I wanted to be able to write different kinds of thing. I had always had that freedom to write anything, so I finally settled for Literature and Creative Writing. I got accepted at Harvard University to study Literature and Creative Arts. The beautiful thing about that was that I was able to take courses in advanced writing, advanced script writing, shorts stories and writing novels. That met with my needs because I didn’t just want to know how to write scripts alone, I wanted to get training in doing every part of writing. So that was what Harvard did for me.
Tell us about your stay at Harvard.
First of all, it is a great, fantastic place to study; a place where you get not just the ideal facilities but also a fantastic place in terms of gathering so many fantastic people to be your professors that is lecturers, the best of them teaches you there. I remember my first semester, I did a course in advanced fiction and I was taught by a man who few months after we finished that course won the Pulitzer Prize. So that is what Harvard is about, the people that teach you are the people winning awards in one field or the other. So it is a great place to be. I didn’t see myself there particularly as just an African, though for most of the courses that I took there, I was the only black, the only African. But then, I didn’t think much of it like that because I was there just like any other person. The truth is I felt privileged to attend those classes because I did learn so much there.
What did you take out of Harvard?
I don’t know if this was limited to my field or not, but what I loved about Harvard was, we were taught how to write, for instance, scripts by developing them yourself. The same thing went for novels. At the novel class, I had to work on my own novel. The same thing went for short stories. It wasn’t a theoretical thing; it was very much a practical one, after which we critiqued each other’s works. For me, my first degree was far apart from what I went to Harvard to do, so I didn’t have that background in Nigeria and I wouldn’t know because I didn’t study that here. As a person, I think it is a fantastic way to teach people through practical, instead of just reading and reading. So it was a great experience for me being there, I think going to a place like that to study broadened my view and taught me how to dream big and know that there is nothing you cannot do once you set your mind on it.
You are married, how did you meet your spouse?
(Laughs) The first time we met was at a fellowship but I didn’t think much about it. I don’t think we talked at our first meeting. It was much later that he came to my office. I was working at the bank then; he asked to take me out for lunch. We ended up postponing the lunch till a much later time. I later got to visit him in his office, though I was initially reluctant about doing that. Incidentally, where he was working was not far from my home. When I got to visit him, I found out that he is a very interesting person to be with. We ended up talking about a lot of things. We spent about two, three hours just gisting. And that was different for me because I had stereotyped Christian guys as being boring people.
I used to think one could not have a regular conversation with them except to talk about religious things. Though I am a Christian too, but I had always been a fun person who likes to be myself. Since I met him at a fellowship, I had boxed him into that kind of person. Surprisingly, what I saw when I met him was different. I was surprised because we didn’t talk about church or any of such things. We talked about other things and it was even difficult to remember what we were talking about! I enjoyed talking to him. The friendship developed from there.
There were many things that influenced my choice of a marriage partner: he is a very fantastic person, wonderful, I honestly do not know anybody like him. He is a great person to be with. He wants the best about me, sweet and loving. Of course, he is very good looking too: Though the most important part was that I prayed about it before I got married to him. I was convinced that this is the person that God wanted me to be with. We enjoy a good friendship. We gisted a lot and I’m shy about the telephone bill that I must have been piling for my father way back then because I was still at home. We gisted into the nights, went out on date and amazingly, it is still that way now, though we have now been married for over 18 years. We still enjoy talking to each other; we enjoy each other’s company tremendously.
How about your family life?
We are blessed with four fabulous, wonderful children. They are fun kids, two boys and two girls. They take part in what I am doing, I believe so much in team work. The books that I am writing now for My Rainbow Books are all about children. So when I get a story idea, I know that my first audience is the children. So I tell the story to my children first. I then watch to see their reactions. Not just what they say, but also their facial reactions too. That way I get their feedback. When I do not get the right feedback from them, I drop such story idea. That is because as children, they know what appeals to them. They are in position to know what works for them.
Not just the story alone, even with the illustrations, I call them together to ask what they think of it. For instance, when I was doing ‘the super hero story,’ I called my son and asked him for his idea and illustration of a super hero. From there, I made adjustments. They are greatly involved in my work. And they love what I am doing.
What is My Rainbow Books about?
It is an educational publications company that is committed to endearing a reading culture in Nigeria through the publication of well written and properly illustrated story books. We are not a regular publishing house. For instance, you cannot find our books at bookshops because we make customised books. It has to be ordered for weddings, graduation parties, birthday and other celebrations. We do not make books and keep for people to order. Instead, we make books that you order and use immediately. From your order, which comes with details about the child, his or her friends and the pictures, we make personalised books. The book stands out the child as the main character, a hero or heroine as the case may be, while the child’s friends are support characters. The books are also to instill the right values in children. It is also a way of making children to read more and be interested inside of them. It also builds the self-esteem of the child as a hero or heroine. All stories teach values such as team work, honesty, courage and so on. Princess Me, for instance, teaches girls what makes a princess; that being a princess is not just about looking good like the fairy tale princess, but that you have to be kind and have a good heart. Another book The Race is a motivational story and so on.
Let’s talk about your work environment
Oh that (laughs cheerfully)? When we were setting up the office at first, we got the regular furniture and furnishing, but I remembered that I am working for children, so it need not be just an office. I wanted it to also be a place that children could come in to read. I therefore had to give out some of the furniture that we had already ordered and got these colourful chairs and table and decided to fix shelves where we could keep different kinds of book for children and where children could walk in and read too.
At some point, we were running a weekend literary club for children here. But we had to suspend that few months ago because we were so overwhelmed with work. Then we also had the summer camp on our hands. We started a summer camp in 2012 and had another this year. It is not camp for study; it is basically a fun camp for children. We do all kinds of creative activities, the children are taught and given opportunity to make puppets and other creative things like colorful visors, it is a fun camp for art and craft and lasts five weeks. The children always have amazing periods here.
