most prominent names in Nollywood scoring major roles in
chart-topping movies like 'Figurine' and 'Anchor Baby'.
A wife, mother and a gifted writer, Oboli can be described
as one of the acts that have brought a breath of fresh air to
Nollywood. She chats with Nigerian Entertainment Today
on marriage, children and career.
How would you describe your journey through
Nollywood?
My journey has been similar to any other person's journey
that is aspiring to excel in whatever field of endeavour. I
started from the bottom and worked my way up, and I am
still working my way up to personal heights that I know is
possible, and by the grace of God will be accomplished in
my lifetime. I started in 1996 and had a 10 year break to
finish my university education, get married, and have all
my children before I came back into the game. I have had
to start from the beginning twice in this industry as the new
girl in town. It's one of those things many people have to
go through and I am grateful to God that I am able to rise to
the occasion to be where I am today. My journey has been
good, but has been saddled with all the trimmings that have
served to strengthen my resolve to keep pressing towards
my ultimate goal and to help others reach there faster than I
did.
Tell us about your first onscreen experience?
I was a 'waka pass' in my first experience. I played a
secretary in one movie and Liz Benson's maid in another
movie, 'Shame'. For me, any role was better than no role. I
was too excited to be in the movies to worry about what
role I played, and I was protected then by the producers and
actors who saw my talent and were all too willing to give
me the chance I needed to get ahead in the industry. I
remember Opa Williams always making sure that I was
okay and that I wasn't being harassed by anyone. Those
early days were just fun and goofing around for me. I was
just passionate about being in the movies and when Fidelis
Duker gave me the lead role in two of his movies, 'Not my
Will' and 'Destined to Die', I was elated. This opened the
door for Hilda Dokubo to give me the lead in her own
production, 'Another campus tale'. I wonder where those
movies are now? I would love to have a copy myself.
You studied French Language, what prompted your
becoming an actress?
I think your question should be the other way round. Many
people who knew me back then are still wondering why I
chose French, because what I was known for was acting
and directing and writing plays in the church in school
plays and in the French club where I was the head of all
those clubs back then in my secondary school. Acting
started even before my primary school at the age of 3. I
have always known acting and wanted to do it as long as I
can remember so the prompting was really to study French
which I felt didn't just come naturally with me because you
had to study it to know it well or live in a French country to
properly communicate in it. So I studied French with my
eye fully on acting.
Do you sometimes regret the years that you took a
break from movies?
Not really. Considering what I got from the years I left, I
wouldn't trade my education, husband and my children for
anything. Every other thing can wait but these blessings do
not wait for you. It's the grace of God, and I'm grateful to
Him for giving me the wisdom to grab them when I had the
chance. No regrets for me there, but just gratefulness!
Which of your characters has been the most challenging
and why?
All my characters have been challenging in the light of the
fact that I choose scripts that challenge me, most of the
time. They all have their challenges and are incomparable
to each other.
What do you look out for in a script while deciding to
do a movie or not?
Firstly, it must be well written with good dialogue and
plots. Then I look at the role I'm asked to play in the movie
to see how significant it is in the story. I don't want to play
a role that seems like an afterthought and if taken out of the
story wouldn't change the entertaining value of the story.
Then I like to know the mind and vision of the producer
and see how far he or she wants to take the movie. If the
producer has small dreams and wants to embark on a
massive project without the necessary understanding of the
nature of his project, I might not feature in it even if it's a
great script. If the producer wants to do a small project and
addresses it as such, I may be more inclined to take the role
than the one who might mess up the movie because of lack
of vision. I like to add value to a production and I will give
my 110% to any work I'm involved in as long as the
producer and I are on the same page.
What was growing up like for you?
It was fun and carefree, because there was a lot of love in
the home I grew up in with my mum and sister. I lived in
the then Delta Steel Company (DSC) complex, which was a
haven where I got a great education and lived a pleasant
lifestyle even though we weren't rich. The memories of
growing up were mostly pleasant for me. DSC is not the
same as it was then anymore.
Have you ever been judged by a fan based on a
particular role you played?
I haven't run into a fan who took my role in the movie too
seriously to attack me yet, thank God, but I have had many
people tell me that they watched me in the Emem Isong
production, 'Sweet Tomorrow', and thought I was a very
wicked person until they met me in real life. After the
movie, 'Anchor Baby', many people came out of the
cinema halls and couldn't talk to me because they were so
upset, while others were too excited to see me because it
gave them such relief. I won't tell you why, so go and grab
your copy and find out for yourself.
How did you meet your husband and what's your love
story?
I met him when I first started acting in Lagos in 1996, but
just for about a few minutes. He later found me four years
later in my final year and we started dating. He proposed to
me two weeks into our relationship and the rest is history.
There's a great love story there somewhere. (Laughs) He
must have rocked my world to the point of me saying yes,
because I was just 21 years old! Many felt I was too young,
but I thank God that their opinion didn't sway my decision.
How are you always quick to flaunt your husband when
many of your colleagues would try to remain private
with their spouse that isn't a celebrity?
