Acting has been very rewarding

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI
HE may not be the face on every movie poster or jacket, and that has not removed the Umuahia, Abia State-born actor and model from being recognised in Nollywood. Although Leo Mezie joined the movie industry in 1996, it was not until 2003 that the sun set for the actor, who has become a constant face in most home video movies courtesy of his acting prowess. Moviedom recently caught up with the actor/ model, whose effort in Labista, a movie that reportedly gripped moviegoers, shot him to limelight.
How did it start?
I started from the church. I was a member of my church’s drama group, and we had a brother in the group who featured in Rattle Snake; a movie by Amaka Igwe. There was a time he heard me speak my dialect and he was stunned to find out that I am an Igbo guy and not a half-cast as many people thought. That was the point we got talking and he advised me to take acting seriously. It was on the strength of that, that I hit the streets in search of acting jobs.
Your experiences
It was discouraging at first as there were no jobs, no money and family members were not ready to support because no money was coming from it. You attend auditions and no one will even look your way. I remember trekking the whole of Surulere, going from one audition to the other with nothing coming in; I almost wanted to try something else…
First take in the movie
Though the first movie I did, in which I played a lead, never saw the light of the day. Honestly I cannot describe how I felt when I heard my name on radio that I was starring in a movie. In fact, when I heard my name, I forgot that I have not even been paid because the agreement was that we would be paid three months after the release of the movie. But just seeing my image on posters and hearing my name on the jingle on radio and seeing the advert on television was just okay for me. After that it took long before I got my next job — Labista — which brought me to limelight.
His movie pouch
I cannot readily say how many movies I have done, but I can easily some such as the Royal Messenger, Total War/ Final War, The Mechanic, Never End, Labista, Hitler, Feel my Pain, Gerald, Church and Tradition and Royal Insult. I may not be accurate if you want a figure, but they are over 50.
Most memorable work
I will pick Labista and Total War as my most memorable. There is also Royal Insult, in which I played the role of someone very arrogant; which is not real person.
Growing up
I grew up in Lagos and it was fun. I was not born with a silver spoon, but my parents ensured that we had the good things of life. I describe them as very hard working and down to earth parents. They brought us up to believe in ourselves. I am still single and I believe God that in few months I will be talking about getting married.
Gains of the profession
Since 2003 that I did Labista, acting has been paying my bills. So, it has been very rewarding. I tell you I don’t have the plan to leave it, even in the next 60 years.
Role Model
None. True! But I have been one big fan of Bruce Willis. I like his style and in short everything about him. I also like the works of Will Smith. Everything about him trips me. I respect these guys. And as for me, I carry out a daily assessment and decide on what shape my attitude and what my behaviour would be the next day, that’s how I have been managing myself.
Likes and dislikes
I hate lies, I can’t stand liars. They can kill. I like having fun and meeting nice people. In terms of food, I swallow a lot. My lunch cannot be better without pounded yam or fufu and I enjoy rhythm and blues. I use it to reflect on life and how I can move forward.
Career ambition
I hope to own my own entertainment company and to be the biggest in showbizness. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself as an actor.