Obviously, you now have a handful load of things to do with children. What about film production that you have started doing?
Definitely, I will go back on set sometime in the future. What I am doing right now is very demanding, and I am the type of person that likes giving my best concentration to whatever project that I am handling. I knew that to be able to berth this vision properly, I needed to put a pause on films and other things. But it’s a pause, so sooner or later; I’ll un-pause that button and get back to making films. But this is a very intense project. I do not just write the stories, I also run the company. You know the process of getting a book ready is quite tedious and demanding. When I am through with the story, I have to send to the editor in New York and when that is through, I get in touch with the illustrators and that takes a lot of time. We go back and forth with adjustments until we get it all right. It takes time administering the staff too. So there is no way I could be doing this and making films at the same time. I have to grow this business, have enough hands to run it before I can afford to step back and return to films. I really do love film making though.
A career as a writer, is it working out for you?
I will say so far so good, yes it is working out.
Do you have any memorable holiday?
I have many memorable holidays. I think my most memorable I can readily think of right now should be the 2008 vacation in the USA. What made it memorable is that we went on a cruise to the Bahamas, and then when we got there, we took another cruise back to the US. It was interesting because that was the first time I was on a cruise and I was there with my husband and children.
Every vacation has been memorable but I really remember that one. I also remember it because while on the return journey, my second son turned nine and we had a surprise birthday party for him on the cruise. He was very happy, amazed because he didn’t know anything about it. We were all on the dinner table when the cake was brought to him and then everyone was singing happy birthday to him. He was shocked; he didn’t know what to say.
Your fashion sense…?
Oh, I’m pretty laid back. I do not think I have much of fashion sense; I am always in jeans. For me, my number one fashion thing is comfort but that doesn’t mean that I do not wear some other things. I love things that fit me and once in a while, I have my real moments when I really dress up for an evening party! My fashion actually depends on my mood. Perhaps I wear more of jeans because I work more with children these days. So I do not feel I have to be in heels or in stilettos and skirt suits. Ha that! I really can’t remember when last I was in something like that.
Again, right now, my husband and I are involved in a youth church; that encourages much of casual dressing. So I do not feel that I have to be decked up like that.
Just like my fashion sense, my colour depends on my mood. I love olive green; I think it is a lovely colour. It is everywhere here. For leisure, we go out a lot, sometimes with our children. It depends on what activity we have. I am involved in other things apart from my regular work. For instance, my husband pastors a youth church. Right now, we have a programme called ‘from my closet to your closet.’ Basically it is about people bringing out things that they do not need or have grown out of to give to others. We dry-clean these things and make them available to other people in real need of them.
I love to spend time with my family, with my husband; we create a lot of fun moment when we are together and we crack jokes and the like. I have a niece staying with us presently, she is a fabulous person. We are all friends, we laugh and clown, and we tease each other a lot. You just have to have a good sense of humour with us. We watch home movies a lot too. We go to the cinema, hang out and do different kinds of stuff. And because the church is a youth church, we are always having all kinds of programme that bring about fun. Sometimes it’s a football match and at other times, we show Christian films. Sometimes too, it’s a dinner.
What inspires you? Where do you get your motivation from?
Absolutely, it comes from God. When I get an inspiration, I know it’s Him directing me and showing me what to do. For instance, I had this desire to use writing to influence lives, a desire to get trained on how to write, and at the end of the programme, I had this idea about personalised books. So it’s God that did all that. Interestingly, I used to tell my children bed time stories when they were very young. So it has always been there, but the time was not just right then to birth the dream. God speaks to us in different ways; even when you think that you can’t, God makes a way where there is no way. Once you hold on to God, He gives you a dream.
I recently had a dream of having a creative competition for children that will lead them to getting published. For a period, I didn’t know how to go about it, but now, I have such tremendous support concerning it. The competition is annually organised by My Rainbow Books Limited to help develop children’s creative thinking and writing skills. It is opened to children aged five to 16 years. Individuals could make an entry or a school could send a group entry. It runs between October and December 31. We would be putting together a compilation of the best entries and publish them. I know it’s God’s favour. I will like to urge everyone to live their lives to the fullest. Everyone is created for a high calling and for a purpose. There’s something you were created to do, when you discover it, it will give meaning to your life. And once you begin to live your life according to the purpose, then you will find fulfillment. To discover purpose, one has to be in line with God.
Abuja as a place, how does it work for you?
Though I know I have a bigger market for me in Lagos, which I intend to explore, but what is fantastic about Abuja is that it is central; we can reach to people in the North and other parts of the country easily.
Multi- award winning actor cum movie producer, Kunle Afolayan posted a shocking statement on his Facebook page, sending chills down the spines of his fans.
The filmmaker whose efforts in the industry have earned him respect and recognition, said he is afraid he may no live long due to his obsession with film making.
He wrote: “My Obsession with filmmaking makes me think I may not live long. I forbid it though. I got back to Lagos yesternight very tired and sleepy after 42days of shoot, got home ate then went to bed. All I see through out my sleep are the shots I took and those that I felt I should have done differently. Woke up this morning and all I have in my head is the deadline of the Trailer release which is October 1 2013, in about 11 days and the completion of the whole project. Yes, am very passionate about film making but I think being too obsessed is not healthy”.
There are reports that the movie has already gulped about N100million while N200million is still needed to complete the project.
FOR the Nollywood and African Film Critics Awards (NAFCA) which held last weekend in Washington DC, filmmakers of Nigerian descent led the winners chart. The outcome justified the huge position which movies, filmmakers and outstanding entertainment industry icons had occupy in the nomination list released prior to the award show.
