Why Nollywood marriages breakdown –Iyabo Ojo Reveals

Iyabo Ojo, Nollywood actress, is a household name and a front-liner in the Yoruba movie circle even as she maintains a crossover appeal with the English counterpart. Noted more for her girl-about-town roles, Ojo is also a film producer of class, having churned out award-wining flicks like Omo Gomina and Arinzo currently making waves, and Tembelu just waiting to be released. She spoke to Gboyega Alaka on a number of industry issues, including her latest works, the susceptibility of Nollywood marriages, piracy and her newly opened beauty clinic.

YOU are one actress who's got a peculiar swagger to your personality, especially when acting the girl-about-town roles; where did all that come from?

Well I guess that might suggest that I kind of grew up in the streets. But not at all; I'm actually a very homely girl. My grandmother is Ibo and in Ibo tradition, after school, the next thing for the woman is the kitchen. So I'm a relatively homely girl. But where did I get all the swag and charisma from? First, I'd say from God. When I started acting, I started going out a lot, to events, to nightclubs; and when I'm out there, I try to study people a lot. I see how the town girls behave, how they talk; more especially those with unusual characters.

Have you at any time suffered stigmatisation by people based on certain roles you have played?

Yeah, a lot of that happens. I know I regularly play town-girl, bad babe, armed robber, criminal; and some people unfortunately tend to see me in that light, probably because of my look or because I play it well and maybe because I also have tattoos on me. I know people tend to regard those of us wearing tattoos like, 'Oh, she has tattoos, so she must be a very baaaaad girl.' However, when they have the opportunity of getting close to me, the equation usually changes and the next thing is 'Iyabo, are you always this quiet?'

Your latest film, Arinzo, has all the trappings of a blockbuster, what has been the response in the market?

It's been wonderful. Even up till this moment, I keep getting messages from my fans and they're just loving it. The good news is that the concluding part is going to be out this September and I'm sure they can't wait to see it. This is the first time I'm dividing my films into two, which is a way of combating the piracy menace; but I'm glad they're looking beyond that.

Aside Arinzo, what other films have you produced?

I have Tembelu. It's the first old school comedy in Yoruba. The promo is already out; but we want the concluding part of Arinzo to hit the market before we release it. And there is Enu Orofo which I shot for Gbeminiyi Adegbola, who has been my P. A. for over nine years. She's the producer, but I am the executive producer. Of course, I have talked about Omo Gomina. Timbale is in the studio, as we speak, and once that is out, I'll be going on location again to shoot another movie.

What were the challenges making that movie, considering that it is a Yoruba movie, shot mainly in Ghana and featuring some Ghanaian acts as well?

What I do usually before I go into any production is plan ahead. It took me a year before I got myself ready to shoot Arinzo, going back and forth to Ghana to get the right person to stand for me and co-ordinate activities. And once I got that person, she took charge and made sure all logistics worked well for a smooth shooting. However, it was capital-intensive, but because we had planned it ahead, it wasn't outrightly difficult to accomplish.

When you shoot a film outside Nigeria, do you have to pay some kind of fee or you just move in and shoot?

Of course we pay, like when I went to shoot the film Omo Gomina in South Africa. I also had a co-ordinator on ground, who took care of all the fees, while I just made the fund available. In Ghana, we had to pay for the fact that we were coming to shoot in the country. We also paid for the airport that we used in the film; we paid for the police because we used real policemen and their vans and their guns. We even had to fill a form; we had to send a letter ahead, even to the university that we used, for approval – the university didn't take a dime.

Tell us of the challenges of being an actress?

The major challenge that comes with being an actress is that people tend to have a different opinion about you based on what they watch. Aside that, a lot of people want to be your friend, or want you to be their mentor. And if you don't respond the way they want – because you can't respond accordingly to everybody's expectation – it becomes a problem. There is also the part where people violate your privacy and write a lot of things about you that may or may not be true. Apart from these, being an actress is just an interesting experience. It can be very tasking and strenuous but you learn to manage that.

Nollywood is replete with cases of broken marriages, and here you are too, a single mother who was once married….

I wasn't even a star when I got married. And when I got out of my marriage, I still wasn't a star. Up until I got married, I'd only featured in one film, Satanic, and I pulled out of the industry the moment I got married. So I wasn't acting in those years that I was married. I was a full-time housewife and businesswoman. And so if I had problems with my marriage, it had nothing to do with my acting profession. I actually chose to come back into acting because I had started having issues with my marriage and knew it wasn't making me happy. And I knew that wasn't the way I wanted to live my life. Yes, there are lots of problems in celebrity marriages; and the reason is that as celebrities, we live in our own world. We work hard a lot, moving from one location to the other; and usually when a female in the industry meets a male guy who just comes from the blues, he usually comes with a lot of loaded lies and sweeps some of these colleagues of mine off their feet. And they in turn are not patient enough to study these guys well enough, because 'society expects them to be married.' So people tend to marry for specific reasons, and as far as I am concerned, you mustn't be able to define the reason you love someone to the extent of marriage. Once you get married for a reason, then there is a problem. I got married because I was pregnant. That was a reason. My husband married me because I was pregnant for him. That was also a reason. Most men get married to ladies in the industry because of the celebrity aura around them, only to realise that there is a lot to marriage than that. They also discover that in reality, these ladies aren't as perfect as the screens project them. And then the men cannot get used to the ego that comes with the profession and typically want to be the man and break those wings. And if the woman is such that wouldn't be tamed, then there is a crisis and a collision.

Piracy continues to be a problem in Nigeria. As a major player, how do you view the menace?

