MEN HAVE BEEN UNFAIR TO ME-CLARION CHUKWURAH

By David Ajiboye

I feel misunderstood, terribly unhappy and sometimes wish I had not become a star whenever controversies arise on my relationship with them. People get into a relationship with you because you are a star and they have certain expectations, which after living together for a while, the realisation that you are just a simple human being sets in, when the veneer of stardom is rubbed off and the simple part of you is revealed, men just want to move on because they didn’t come for your simplicity or person at first, they came for the stardom. For all the 30 years in the spotlight, men misunderstood me.

Those are the words that poured out of veteran screen diva, Clarion Chukwurah when replying to a question bordering on her relationship with men. Sitting comfortably in the confines of her Omole Estate, Lagos home, and not looking an inch her age, she spoke of her thirty years on screen, laying more emphasis on the degenerated state of the Nigerian movie industry that is widely referred to as Nollywood.

The situation of the movie industry in Nigeria has contributed directly to why I have decided to take a back seat and do other things like my thriving businesses. It is sad to note that contrary to the professionalism platform with which Nollywood was initiated, things have degenerated so bad that an urgent help is needed. The content isn’t inspirational anymore, casting is gone with the wind and the harsh economic situation is not helping the situation.

The industry has gotten away with the hype that it’s the third largest in the world. However, technicality, creativity and originality have been thrown away while  actors and actresses are not earning what they deserve.  Nollywood has refused to take the right steps, which include unionisation to help it grow and give it a voice and become a proper commercial industry affiliated to the NLC (Nigeria Labour Congress)

“Yes, people are watching our films all over the world but the set of people we need to help make the industry grow technically and financially are not the ones watching”, the ageless mother of three said dejectedly.

What then has she been doing since she has decided to take a back seat after close to thirty years in the industry that made her?

I have been doing a whole lot and aside my corporate regular business, which include supply of corporate gifts and materials for corporate organizations, and involvement in the oil sector, the Clarion Chukwurah  initiative has taken so much of my time. We organize events for the less previledged and children. We are speaking with the Lagos First Lady, Mrs Abimbola Fashola on an arm of the initiative, which includes children. 

I’ve also been taking very good care of my children . Also, keeping me busy is the preparations toward the celebrations of my 30 years on stage. I have done quite a lot and a whole lot are in the pipeline for the success of this in 2009. So, basically, I have my hands tied with all these and not forgetting my TV production outfit-Jade Productions that would be going into distribution of viewing content.

And for people that know this fashionable and celeberated actress, she’s been living quite large without attracting attention to her private life in the last few years as a result of her success in her various business initiatives, which has endeared her to many.

A successful Clarion isn’t complete without the inclusion of super filmmaker, Clarence-whose popularity and success in the entertainment world is fast on the rise.

His birth was as a result of the relationship that once existed between Clarion  and top flight Afro juju star, Shena Peters many years back. The relationship rocked the Nigerian entertainment industry while it lasted,  just as the product, Clarence, is also rocking the same industry that produced him with his creative camera lens.

Thus what would be her take on the talented chap? Hear Her:

Clarence makes me feel great that he’s finally making people see and know how things ought to be done. In his own little way, he’s contributing to the revolutionzation of the entertainment industry as regards technology, creativity, technicality and originality. All this makes me feel great and happy that he’s mine.

The truth is that we’ve been stars since we were kids. We grew up together, I mean Clarence and I grew up together and of course, it’s not surprising that he’s this big. From the beginning we both knew he was going to be big and all we needed was to harness the talent and make it real.  Actually he has not started yet. He’s just beginning because by the time he’s out in the open, many people will be shocked to the bone marrows.

The things I don’t support all through with him are that he hardly eats. He’s more of a studio rat and hardly have time to eat and he ignores fashion. He’s not cut out for designer wears like I would have wanted him to or, even like his peers. He’s so much into what he does.

So, it’s correct to say that she’s no doubt a fulfilled mother despite the circumstances of Clarence’s birth?

One single fact is that I do all I can to make my children happy and Clarence is not an exception. I monitor their success and activities and they continually tell me that I’m the best mom in the whole world. I honestly know that I’m a fulfilled and good mother and I’ve given Clarence all the necessary support to be successful in life. This aspect of me is hundred percent fulfilled.