Apart from the Best Film award being clinched by Cameroonian flick, Ninah’s Dowry, Nollywood’s Genevieve Nnaji and Ramsey Nouah who were unavoidably absent at the show clinched the Best Actress and Best Actor categories respectively, through the flick ‘Weekend Getaway’.
The legendary Warner Theatre shone that night with a celebrity red carpet that started as early as 5pm. Side attractions at the show included a stage drama, dance and musical performances.
The show was anchored by Nollywood actors Benedict Johnson and Moses Efret and had actors, filmmakers and society celebrities from Africa, the UK and most parts of the United States.
CEO of NAFCA, Dr. Victor Olatoye expressed gratitude to everyone who believed in the project and who had come from far and wide to be part of the show. He noted that he had lived with the dream of making the African film industry a better one through the reward initiative that tends to critique the creativity of the filmmakers. He said his organisation is poised for growth and will ensure that there is a bigger and better event in subsequent years.
On the Diaspora category of the award, Ghanian actress Jackie Appiah Nigeria’s Igoni Archibong won the Best Actress and Best Actor laurels respectively for their lead roles in ‘Turning Point’, a film produced and directed by Niyi Towolawi and co-produced by Egor Efiok. This category also awarded ‘One Night in Vegas’ the Best Film laurel.
The show had engaged celebrities for three days in Washington DC, starting with a film summit on Friday September 13 and rounding off with a celebrity boat cruise on Sunday, September 15, 2013. The after party sessions on Friday and Saturday nights were another aspect of the ceremonies that brought fanfare to show.
The roll call of celebrities at the award include Robert Peters, John Dumelo, Majid Michel, Igoni Archibong, Vitalis Ndubusi, Efret Moses, Benedict Johnson, Lilian Back, Niyi Towolawi, Jennifer Oguzie and Elvis Chuks among others.
Other winners include Best Drama Diaspora Film, ‘Unguarded’; Best Screenplay Diaspora Film, ‘Page 36’; Best Cinematography Diaspora Film, ‘Le Silence Pure’; Best Actor in Supporting role Diaspora Film, Jimmy Jean Louis-One Night in Vegas; Best Actress in supporting role Diaspora Film, KD Aubert-Turning Point; and Best Director in Diaspora Film, Agomuoh for ‘Ungurded’.
In the general category,the other winning films include: Best Indigenous Film, ‘The Hands of Fate’; BEST DRAMA, ‘Weekend Getaway’; BEST COMEDY, ‘American Mama’, Best Short Film / Trailer, ‘Fetus’; Best Sound, ‘Turning Point’; Best Visual Effects, ‘Temperamental’; Best Costume, ‘Le Silence Pure’; Best Makeup, ‘The Blessed Curse’; Best Original Score, ‘America The True Dream-The Fetus’; Best Docu-Drama, ‘Boys Cry-Bullying’; Best Child Actor in a Film, Marisha Nayee-Angel & the Mailman; Best Actress in a supporting role, Ini Edo; Best Actor in a Supporting, Kofi Adjorlolo; Best Director in a Film, Charles Novia-Alan ; Best Screenplay, ‘Letters to My Mother’; Best Cinematography, ‘One Night in Vegas; BEST TV/ONLINE SERIES, ‘African Connection’ and Best Editing, ‘Ninah’s Dowry’.
In the NAFCA People’s Choice category,the most favorite actors is Benedict Johnson, while Favorite Actress is Fatima Jabbe. Others are Favorite Director, Kunle Afolayan; Favorite Screenwriter, Andrew Campbell; Favorite Male Artiste Diaspora, Koby Maxwell; Favorite Female Artiste Diaspora, Twissa; Favorite Artiste of the Year, Yemi Sax; Favorite Song of the Year, ‘Ashawo’ by Flavour; and Favorite Video of the Year, ‘Personally’ by P Square.
Emotions heightened Sunday afternoon during a panel discussion on the Nigeria’s emerging film industry which took place at the makeshift filmmaker’s lounge in Hyatt Regency, in the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival, Canada.
The festival witnessed one of the largest gathering of filmmakers, government officials and Nigerians in the Diaspora in recent times, who seized the opportunity of the official selection of Half of a Yellow Sun, a screen adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Orange Prize-winning novel of the same title to be a part of focus discussion set by the festival organizers.
Tagged: ‘Nigeria beyond Nollywood’, the one hour panel, anchored by a professor of Film Studies at the Canada’s Capital Varsity; the Carleton University’s Mr. Aboubakar Sanogo, had filmmaker, Mahmood Ali- Balogun and the team of Half of a Yellow Sun, delivering on their experiences on the movie project.
The discussion, which was meant to explore the possibility of institutional support, high technology and new business approach to enhance Nollywood’s better global acceptability, soon, turned to an argument on whether or not the model employed by the producers of Half of a Yellow Sun was necessary for Nollywood.
Ali-Balogun differed with the subject of discussion when he noted that Nollywood remains the generic name for the Nigerian film industry, and that government’s orientation concerning support for the industry has changed; citing examples of the $200 million loan and N3 billion grant by the Federal Government for the entertainment industry in Nigeria.
But Yewande Sadiku, an investment banker with 17 years experience who raised the funds for Half of a Yellow Sun maintained that there are greater opportunities to be enjoyed by filmmakers if they are willing to get out of their comfort zones of producing mainly for the local market.
She argued that the business of filmmaking will be respected if Nollywood filmmakers learn to leave the aspect of financing to experts. “Half of a Yellow Sun project chose me because I have the skills that are relevant to get it going,” she said, noting however, that it was tough getting investors to fund the movies, but for her goodwill, popularity of the author and success of the book, which she said has sold more than a million copies and have been translated into 30 languages. “If a book has to be written about the sourcing of finance for this movie, it would be titled ‘ How not to fund a film,’” she joked.