shaibu70@yahoo.com

‘Reloaded’ Nse

STAR ACTOR


BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI
Who is Nse Ikpe-Etim?
I am a simple girl from Akwa Ibom State. I read Theatre Arts from the University of Calabar; went into banking after school, and then did some work as a broadcaster, sold male clothing and worked a bit as a company representative here in Abuja. So, I have been through a lot of industries—banking, television, among others. I was doing well in the movie industry, but stepped out when I became really scared of my future. So, I took off the same year I did Venom of Justice. However, I came back, did a couple of works, before the offer for Reloaded by Emem Isong and Desmond Elliot, where I played Omoze, came.
When you left…
I had a television programme, the DTD talk show, which I did for Desmond Majekodunmi. I was also at Rhythm FM and then Cool FM for a while. After that, I still wasn’t satisfied, so, I went into banking. And then, after banking, I took a break from everything. Later, Emem dragged me into Inheritance, a television soap. I did that. I went back to banking again, but pulled out. Since then, I have been behind the scene, writing. So, that’s how it has been.
Playing Omoze
When Emem insisted I act, I chose the character Stephanie Okereke played because I felt that I could relate to the pain and she said, no, I should play Omoze. At the end, I picked up the role and did all the screaming, the shouting and close marking and I won’t say I am like that in real life. I have not had anything close to that. I just bumped into character and allowed the woman in me to play out herself. You know women sense a lot of things. A cheating husband knows his wife knows. She probably hasn’t confronted him. But I did not play myself in the movie. I simply assumed a character and merged two acting styles — Stanislavski and avant-garde — in my delivery. And that is, wearing the shoes of the character and actually allowing anything to happen. I am happy it turned out well. Looking back at the film, I think I was a very troublesome wife. If I had a brother married to a wife like that, I would drive her away personally. But I am just glad that the movie turned out well. At least it earned me a nomination at AMAA and that is because some people felt I did well. Thanks to Emem, who insisted I played the role.
The AMAA nomination
I am grateful to God for the nomination. The nomination is an honour, but I tell you that satisfying my audience is far the biggest reward, ever. I hope to put in 200 per cent for them each time. They should look out for some of the jobs I have done. I did Guilty Pleasures recently with Emem and played alongside Ramsey Nouah and Majid Michael. There is another one Edikan, which is actually in my language. It’s in Ibibio and I am a proper Ibibio lady.
Inspiration
I draw my inspiration from God and from the things around me. I recall once I took a long trip to Aba in Abia State to buy fabrics by road from Abuja and I wrote an article and everyone I showed told me it was okay, and then, Jetta Amata, my friend for over 13 years; now reads one of them and asked where I culled it from. I said I didn’t cull it. I wrote it. That was it for me. I needed something to push me and that happened and I needed someone to encourage me which also happened.
Resistance
Resistance was from my mum. My mum did not think it was good enough at that time. But as time went on, she understood, and today, I think she is my greatest supporter. She is very happy. She thinks everyone should do what makes him or her happy. So, if you wake up in my house now and you say you want to be a farmer, trust , mummy is going to support you. So I think I got the first support from her.
Other influences
Jetta Amata and Emem Isong. These two have been on my case. Amata kept harassing me. He kept telling me to leave other industries for the proper industry and I was like what is proper about it. Then Emem Isong came along and applied same pressure too. So, I started from my writing—scriptwriting and screen writing and then to acting. But I write mainly and have little time for acting. I wrote My Brother, My Keeper for Jetta. I also did with a couple of others including Amina, which is what we are actually shooting now in Zaria. Jetta is handling that. And I was honoured Jetta asked me to be his assistant director so now it means I have graduated from acting and I am trying my hands on directing. So I have been around.
Career ambition
To be the best cook in the world (loud laugher). Serious, I love cooking. My story will be the story of that chic that acts and cooks. Cooking for me is art and so it’s all in the same line. That’s my sole ambition even though I love acting. I will sure get to my height if God permits me. I have come to realize that it’s a step at a time. As for financial reward, money will come when it will come. In terms of pains of the profession, I don’t think it is different from the fad; boy meet girl, hey you are cool. It’s left to the girl to say hey I want or I don’t want. I think it is the same thing.
Fashion for Nse and her likes…
I am not one who is so much into fashion. I stay with my style. Sometimes I am sadly bohemian in my dressing. So, it will tell. I just wear what suites me. I like to be the way I am. Simple. It’s a lot easier. I don’t have a favourite food but I love food. I cherish my food. You can catch me eating anything. For music, they say I am not funky. I am not so much of a rap person. I am more of a pop person even though I enjoy music of all genres. For books, I just read. I read everything.