The realisation that she’s spent 30 years of her life on the screen has surely has it’s ups and downs. What regrets does she have?

With slight pause and unsatisfactory look on her face, she replied: It would be fantastic to say no regrets but that would be a fairy tale. Of course I do have regrets and my main regret is that I began to practice my profession in a country that does not encourage talent but rather grows in the context of appreciating talents, celeberating and assisting talents to grow. If I had started out in the U.S or UK, I would have been better off because I would not have had lots of ideas go to waste just because I’m in the wrong society practicing my profession.

I GOT LESS THAN $5 FROM MY FIRST MOVIE -NKIRU SYLVANUS

By David Ajiboye

Nkiru Sylvanus could be said to be one of the very few actresses who have climbed the ladder of success through dint of hard work. She emerged on the scene in 2000, in the movie, Cry For Help.  Her above interpretation of her role in that movie has not only left a lasting impression in the heart of producers, it has left her permanently in the consciousness of Nollywood fans. In a recent exclusive interview with African Movie Star, Nkiru opened up on how it all started.

According to the fair-skinned actress, growing up in Aba, Abia State and having to watch actors and actresses on television opened up a new vista to what lays ahead for her in life. And that when it came to choosing a career, acting became the first choice on her mind. This, she said, was because she found out that she stands to make a name for herself quickly through acting than any other profession, and the money involved was also another incentive that made her take to acting.

Hear her: “I need to make a name for myself through acting, and the money I stood to make so I can take care of myself  were all I considered while making up my mind on the career to pursue. And when I did, I found myself picking up movie roles quicker than I expected.”

Nkiru went down memory lane and told us how her strict family background has kept her focused since she emerged on the movie scene with the hit movie. According to her she grew up in a family of seven with a policeman father who installed discipline and brought them up with very strict and proper manners in her and her siblings, which has always kept her on her toes.

“My father was a disciplinarian and the discipline he gave us is what has kept me away from silly controversies that surround most of my colleagues in the industry.”

According to her it was a herculean task convincing her father that she wanted to become an actress. “It was not an easy task but in the end, I had my way. He gave me his blessing but not without the strong warning that I should not forget where I’m coming from.”

Known for her roles as a crying actress in most movies she has featured in, we took her up on why she takes up the roles of one who is too emotional, and she revealed that she does that because film producers and directors have always casted her for such roles because, according to her she does it well.

“Producers like to cast me in roles where I cry a lot; they give me emotional or romantic roles to interprete and since I’m earning my money, I just have to do what they instruct me to do.”

For an actress of her caliber who ranks as one of the prettiest faces needed in most love movies, you wonder what could have been her opening fee in the industry in 2000. Beaming, she said it wasn’t much and that at the same time, it couldn’t have been anything more  than N5,000 but that what mattered was that, she was ans is still happy doing what she has always wanted to do in her life.

“It is a long time now, but I want to believe that it was about N5,000, but I wasn’t doing it for the money then, but for what I believed I wanted to achieve and looking back today, I think I’m happy that things have gone on well for me in Nollywood,” she admitted.

To some artists, taking part in a movie depend on the script and Nkiru is no exception to this rule as she said that as she said that she accepts any good script that has a story to tell and lesson for the public from the movie, when it goes into the market.

To her, ” I will take movie scripts that will impart positive lessons on the society and make me a better actress; I will never accept scripts that do not meet such requirements. I refuse such without thinking twice .”

In one of the movies she has been in titled, New Jerusalem, Nkiru played a rather queer role of a wayward  girl whose mother was a religious woman  in the day and, by night a criminal; a role many have not stopped asking why she took up.

” I had wanted to do something different from the crying girl stuff that a lot of people have associated me with, ut at the end of the day, I was surprised that many of my fans started judging me by that roles. I was disturbed that my fans thought that I am actually the girl I played in that movie, New Jerusalem but away from that, I’m just the girl next door who is down to earth and can do anything to please my friends.”

Nkiru also confessed that it has been only through hard work that she has been able to keep her head above board in the industry, as she is not one of those who cut corners to attain undue popularity in the industry.