Sadiku’s position was supported by co-panelists; Biyi Bandele, the movie director; Andrea Calderwood, the producer and Kisha Cameron-Dingle, a producer at Completion Films, a body known for funding of short films in Africa.
While some filmmakers praised the effort of Bank of Industry for supporting the movie and other projects brought to them by filmmakers, they feel that other government agencies need to do more by supporting the intervention policy of the feral government.
Veteran filmmaker, Igwe Gabosky, did not mince words in attacking some agencies of government that he thinks do not have business being at the festival.
He thinks the BoI has done well, by approving his loan of N300 million to setup distribution facilities for Nollywood.
He noted that without a proper distribution and exhibition structure, it would be foolhardy for any agency to invest in movies which have Nigeria as the major distribution window.
Gabosky is in Toronto as member of a new organisation called Nigerian Entertainment Business Group (NEBG). Other members of that group at the festival include retired banker and Nollywood enthusiast, Charles Igwe and President Association of Nollywood Core Producers, Alex Enyengao
Other attendees include the Bank of Industry with Uche Nwuka and Promise George as the two delegates, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) with about 10 delegates, led by the Acting Director General, Ms Patricia Bala and the team from Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), comprising four delegates, led by founder of the festival, Chioma Udeh.
Others are; Ugenyin Kalu, from Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank, a staff of Unity Bank, filmmaker Lancelot Imasuen, journalists and some Canada-based Nigerian filmmakers.
Half of a Yellow Sun is Bamdele’s first feature film. The filmmaker who lives in the UK said he is motivated by the desire for Nigerians to tell their stories rather than have foreigners tell them from their perspective.
Set in 1960s Nigeria, the story follows the inter-twining lives of several characters before and during the Biafran War between 1967-1970: Ugwu, a thirteen-year-old village boy who was a houseboy for a university professor full of revolutionary zeal; Olanna, the warm, progressive and beautiful daughter of well-to-do city-dwellers; and Richard, a white English ex-patriot who falls in love with Olanna’s twin sister.
British Hollywood actors Thandie Newton and Chiwetel Ejiofor take on the lead roles of Olanna and the revolutionary Professor Odenigbo, with Anika Noni Rose as Olanna’s sister, Kainene and John Boyega as houseboy Ugwu.
Joseph Mawle plays the English writer Richard while other notable actors in the cast include Genevieve Nnaji, Gloria Young, Zach Orji, Tina Mba and veteran Nigerian singer/actress, Onyeka Onwenu. The original sound track for the movie was produced by Cobhams Asuquo and singer-songwriter Keziah Jones.
Half of a Yellow Sun was shot at the Tinapa Film Studios in Calabar, Nigeria and in the United Kingdom.
Being 50 ordinarily is a landmark celebration. For Nollywood actress, Ngozi Nwosu, there may never be another celebration like it again considering a major health challenge, which could have marred her chance of attaining her golden jubilee. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, the Fuji House star actress, who was recently feted to a 3-in-1 party which was graced by top Nollywood celebrities, opens up on her ordeal, the lessons and life at 50.
HOW do you feel being 50?
I feel young. I’ve always felt young.
Nollywood has decided to fete you at 50. Will you say this is the best birthday you’ve had?
I think this should be the best really. Considering the circumstance, I thank God; I made it to 50, yeah. This should be the best.
When exactly was your birthday?
1st of August.
What did you do that morning?
That morning, I was not in Nigeria. I was in England. I had breakfast in bed – that was after my morning prayer. My girlfriend surprised me by serving me breakfast in bed. And I was like wow! I’ve never had that before. It was nice turning 50, you know (laughs).
Who were those who called to congratulate you?
From midnight, I started receiving calls from people, friends, my family in Nigeria.
Did you ever think you would get to 50?
Well, there was a time I thought I wouldn’t get to 50, but with God all things are possible. And I never gave up and here I am.
You look very pretty, how have you been able to get back to shape?
My dear, it is God. I just thank God.
Why did you conceal your health challenge for a long time?
I don’t think you were here when the doctor was educating us on health issues. As he rightly said, it is nice for you to voice out your problem on time. But to me I felt it was something I could handle on my own. It wasn’t as if I deliberately kept quiet. I was handling it on my own, thinking it will be over soon until God said, ‘no, my daughter, I think I will handle it the best way for you.’ And here I am today.
At a time, there were so many insinuations regarding your state of health. What was the worst thing that was said about you?
My dear, so many silly things; I don’t even want to think about it. I just want to thank God that I’m alive. And to them all, I just want to say thank you because either way they’ve contributed to making me strong and I thank God I’m still alive.
What are some of the lessons you’ve drawn from the experience?
Some of the lessons I have drawn from the experience; I’ve learnt to be myself, believe in God and always help the needy because you don’t know tomorrow. Nobody knows the tomorrow. Today it is my turn. It could be your turn tomorrow. I remember when I went for ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’ to play a charity game to raise money for Samanger because his health was failing him.
I thank God I won one million naira for him. But the point is I didn’t know it would be my turn someday. I thank God that when I was called upon for that show I didn’t turn it down. I’ve also learnt that you should never trust in anyone but God because those you believe in will be those that will let you down and it has also shown me the amount of people or the kind of people that will come to your aid when you need them.
This is Africa where people desert you when you have problems. What was your experience in this regard?
I would rather not talk about it. To me, I’m 50, I’m enjoying it to the glory of God and all that is behind me now. They are in the past.
How many more years would you like to spend on earth?
My dear, God should just keep adding it and adding it until He says, ‘my daughter, you’ve finished your work on earth, come home.’
You were spotted recently at a location. Are you hale, hearty and ready to work?
Spotted at a location? No, I’ve only gone to Fuji House. And you know in Fuji House, I play a key role there and they’ve been waiting for me all along. And they’ve run out of episodes, so I had to be there to play a little of my part, just to tell people I’m still alive and I will be back on track, that was why I went to see them before I went back to England.