‘With Child Soldier… I’ll get the Oscars’

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI
DICKSON Iroegbu, the 2005 AMAA best director, a notable Nollywood, is working on a new flick titled Child Soldier. Iroegbu who has directed a lot of well acclaimed works such as Mayors (which gave him the AMAA crest in 2005); Women’s Cot (which clinched a number of awards at the 2006 edition of the award), said he is fired by the need to build a future for the African child, who is often conscripted into the army. Iroegbu is shopping for ‘as low’ as $2m to shoot the film on the 35mm. “We have a huge vision and plans for this forthcoming film project,” Iroegbu said, inside the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Sheraton Hotel Abuja venue of the 2009 edition of the BoBTV . He had taken up a stand at the film market held as part of the event to network and find partners for the project, he also thinks will redefine and reposition Nollywood film production. He spoke to SHAIBU HUSSEINI.

Why child soldiers?
Well, it’s not about making just another film. It’s an intervention. I mean our own modest contribution to the development of Africa. I consider the project our bold attempt at discouraging the prevalent trafficking in persons, which includes the recruitment of children through force means to the army; fraudulently maltreating them; using them for forced labour or sex slaves in conflict areas. The statement credited to a 16-year-old girl-child soldier, who was forced to join a rebel group in the Central Africa region in a magazine I read, moved me. The girl recounted of how she still dreams about a boy from her village she was forced to kill; and how the boy still talks to her every day on how she killed him. I mean it’s that bad.
We have for some time now been reflecting on the ugly trend. The statistics provided by UNICEF estimates more than 300,000 children under 18 are currently being exploited in over 30 armed conflicts all over the world. The scary part is that even children between 7 and 8 years are involved. The question I asked, and have not stopped asking is; what kind of future are we building, if we allow this situation to continue? We also asked what kind of mindset would a child soldier possess as an adult, and what legacies are we building for succeeding generations if we permit the use of children in armed conflicts. So, as a powerful tool of social transformation, we are hoping to use the movie to discourage this ugly situation, a reason we seek the involvement of Nigerian and Africans in this regard.

How do you hope to achieve this?
Well, we have a huge plans for this forthcoming project far removed from the normal Nollywood film production concept. The vision is to use Child Soldier to re-define and reposition Nollywood. To achieve this we have decided to shoot on 35mm with other state of the arts equipment. We are also going to use international crew to ensure international standard practice, and the adoption of global exhibition and marketing strategies. The issue is a topic that attracts global concern. The movie would be exhibited worldwide with its attendant media hype. I believe that partnering with us on the project will open up a world of opportunities.

Funds for the project
The film project will cost a little over $2 million. This is not one of those usual Nigerian budgets, but by Hollywood standard; it is a low budgeted film. We need to start somewhere. I just need people to partner with me. I can’t do it alone. It’s not my project. It’s our project. It’s not another film. This is a vision that we must build and prove that power is shifting to the blackman. The blackman needs to position himself for the world to understand that he has for long been maltreated. So, funding will come from people who care about Africa, and the African child. It will come from those who mean well for Africa. For us, it is a progressive fight against recruitment of minors into rebel armies. This action is vital at this time because as I suggested elsewhere, if we neglect to do this, our children’s future would be jeopardized.
There is the need to galvanize our people into taking action to redress this situation now. I think time has come for Africa to unite and fight this dangerous cankerworm.

Plans to get this off
We are at the level of creating awareness. We have gunned for change in Nollywood. We have identified that these talents abound in Nigeria. It’s not a secret anymore. But the next stage will be how we can sit side by side with our colleagues out there. How can a Nigerian film go for international film festival? There is so much talk about rebranding Nigeria…yes, but is it by saying what is not Nigeria? We need to identify quality products that we must put forward as real Nigerian products. So, I am talking to Mr. President, who talks about rule of law all the time. Rule of law without the right of the child is no rule of law. The child is abused everyday in Africa with Nigeria the giant of Africa doing nothing; Nollywood is the only other visible thing that has come out of Africa, so, let us use this medium to inform Africans even the children about the effect of child soldering. I intend to take the film round schools so that we can get the children to understand that the society has to be rebuilt. It’s dangerous to rebuild the society without the child because when you finish building and can’t keep an eye on the structure, they will start destroying it. We can’t have a better environment if we don’t look at this particular issue as the very key.