According to her, ” I have been able to get where I am today because I believe in hard work and I am not like those who would want to cut corners to achieve success and I owe it all to God for guiding me to where I am today.”

With her beautiful look and fair skin, which usually attracts most men to her it is natural to want to know how she copes with the attention from the opposite sex. Nkiru said it is all about being diplomatic and that is what keeps the men close enough but far away.

” I deal with men in the proper manner without being rude but many would  still not understand why I would not date everyone who comes my way.” she said, while revealing that she is not ready for any serious relationship for now because she’s taking her time to find the right person and would know when the right man comes her way.

Asked if she would consider dating someone in Nollywood, Nkiru said her colleagues in the industry are humans, and if any one of them comes with genuine intention of settling down with her, she might consider the person.

On her most embarrassing moment, he said it was the day when someone came from behind while in a shopping mall in Enugu and lifted her up and spun her in the air to the surprise of onlookers.

The  actress, who grew up in Aba, said there are certain habits one overgrows in life and one of the such is the tendency to exhibit the character traits some people who live in Aba are known for.

“If it were about five years ago, I can answer you straight away that I would spoil for a fight with anyone who crosses my path, but not anymore now,” she said smiling.

As a romantic person that she is at least in movies, Nkiru said she’ll do everything for love except killing herself. Though a fashion freak, Nkiru revealed that she’s not choosy, and that she shops everywhere she goes be it Lagos, Enugu, Italy, London or Paris.

Recalling the first time she traveled abroad for holidays, Nkiru says she was surprised seeing so many of her fans who came out to have some nice time with her, an experience which gladdened her heart seeing people outside Nigeria appreciating her for what she is doing in Nollywood.

On the qualities her dream man must have, she said, “My man must be hard working, industrious and God-fearing and above all, romantic.” This she said, is because she believes in her man being the centre of her world and would want to remain hopeful that the right man would come her way.

I DON’T BELIEVE IN SEX FOR ROLE-UCHE ELENDU

David Ajiboye caught Nollywood actress, Uche Elendu Igweanyiba at a location recently and here’s what she shared. Excerpts:

How’s life and the acting career treating you?

Cool. The acting career is fine as well, although I’ve been on a littlle break since I got married in February. I traveled. I have not been around; I took some time off to be with my husband because he lives outside the country and I also have to take care of myself.

How is married life treating you?

Well so far so good. I am still very young in marriage but so far so good, no bitte rexperiences yet. And I hope it goes on like that.

How did you meet your husband?

Funny enough, my husband was a fan of mine. He just kept calling me and all that. At first I was like ‘uhn…’ you know the usual thing. Sometimes, he will call and I will tell my Personal Assistants to pick the call and tell him that I am busy.

I didn’t know he was so serious. He saw me on screen and just said, this is my wife and so he was bent on seeing me and getting me no matter the situation and I really gave him a tough time, but he was really bent on meeting me at all cost.

One day he actually came to my base in Owerri and that day, I was less busy and bored and I said okay come over to my house, let me see who has been calling me and all that. Then he came and got to talking , I found out that he is my kind of person; very interesting, calm, and all that. From there we just got hooked up because we knew we were meant for each other and here we are today.

Precisely when did you get into the acting profession?

I did my first movie in 2001/2002 but after that movie, I left the industry to face my studies squarely. I wrote my final exams and after then, I came back in 2004.

What is the title of the movie?

Fear of the Unknown.

How did you feel acting for the first time alongside professionals?

I did not really have any stage frieght or camera shyness. The experience was really nice because I was working with a very accomodating people and with the way I got into acting: It was my friend’s father that produced the movie.

My friend asked me to help her deliver a letter to her father, Larry Koldsweat and I went there and I met him with Olu Jacobs and we got to talking and they were like this girl is going to make a good actress.

They gave me a script to read, I read it just like a joke and they said they will give me a role in their movie and incidentally, I was on holidays and I said, well  let me just give it a try and I went and I did it well because I was working with a very accommodating people like Edith Jane Azu, Olu Jacobs and Francis Agu of blessed memory. It was really a very nice experience and that was why I made up my mind to go into acting fully.