So, are you fully ready for work now?
Yes, yes, yes but I still need to rest. If at all I have to work now it’s not going to be fully. I’ve not gone back to work fully, no!
I learnt you were on location of Yaws and Mine, that was why I asked that question…
Before I went back to England for my treatment I was there just to see them, because I was actually supposed to be with them on the second season which I told them I couldn’t do at that time as I wasn’t fit to work. So I just went to tell them ‘well done, I’m still with you. I will be back.’
What are things that you cannot do now by virtue of your age and the health challenge you just overcame?
There is nothing I cannot do because of age now, but by virtue of health for now, if you notice you will see that my walking is not really smooth; that I use working stick. That is the only challenge I have for now. I still walk at a slow pace for now, but when I’m back to my normal Ngozi Nwosu certainly there will be nothing stopping me.
What is one special gift that you have received on your birthday?
Well, I have received the grace of God; that is the first special gift. God has given me back my life. I really thank God. I call it the second coming of Ngozi Nwosu. Then the second gift I have received is a wonderful gift of breakfast in bed by my girl friend in England because I had never received that before.
What is your greatest achievement?
Life.
What is your greatest desire from God?
I pray that God should give me long life, not like Metusellah, because I don’t want to live the life that you will be blind, you will be crippled and you will become a nuisance to the society. I want a live long life but I want to be fit; even if I’m 80, 90, or 100. That’s the kind of life I want.
What has life taught you?
Life is a decision and life is by choice.
So many things have changed since the time you travelled and now. You’ve gotten back to shape. How have you been able to achieve that?
I thank God. It is not by might, not by power.
Some of your colleagues who weren’t lucky to get financial assistance passed on, but you were lucky; you had the goodwill and the money came on time. What do you think can be done to prevent these health issues?
That is why I’m happy that my president, Ibinabo Fiberisema, came. I’m glad they now have a health scheme for thespians. I will encourage them to please hook on to that because life is too short. The things we think might be nothing could turn out to be something. I know that from the time I took ill till this time there are so many people that have dropped dead while I went to hell and I’m still standing. That is why I say God has given me a second chance.
Who are your childhood friends?
So many, they are there. Some are gone while some are still hanging in there.
How about in the industry?
Industry? I do not have friends.
Any reason?
When you are rich they are your friends, but when you’re not they are not your friend. Most of them are a flash in the pan.
What’s your take on Nollywood at present?
For now, I can’t say because I haven’t been working for two years. All this problem started with pile, so for almost a year I couldn’t do anything. I was battling with the pile until finally I had an operation and just when I was being myself back, I did one or two jobs before the kidney thing started.
So really I cannot say the state, but from what I am seeing, I think Nollywood is higher yeah! But I want to quickly point out that our script writers are not doing enough work, because most of what I was watching while I was resting were based on one story copied from one English movie or the other, and before you say Jack Robinson you know where it is going to end and I don’t find that interesting.
When it comes to your health, what are the things you want to do differently?
I have learnt that there are so many things you don’t take and especially when one is aging, it is important that you get hooked to a doctor and seek advice because it’s only a doctor and a nutritionist that can actually educate you on what to do and how to take care of yourself properly.
There is the notion that kidney diseases most times have a lot to do with alcohol intake. What is your take on this?
I don’t think it has to do with alcohol. Let’s just pray that we should not be sick. There are so many people out there, even kids that have kidney problems, do kids take alcohol? So it doesn’t have to do with alcohol. Though it may have something to do with it, it doesn’t necessarily have to do with it. Like I said, let’s just pray not to be sick.
What else would you wish for in life?
I wish for the best things of life. In fact, I just wish somebody will come and park the latest car in my house now because this one that we are talking is talk, talk. Somebody should come and park the best car in my house and build a house for me. I don’t want to be like the Nigerian flag designer who almost died before they recognised him. Yes, o! When they are talking about Nollywood, I thank God I’m still alive. I am part of those who made it what it is today.
Your health challenge as it was then made you trend in the media like never before, even till now you are still trending. Would you say it’s a blessing in disguise?
Yes, a big one. It’s a blessing, my dear. To those who felt this was the end of Ngozi Nwosu, I just want to tell them: this is the beginning of Ngozi Nwosu.
FOUR Nollywood acts; Chioma Chukwuka, Ini Edo, Funke Akindele and Desmond Elliot are said to have survived the recent shake up of their ambassadors list by telecom outfit, Globacom
The likes of Ramsey Noah, Rita Dominic, Mike Ezuruonye, Monalisa Chinda, Nonso Diobi, Uche Jombo and Odunlade Adekola did not survive as they have been dropped.
Globacom recently unveiled fresh ambassadors including Burna Boy, M.I, Waje, Bez, Lynxxx, Omawumi and Flavour which ended speculations as to who was to be signed on at the time.
Sources say that the celebrities who were dropped from the deal have been told to go to the legal department of Globacom to pick up letters terminating their contract with the telecoms company.
NOLLYWOOD and home-video are two words that could be used interchangeably. Reason is; the latter is a direct to home production which, owing to its nippy form, gave birth to the name Nollywood. If any country is laying claims to home video culture, let it be put to vote and it will be obvious to them, how Nigeria has come to enjoy the ‘copyright’. Despite criticisms, the beauty of the Nollywood model is that it has become phenomenal; attracting researchers to Nigeria and putting the country at the forefront of Africa emerging cinema culture.
You would recall that the name Nollywood is a coinage of a foreign journalist and researcher who came to Nigeria and was stunned by the act of producing a movie within one week, brandishing just one camera and using so much improvisation.