I don't see it as flaunting. My husband is also my best
friend and I can't imagine going to functions without my
best friend, so we are always together. Everyone has what
works for them, and my colleagues don't have to be seen
with their husbands to show that their marriages work or
not. That's their decision, but mine is what it is and we like
it that way. It doesn't make the husband who doesn't like
being seen publicly with his celebrity wife a bad husband,
and it doesn't follow that the best marriages are the ones
that flaunt their husbands, but mine works for me.
You have been together for 13years, what do you always
say to couples having problems in their marriages?
Change your focus from yourself to God and your spouse
and communicate with each other so that things don't get
out of hand because of things unsaid. Many problems in
marriage come from the selfishness of wanting to gratify
only our needs without weighing the effects of those desires
on the relationship. Sacrifices keep us from taking the
wrong step and making the irreparable decisions that end
marriages so make them when it is in your power to do so
for the sake of the spouse you swore to love and cherish, in
sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, till death do you
part.
How do you cope with motherhood and being a wife
when you need to be at a movie location?
I have help! My children are big boys and my husband
handles things when I'm not around. He also throws his
hands in the air whenever I'm around. (Laughs) Once I step
into the house, anything that's needed to be done in the
home goes to mummy. With God all things are possible,
and the foundation of our home is in Christ, so we make it
work for us and God gives us the grace.
What has been your proudest moment in your career?
Winning the Best Actress at two international awards that
were not organised by Nigerians and Africans for the
movie, 'Anchor Baby', at the Harlem International Film
Festival and the Los Angeles Movie Awards. I was
competing with moviemakers and actors from around the
world and I won. That was incredible. It shows how when
we are dedicated to doing what we love to do and are
diligent in doing it we get the recognition we deserve from
places we least expect.
What is your average fee for a movie?
I get well paid for my roles in the movies. In this age of
kidnapping, do we still answer these questions? Anyway,
we are still aspiring to reach the heights our colleagues in
Hollywood and Bollywood have attained.
Nollywood at 20, what is your assessment of the
industry?
It has come a long way and I'm so proud of what has been
achieved so far by many producers, actors, directors and
marketers of the brand, Nollywood. We are still aspiring to
greater heights and we will get there, but right now we are
simply enjoying the journey. Great movies are slated to
light up our screens this coming 2014, and I can't wait to
see the impact on the viewing public. The proper
understanding of the right direction should be sort for to
keep us on track towards our desired destination so that we
don't lose focus on the prize. Watch some of the old
movies and compare them to the likes of 'Figurine', 'Ije',
'Confusion Na Wa', 'Anchor Baby', 'Last Flight to Abuja',
'The Meeting', 'I'll Take My Chances' and many other
great titles that we have seen so far and many others about
to be released and you can tell there is hope for the future
of Nollywood. Many beautiful actors have sprung up like
Uru Eke, Beverly Naya, Alex Ekubo, Blossom, OC Ukeje and many others who have given us great performances with the hunger for more. The industry has grown in leaps and bounds and is still pushing to conquer more territories. We should thank God and also applaud the efforts that have been put in place and the persistence that has brought us thus far.
What are some of the changes you would like to see in
Nollywood?
The biggest change I would like to see is the growth in the
viewership, which in turn brings the desired revenue into
the industry that would drive the quality of the content we
produce. This cycle is what continues to expand and raise
the quality of the productions to the level that the viewers
want it to be. It can't be achieved without the necessary
patronage. It's not easy to keep producing great movies
without the necessary returns on investment. When the
returns on investment are there the expertise to produce
better productions will come because the industry will be
able to pay the bills for them, but until then the best
productions will be few and far between. I also pray that
the audience will demand the original copies of these
movies and stop the piracy of people's works.
From acting, you have stepped up to producing and
directing. How did that progression happen for you?
I've been producing since 2007, when I produced my first
movie, 'The Rivals', in partnership with Blessing Egbe.
The movie went on to win the Best International Drama at
the New York International Independent Film and Video
Festival that year. I'm currently in postproduction of my
movie, 'Being Mrs Elliott', which promises to be very
entertaining. It also features Majid Michel, AY, Lepacious
Bose, Uru Eke, Chika Chukwu, Seun Akindele, Bishop and
many others. It is my directorial debut. Watch out for it!
How would you describe yourself?
I'm a wife, mother, actress, producer, director and
screenwriter. I'm a simple girl who keeps things simple,
because life is complicated enough as it is, so why add to it.
My husband says that the only drama I display is on the
screen. I like to keep it that way.
Do you sometimes feel the urge to venture into stage?
No, not really. I might try it again later. I did a lot of it
while in secondary school and I like it too, but my first love
is for the movies.
What else are you working on that your fans should be
looking out for?
I have a couple of movies coming out this year; 'Feathered
Dreams', a Ukrainian movie production, 'Brother's
Keeper', produced by Oakfil and directed by Ikechukwu
Onyeka, 'Deep Inside', produced and directed by Lancelot
Odua Imasuen, 'Render to Caesar', produced by Desmond
Ovbiagele, 'Blue Flames', produced and directed by Paul
Apel (Papel). These would delight all my fans and others
who want to see my movies.
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