Clarion Chukwurah’s interview

MEN HAVE BEEN UNFAIR TO ME – CLARION CHUKWURAH

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.