With the current stance in Nollywood, it is safe for me to say that the prediction (or was it an agitation) by filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola in 1990, about a digital video revolution was a vision for Nigeria. The man had induced a global thirst for a flexible creative license. Coppola had dreamt of a situation whereby cheap camcorders will be put in the hands of the masses, hoping that one day, some little fat girl in Ohio is going to be the new Mozart and make a beautiful film with her father’s little camera saying that when that happens, the so-called professionalism about movies will be destroyed forever.
If there is anything that Nollywood has been criticized for, it is this professionalism that Coppola mentioned above. But I think that professionalism is relative to the extent of the audience that a particular filmmaker is targeting. You may be socked to know that some audiences are unmindful of a bad picture as long as to them; the story is gripping. If there is an audience that does not pretend, it is the Nigerian movie buffs-they’d walk out of the cinema hall if they find a film distasteful. But visit some film festival abroad and watch how, at the end of a sleep-inducing story, probably shot on the highest camera format, the audience would clap hysterically while the end credits roll- you are stunned, especially as a Nigerian who has grown through the ranks of the Yoruba moving theatre, the Nollywood phenomenon and the emerging ‘new Nollywood’. Should you want to know more about who a proud ‘Nollywoodian’ is, walk up to Amaka Igwe and dare raise some of those criticisms about Nollywood. I wish you luck!
The above is just one of the Nollywood’s exceptions to what is regarded as the rule of filmmaking. And talking about the movie marketing or distribution chain, the Direct to Home (DTH) distribution in Nigeria is in total defiance of the rule. The model is usually a gradual passage through the cinemas, a sting at DVD and then a final roost at the home video stage through CD sales. But it appears that until the monopoly of the cinemas in Nigeria is broken, the woes of an average filmmaker would continue. With about 20 percent of a cinema-exposed film going to government and about 50 percent going to the cinema houses, we must ask the filmmaker if 30 percent that is accrued to him from the few cinema houses in Nigeria is enough justification for the model we so publicize.
On the situation with movie business in Nigeria at the moment, the DTH would have been the best if only the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) is not failing in its duty of intellectual right protection, whereby pirated films litter our streets and their sellers operate in seeming daylight anarchy. Perhaps the New Distribution and Exhibition Framework (NDEF) of the National Film and Video Censors Board will, in addition to establishing legal distributors at every level of the society, also do part of the job the NCC is being paid for when the time is ripe. Perhaps the NCC needs the much touted broadcast industry quartet more than others, with the Nigerian Film Corporation, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the NFVCB playing the triangular cover-up for their weak surrogate sister; the NCC.
Yinka Ogundaisi had argued that for the Nigerian film industry to move forward, the shortest and the most viable route is through the cleansing and strengthening of the DTH (direct to home) distribution, which of course means getting the NFVCB to complete the implementation of the NDEF. He emphasized that the film industry in Nigeria has perhaps, the last opportunity to get its act together, using the bulk, if not the entire N300 Billion FGN’s grant to focus on the development of DTH distribution infrastructure.
I seriously think that if that formula is gotten right, NCC may just be confined to its passion and frantic agitation to sustain its one Collecting Management Authority (CMO) fight for the music industry, because filmmakers may have found succor in the NDEF which could battle the pirates’ ubiquity with simultaneous national, regional and community levels distribution of movies.
If that happens, cinema may remain at the elitist level that monopolists have subjected it, unless the intervention fund is made to also cater for screens at all levels. Unless again, Nigeria decides to toe the line of the Indian cinematic consciousness, we should know that the current inadequate theatrical infrastructure that puts us at less than 60 screens per 160 million people is a shame, whereby India has over 13,000 screens, the equivalent of 12 screens per million people, and is still counting.
I share the sentiment of my colleague, Shaibu Husseini of The Guardian newspaper who posited that: “practitioners of the Nigerian motion picture industry ought to consider themselves lucky for having President Goodluck Jonathan, who has demonstrated considerable admiration and disposition towards them. The President proved his admiration for the industry and showed that he was somewhat a Nollywood practitioner by inclination, when he again, announced the provision of funds for the development of the industry. President Jonathan had on Saturday, March 3, at a presidential dinner to celebrate the home video industry at 20, announced the provision of a N3 billion grant for the development of Nollywood under a scheme the President said will be called ‘Project Nollywood’.”
No doubt, the magic works for the entertainment industry, in such a way that each time Nollywood practitioners meet with the President, he makes promises of some funds for the filmmakers. As praiseworthy as this may be, it gets me worried, considering that this incidental benefits tend to displace the industry from a position of rights to that of favours. Little wonder the filmmakers saw Mr. President’s utterance about Living in Bondage as a mere joke. Jonathan had said metaphorically that the film industry is under repression by pirates, probably because the acclaimed first Nollywood movie; Living in Bandage carried a derogatory title. I think this is not a statement that any deep thinking practitioner should swallow hook line and sinker.
Indeed, an uncle who gives you proceeds from your late father’s property forgets in a minute that it’s your right and not a privilege with three billion naira being dangled before the face of a 20 year old, they could denounce their parents, let alone their name. Such was an expensive joke, if you ask me; that the industry’s woes should be judged by a mere movie title. Perhaps the thought could have achieved a balance, if Mr. President had also added that some Ministry, meant to help protect intellectual property does exist but has failed. Perhaps, he could have said, in like manner, that the failure of this Ministry is also a problem of nomenclature. And perhaps, we should have had a Nigerian Copyright Fighter instead of Nigerian Copyright Commission?
My drift is that the industry is being taken for a ride, and practitioners are either too blind to see or too weak to act. The Nigerian Film Policy is embedded with everything that the motion picture industry should have, including intervention funds, grants, film village etc. You do not need a presidential dinner to bring these to fruition. The practitioners should push for things that will give them some level of autonomy. Only the constitution gives such leverage.