What is one good thing that acting has done for you?

If it wasn’t for acting, do  you think I would have found my husband? (laughs) Sometimes I just sit down to think about it, you know. If I was not an actress, would he have found me? But maybe he would have because God says for every woman, there is a man. So that is one good thing acting has done for me.

Another thing it has done for me is that, it has made me realize who I am because with exposure, you get to see a lot of things.  If  I wasn’t an actress,I probably wouldn’t have known that I could handle some certain things because I would not have been exposed to them. It (Acting) has opened a lot of doors for me. Acting is my career and it has done a great deal for me.

What about marriage, what good has it done for you?

Marriage has given me a sense of  responsibility. It has made me fulfilled as a woman.

So, is your husband romantic?

(Laughs) Well, he is. To me he is. He is just my kind of man.

Who is your kind of man?

My kind of man is gentle, understanding, and tolerant because I have a lot of mood swings. He also have to be God-fearing and hardworking and my husband is very hardworking. He doesn’t give up, he always gets what he wants.

Does he watch your movies?

A whole lots, he does.

How does he reacts to your sexy roles, when you are been kissed or smooched on the set?

(Laughs) It is funny because all thew while, I’ve not noticed anything different in his reactions when he is watching my movies. But recently there was this movie I did and I was in some  romantic world  with a colleague of mine, we were just sitting down  watching the movies and we were gisting and laughing and all of a sudden, he was so interested in that part.

I was trying to draw his attention away from the scene but he was so engrossed that all of a sudden he just became quiet and went to his room.

I did not want to talk about it so I did not know if he felt jealous about it that he reacted that way or maybe because there were other people who were probably watching to see his reaction.I really don’t know. My husband is cool with my job. He loves my job and he doesn’t really have problem with it.

Have you been faced with any embarrassing situation for playing a particular role in a movie?

I really don’t get embarrassed by my fans because most of the time, I know what to expect from them so I don’t find it embarrassing although, some other person may find it embarrassing. I can remember one occasion after I did a movie titled, Last Occult, where I’m played a very occultist witch goddess. Then I was talking with a friend, I was actually kidding with her, I was telling her that I will deal with her and behold a woman emerged from nowhere and called her to a private discussion, warning her to be very careful with me, that I am a very dangerous person.

She told her that I am a goddess of an occult that I could actually harm her, that she saw me in a movie that I did and she knows that if I did not have anything to do with occultism, I would not have been able to act that part that well. My friend and I started laughing when she told me, but I did not find it embarrassing because I expect somethings like that from fans.

How many movies do you have to your credits?

Sincerely, I have lost counts but I know that I have more than fifty movies to my credits.

When you started out on your acting career were your parents supportive?

My mom was supportive from the start but my father at the beginning was not very happy about it. When I did my first movie, my mom and Ikept it to ourselves.  We did not tell my father because he was tranferred to Port Harcourt then while we were in Lagos and I begged my mom not to tell him. So I went and shot the movie.

When the movie came out, my dad was at home  one day watching tv and he saw the preview and saw somebody like me and he was like, “Is this my daughter? No, it can’t be”. And because there was no hint; he never suspected anything like that until he saw the big banner in Port Harcourt and he saw my face there.

He called me and asked me if we did any film in our school because he felt I would not leave school for anything. Then I had to tell him the truth, then he spoke to my mom and he was not happy about it. That was why I have to go off the scene after my first film before returning in 2004. After I finished and he saw that I am becoming  successful in what I do, he did not have a choice than to support me and now they are both in support of everything.

What is your view on sexual harassment?

There is sexual harassment in every sector of life. In the banks, corporate world, anywhere you can think of, it is there. It does not only happen in Nollywood. I have never experienced any although I have been hearing of it.

I don’t also see it working because after sleeping with whoever to get the role, and the person is not good enough for the role, nobody will want to throw his or her money away because of some minutes of sexual pleasure.

So whoever is playing a role has to truely merit it. The person has to be able to deliver and sell the movie. Many different people work on a movie; like the director, producer and all that so it will not work because movie making is not a one man thing. I don’t believe in sex for roles; I don’t think it works.