Oge Okoye is one of Nigeria’s
A-list actresses. She candidly shares her views about Nollywood’s
burning issues .
What’s the latest about you?
A lot is in the making for me. I can’t let you know them right now as they are still on the low key but they will all be unveiled gradually before the year runs out by God’s grace. At the fullness of time, all will definitely be in the open.
You seem quiet nowadays unlike before when there was a lot of noise about you?
Really? Well, I didn’t realise that, or rather, I will say I’ve been very busy with work and the home front.
How many movies have you done this year then?
Well for this year, I guess I’ve done about 10- 12 movies already.
How many movies have you done overall?
Wow! Honestly, I’ve lost count of the number of movies I’ve featured in.
Why did you become an actress and not a nurse or engineer?
Oh my God! This is like me asking you why you chose your profession as a journalist. But that notwithstanding, acting is my calling and it’s a part of my life that I reflect so much in. Thinking back to childhood, I’ve always desired to be an actress whereby I will be like a voice to the viewers and at the same time they will be entertained.
Have you achieved what you wanted to that made you become an actress?
Well, yes, by becoming an actress, but at the same time, I’m not totally fulfilled because there’s so much still not done yet and I’m yet to attain that greater height of accomplishment. In all, I’m thankful to God.
Ibinabo is the first female AGN president. How do you feel about her presidency?
Of course she’s doing a good job, and the most intriguing and fascinating one is that our first female AGN President is trying to introduce the Health Insurance Initiative for every actor/ actress in Nigeria, giving us a form of backup plan which puts us on the right path. This is a good one indeed. It shows that she has our interests at heart. We are solidly behind her, our able presido.
What can you say about the Governor Akpabio N50m donation to Nollywood that is presently causing problems?
Concerning that, my notion is that this goes a long way to show how supportive some of our leaders are to the things that concern entertainment as a whole. Same applies to our noble President, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan who has been so encouraging and a fat h e r f i g – ure to our large Nollywood family. Opportunities like this are hard to come by so I’ll say it is an impressive, fascinating and motivational gesture from our present government.
Tell us your most memorable role.
My most memorable role is where I took up the character of a vampire. It was scary for me but at the same time enjoyable.
And the most challenging?
For me, all my movies, in their different characterisations, are all challenging.
Why is it that entertainers are never able to take care of themselves when they have health challenges?
Well, I don’t think that sort of question should be directed to me because I don’t get what you’re driving at. Thank God, this is exactly what our no-ble AGN President is trying to advocate for.
What do you like most about Nollywood?
What I like most about our large family is that Nollywood is a strong voice to the world showing the different lives of different people and different things happening in the world. A strong voice It is indeed.
What do you hate most about it?
Sometimes the negative criticism and judgmental attitude towards us.
Is it true that gays and lesbians are now in control of Nollywood?
I don’ t know a n y – t h i n g a b o u t t h a t a s p e c t . Rather, I’m hearing this for the first time from you. So since I think you’ve got a lot of information on this, please enlighten me more on this piece of news.
What is your advice to upcoming actresses?
My candid advice, as I always say, is that they should always follow their heart and passion of being an actress to achieve whatever and everything they want. It’s about being focused, working hard, making sure they are worth their salt. Never envy anyone, be yourself and make good use of your potentials.
Practice makes perfect. For me, I never knew the ups and down of being an actor but I got into it and I developed myself professionally. It’s not a bed of roses but always have passion and love for it and the Rest will be history.
How many of them have you helped to become successful?
I’m still putting things in place to enable me walk down that lane. It’s all in God’s hands, our Papa in heaven.
What’s the latest about you?
A lot is in the making for me. I can’t let you know them right now as they are still on the low key but they will all be unveiled gradually before the year runs out by God’s grace. At the fullness of time, all will definitely be in the open.
You seem quiet nowadays unlike before when there was a lot of noise about you?
Really? Well, I didn’t realise that, or rather, I will say I’ve been very busy with work and the home front.
How many movies have you done this year then?
Well for this year, I guess I’ve done about 10- 12 movies already.
How many movies have you done overall?
Wow! Honestly, I’ve lost count of the number of movies I’ve featured in.
Why did you become an actress and not a nurse or engineer?
Oh my God! This is like me asking you why you chose your profession as a journalist. But that notwithstanding, acting is my calling and it’s a part of my life that I reflect so much in. Thinking back to childhood, I’ve always desired to be an actress whereby I will be like a voice to the viewers and at the same time they will be entertained.
Have you achieved what you wanted to that made you become an actress?
Well, yes, by becoming an actress, but at the same time, I’m not totally fulfilled because there’s so much still not done yet and I’m yet to attain that greater height of accomplishment. In all, I’m thankful to God.
Ibinabo is the first female AGN president. How do you feel about her presidency?
Of course she’s doing a good job, and the most intriguing and fascinating one is that our first female AGN President is trying to introduce the Health Insurance Initiative for every actor/ actress in Nigeria, giving us a form of backup plan which puts us on the right path. This is a good one indeed. It shows that she has our interests at heart. We are solidly behind her, our able presido.
What can you say about the Governor Akpabio N50m donation to Nollywood that is presently causing problems?
Concerning that, my notion is that this goes a long way to show how supportive some of our leaders are to the things that concern entertainment as a whole. Same applies to our noble President, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan who has been so encouraging and a fat h e r f i g – ure to our large Nollywood family. Opportunities like this are hard to come by so I’ll say it is an impressive, fascinating and motivational gesture from our present government.
Tell us your most memorable role.
My most memorable role is where I took up the character of a vampire. It was scary for me but at the same time enjoyable.
And the most challenging?
For me, all my movies, in their different characterisations, are all challenging.
Why is it that entertainers are never able to take care of themselves when they have health challenges?
Well, I don’t think that sort of question should be directed to me because I don’t get what you’re driving at. Thank God, this is exactly what our no-ble AGN President is trying to advocate for.
What do you like most about Nollywood?
What I like most about our large family is that Nollywood is a strong voice to the world showing the different lives of different people and different things happening in the world. A strong voice It is indeed.
What do you hate most about it?
Sometimes the negative criticism and judgmental attitude towards us.
Is it true that gays and lesbians are now in control of Nollywood?
I don’ t know a n y – t h i n g a b o u t t h a t a s p e c t . Rather, I’m hearing this for the first time from you. So since I think you’ve got a lot of information on this, please enlighten me more on this piece of news.
What is your advice to upcoming actresses?
My candid advice, as I always say, is that they should always follow their heart and passion of being an actress to achieve whatever and everything they want. It’s about being focused, working hard, making sure they are worth their salt. Never envy anyone, be yourself and make good use of your potentials.
Practice makes perfect. For me, I never knew the ups and down of being an actor but I got into it and I developed myself professionally. It’s not a bed of roses but always have passion and love for it and the Rest will be history.
How many of them have you helped to become successful?
I’m still putting things in place to enable me walk down that lane. It’s all in God’s hands, our Papa in heaven.
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