I cannot but recall the largest convergence of artistes through their various associations on Monday, March 21, 2011at the Eko Hotel & Suites, and the comprehensive communiqué passed on to the president by each association, detailing how they can function well. Unfortunately, not a significant aspect of these demands has been met by government. A sensitive and proactive government does not make its subject to look beggarly before doing the right things. If government truly believes that the entertainment industry means so much to the country as a potentially viable non-oil sector, then now is the time to begin to prepare for an alternative source of income – even if oil, that has sunk our groundnut pyramid and turned our cocoa plantations to grave yards will never dry up.
When I see what a country like The Gambia is doing with sun and beaches, I get certain that the culture of ‘wastage’ in Nigeria is at hundred percent.
Did they not say that a house without a solid foundation is precarious? What do we think that Nollywood can achieve if given all the grants in the world, yet lacks in basic structures? The industry has argued for and against Motion Picture Practitioners Council (MOPPICON) which the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, boasted during Zuma Film Festival in Abuja last year, saying it will be actualized in three months. That soon turned out to be another ‘political statement’. Whether or not MOPPICON will become a success, I am of the opinion that it can only make the industry learn even if it fails eventually. An attempt is a great virtue. A society cannot continue to live in assumptions it must act.
Sadly, Maku did not live to his promises, and to imagine that people had clapped for him when he made that pronouncement. He had even talked about the much anticipated National Film Fund. It was heart-warming to hear Maku say that he was pushed to ensure a quick consideration of the film fund policy by the Federal Executive Council, and I thought that, that made President Jonathan’s administration proactive to issues of the film industry. But could the latest N3 billion be the fund we are talking about?
Mr. Minister, I recall your light joke that night, saying that journalists do not usually write unless the issue is meant to criticise government. To that, I had personally led a group of entertainment writers to re-evaluate the disposition of the Jonathan led government to the plight of the entertainment industry ever since beneficiaries of the $200 million intervention fund were unveiled, and I think the government will get even more of positive reviews when it begins to see itself as truly needing the film industry to boost nation income, rather than seeing the industry as dependant of government largess.
Next week, we shall take a look at the complexity of the Information Ministry and whether the film industry is not a victim of inattention. It will also be interesting to know who the real parent of the motion picture industry is, if indeed, like some say, the Information Ministry is just a surrogate father.
Ghollywood actress, Yvonne Nelson loves this country so much she claims to be half Nigerian. On a light note, she says that she has adopted the Nigerian name, Damilola. The sultry thespian who in recent times has been in the news for one reason or another recently came into the country on a twofold mission; the City people’s Award and the premiere of her latest movie, House of Gold. She takes time out of her tight schedule to speak with OVWE MEDEME on a number of issues including her crashed romance with hip-hop artiste Iyanya and her decision to star Nigerian musicians in the new flick, religion and family.
HOW has been your stay?
It has been wonderful. I always say Nigeria feels like home. I come here often times and I don’t even want to go back home. It is like Ghana, just that everything is a little fast paced here.
Do you prefer the fast pace?
It is just like Ghana, the difference is just how fast things are done here.
What is your new movie, House of Gold all about?
I don’t want to give the story out but what I can say is that it is a comedy, a family story. I want people to come out to see Ice Prince and Omawumi act. They were amazing in it. It also features Majid and Eddie Watson from Ghana. It was directed by Paschal Amanfo and written by him too. I produced it, my Executive Producers are Media Gh. It is a story about a rich man who had a lot of kids around the world. He was on his sick bed so he invited all of them to come down and the kids did not really like each other. I am just urging people to come out and see the movie because they will laugh and have a nice time.
How were you able to get Omawumi and Ice Prince to be a part of the production?
It was very challenging because they are always performing one show or another. I have my own way of doing things so they agreed to be a part of it. They gave me their schedule so I worked with their time. It was very challenging though but we had to do it?
How long did it take to shoot the movie?
We spent about 15 days on set.
This is your second production with Paschal as Director. Why do you fancy him that much?
Paschal is like the best writer I know. He is one of the best Directors in Ghana. Paschal is a very straight forward and honest guy. It is very easy working with him. He always wants to work with somebody who can deliver and make things go on smoothly.
Were the Nigerian artistes difficult on set?
Amazingly, they were all really good. It felt like they were actors. Ice Prince was the one who really shocked me because he had a show the night before he came in. He didn’t sleep; he went to the airport at about 6am and flew straight to Ghana. He didn’t even rest. He wore his costume and started acting. Everybody was surprised when he started acting. Omawumi is a natural. She is so good. At some point I jokingly told her that if she starts acting, I am sure most of us would be put out of jobs because she is really good. They were amazing.
Why the choice of Ice Prince and Omawumi?
It is my own marketing strategy. I believe that they all have their audience; they all have their fan bases. As a producer, you should be creative, know how to sell your movie. I just wanted spice things up. When you watch my movies, you will know that my casts are usually very interesting.
People get tired of seeing the same things. It has nothing to do with preference for Nigerian musicians. It is just something I thought about doing. I could have used Nollywood actors but I just wanted to spice things up a little bit. I don’t think people were expecting it at all.
How did Single and Married fare in the Nigerian cinemas?
I believe Single and Married was the longest running Ghanaian movie in Nigeria. It did great. It won best movie of the year last year in Ghana so I believe house of gold will do the same.
Does it have anything to do with why you are bringing House of Gold here?
Not really. I am always going to be producing and I know that my movies are always going to do well because I do good materials.
Where else are you taking the movie to?
It will be showing in Nigeria. It is already showing in Ghana. I don’t know how plans are right now but we might take it to the States. I am not really sure now but people are asking for it outside of Africa.
Recently, you have been linked with a couple of controversies…
I don’t live in Nigeria so I might not know what they say about me. As journalists and media people, we just have to know that people use certain headlines to attract readers or to drive traffic to their websites.
What actually happened between you and Iyanya?
I guess it is out there. I granted two interviews recently and I said everything in it so I don’t want to repeat myself. People have ways of writing their headlines which I cannot control. They can write anything they want to write and whatever I say can be misrepresented.
Is it right then to say you have moved on?
That was so last year. The reason I granted thus interviews is that I was just getting tired of lying to my fans and I wanted them to know the truth. Sometimes the fans deserve to know.
It is also said that you bleach your skin. How true is that?
Do I look like I bleach? I don’t want say anyone is dumb but people should know that there are so many filters that we use for our pictures. If you watch TV for example and I look a little dark and you see a picture of me where I look lighter, you should know that it was filtered. This thing has gone on for so long. My mum is lighter than myself. Everybody in my family is light. I don’t even know these people, I don’t know why they say the things they say because most of them have not even met me and they claim that I bleach.
Do you feel disturbed when you hear most of these things?
I don’t. Some people will remain like that. They believe whatever they read so it is good for them to sit back in their houses and believe everything they see online. You can’t go into everybody’s home and tell them you don’t bleach. At the end of the day, I am very happy with myself. I appreciate God and I don’t intend changing my colour.
Are you in any relationship now?
Not that fast. I am a secondary virgin. That means you are not a virgin but you have decided to abstain. After a long time, you become a virgin again.
Are you seeing that through till you say ‘I Do’?
I don’t know but there are a couple of people that I hang out with once in a while. They are special people in my life but I am not in any relationship. I just want to take my time. It is not something that I am looking for. I am not looking for any guy or something like that. I believe that when it is right, he will come.
The general tendency is for ladies to worry about the biological clock. Aren’t you bothered about that?
I am still young though at the end of the day, it is something that I think about. I don’t want to rush it but if it comes my way, fair enough.
Would you date an entertainer?
Definitely not.
Is it because of the Iyanya experience?
I guess everybody knows that. It was quite a shocking experience.
At some point, Tonto Dike engaged you in a Twitter spat. Have you seen or spoken with her?
Like I said in another interview, I don’t like bringing a third person into my affair. I don’t want to even mention names but it is all good. That actress did whatever she had to do and I know that the tweets were meant for me. Fair enough. I hope she is happy with whatever she has told me to do. She told me to move on, feelings change and all that. I guess she is also happy. I wish her luck.
At some point, Iyanya said you can say whatever you like…
We are all into this business. Everybody is trying to protect their fan bases. Most of his fan base is women; most of my fan base are men. I would want to not really bring out who I am dating because my male fans are going to be angry. He was also trying to protect his angle; he can’t run away from it. I decided to talk about it because like I said, I did not want to keep my fans in the dark. Nobody can stop me from doing that.
Would you turn down a job because Tonto is on the same set?
I don’t have any problem with anyone. As a professional, if I get a phone call from a producer and I like the script and I like who is directing it, why won’t I take it? It should not be a problem at all. I am not fighting with anyone. We are not friends but all the same, I know that her tweets were meant for me and it’s ok. There is nothing wrong with that. We all have our lives and how we were brought up. I didn’t have to reply anything.
What was the healing process like?
I passed through it just like every other person. Everybody goes through heartbreak. It is a natural thing. I have my work and stuff to do. I can’t just sit at home and cry. I had movies to shoot, projects to do, traveling and stuff like that.
What were your fondest moments with Iyanya?
He is a great guy with great talents. He is like the best singer ever and he gives me goose bumps anytime he sings.
Did you ever think the relationship would have ended in marriage?
I don’t know where it was leading to. I am sure in a relationship, everybody give their best and we all gave it our best I guess.
What was the real problem?
The real problem is what I spoke about in an earlier interview. I don’t want to keep repeating it, that is why I keep referring to them. I don’t want it to look like everywhere I go, I talk about it. I don’t want to talk about it again. People already know the story
They also say that you have interest in Nigerian men. Is that true?
Really? I don’t.
If a Nigerian proposes to you, would you accept?
Why not? If I like the person, I would accept.
Have you ever gotten any proposal from a Nigerian?
Let’s keep that on the low. It has nothing to do with Ghanaian men. Wherever your heart takes you, you go. You don’t decide, you don’t choose. It just happens. You don’t plan these things.
If you had a question for yourself, what would it be?
I would say things people don’t know about me. Back in Ghana, you will never see me hanging out with any guy because I am always indoors, I am not a night person. The reason people get to hear so many things about me is that when I come here, they see me with my colleagues and they start writing stories. That has been my problem in Nigeria. I cannot really continue like that because I don’t live here. If everybody they see me with will be an issue then there is an issue.
What is happening with your Glaucoma Foundation?
It is on the low now because of lack of funds. I do everything myself, from my own pocket. It is challenging. I have people I buy drugs for and it has been tough doing all of that alone. We are planning to do essay competition soon.
Have you tried seeking funds from other sources?
Most of the stuff, I do it myself and my Manager and because I am always not around, it is difficult to do all these things. It has been challenging.
What is your one wish in life?
I desire to go to heaven. I don’t care if I have to die today to make heaven.
How are you working towards that?
I pray and I am okay. We are all sinners, I know what I do. I read my bible.
Are you a born-again Christian?
Of course I am born-again. Can you see somebody and just decide they are not born-again? I come from a very religious background. My mum is like an elder in my church. The funny thing is that people just see you and they judge you. Appearance is very deceptive. I don’t judge people.
Who is your ideal man?
I don’t really have a perfect, ideal man in my head. It’s just something that you feel. When you like or love somebody. You just feel it. You don’t really mind whether they have money, whether they are broke or not. That is just me. As an individual, I work hard. I don’t have to wait for any man to buy me what I need. Love should be unconditional. That is what I believe in.
Would you be comfortable being the bread