It's annoying. It's frustrating. You know Arinzo came out on a Monday; now by Tuesday the following day, a friend of mine went to the market and bought a pirated copy. Now, the CD didn't just contain Arinzo alone, but two other films were added and sold at a hundred naira. It's that bad. Now some of us want to shoot good movie, but when you spend so much money on a film and you don't make that money back, then you get discouraged. And that's why we keep saying that the government need to set up a task force with a primary responsibility of dealing with this menace, just as they have KAI Brigade dealing with people who cross the highways.

Let's talk about FESPRIS, your new beauty clinic.

FESPRIS is a combination of my two children, Festus and Priscilla. It opened officially on August 11, 2013 and it's basically a beauty clinic where we have a spa, do scrub, facials; we also have the salon where you do your hair, nail studio for nails, manicure and pedicure; the tattoo section, where you can have your tattoos and piercing. I also have my office here from where I run my business, because I'm also into events management. I have ushers, I have models and I also do bridal beads, bridal make-up; and cakes of all sorts.

Nigeria, 18 Others Barred From US Visa Lottery

Nigeria and some other countries will no longer be eligible to participate in the America Diversity Visa lottery programme.

Information from the United States Department of State sighted on Sunday said Nigerians and citizens from few other countries were not eligible for DV-2015

The department said Nigeria was excluded since over 50,000 Nigerians had immigrated into the United States in the last five years.

The department listed other countries not eligible as Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador and Haiti.

Others are India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam

However, many African countries would continue to enjoy the programme.

Some of them are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia and Ghana.

Others are Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles and Sierra Leone.

Diversity visas are said to be distributed among six geographic regions, while no single country could receive more than seven per cent of the available space in any year.

Already, advertsiements for the 2015 US DV lottery have started with several businesses inviting Nigerians to apply for the program.

Applications for the 2015 US DV lottery is expected to take off from October 1, 2013.

In 2012, 14,769, 658 persons were said to have qualified worldwide for the US DV lottery among the 19, 672, 269 which applied.

ASUU Strike: Baraje Led PDP Faction Begins 7 Days Fasting And Prayer

Worried by the prolonged strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led new Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, has commenced a seven-day fasting and prayer starting from today.

To make it very effective, the new PDP has requested all its members worldwide to embark on the exercise, adding that the spiritual intervention was as a result of the concern of the Baraje-led PDP for the plight of parents and university students due to the continued closure of public universities following the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

It added that the move was designed to protest what it described as the Federal Government's failure to keep the agreement it signed with the union in 2009.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Baraje has set up a four-man Committee with Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State as Chairman to advise the party on the best way to get the Federal Government's negotiating committee and the leadership of ASUU to reach an agreement on the issues at stake and thus end this three-month-old strike.

Other members of the committee are Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Chinwo Ike, President of UNIPORT Alumni, and Mr. Timi Frank, the nPDP National Youth Leader.

The group said: "We sincerely solicit the patience of Nigerians while appealing to the Federal Government and the leadership of ASUU to end this imbroglio so that our children may go back to school instead of engaging in acts inimical to their future.

"The need for this has become urgent as reports reaching us indicate that many of these students have out of frustration and boredom turned to prostitution, armed robbery and other vices due to the prolonged strike.

On its secretariat that was sealed by the police, Eze said: "To the glory of God, contrary to the prayers of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur's faction of PDP, a Federal High Court in Abuja onSeptember 13, 2013, ruled that the Baraje faction of PDP should be allowed to operate without any further harassment or inhibition as it is not breaking any known law. Justice E.S. Chukwu in his ruling held that there was no evidence before the court to show any tardiness on the part of Baraje's faction as claimed by the Tukur-led faction, which requested it to stop the Baraje-led PDP from operating."

[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] Dammy Krane opens up on relationship with Yvonne Nelson

Only 19, hip-hop act Dammy Krane has made his presence felt in the music industry. In this interview, he tells how he ran away from school to concentrate on music

When did you discover your talent in music?

I started singing when I was six, joined the toddlers' choir in church when I was only eight.  I was doing back up songs and dancing for other artistes at the age of 11. Professionally, I started music when I got signed on to Tuface's label, Hypertek.

How supportive were your parents?

They were not supportive; besides, I had not seen my mum for 10 years. She lives in the United States of America where she is an event manager and manager to some Fuji artistes. I am from a polygamous family, the only child of my mum but  I was brought up by my grandmother.

Did you lobby Tuface to sign you on his label?

No, I did not. About two years ago, there was a party at a hotel in Victoria Island where a number of artistes were invited. One of my friends Iyad, a white guy was also invited so he took me along.  Iyad later invited me over to a corner where he sat with Tuface.  Tuface mentioned that  he had listened to some of the collabos I did with other artistes and also watched one of my performances. He then asked if I was signed on to any label. Of course I was not and Tuface signed me unto Hypertek.

You were doing your own thing before Hypertek…

Of course I was. When  I was in Redeemers University, I was a local champion there. I used to do a lot of free styling and collabos. I had a song 'Uni Girls' that was popular in a lot of universities. It was a Fuji pop song. The buzz created by the music got me a job as the face of Dynamix magazine.

With the kind of music you do, are you not scared of incurring the wrath of the authorities of your university?

They don't support entertainment and that was why I left. I had to leave so that I won't be rusticated. Everybody in school loved me and I was in my first year studying microbiology. I even ran away from home, though I am back. I was living and working in different studios and was what you would classify as a studio rat. Leaving school was a risk I had to take and I hope to go back someday to study business management this time around.

You must have been influenced by bad friends…

I was 17 then and now I am 19. I don't think I have ever had bad friends and that is why I don't have tattoos or piercings. I don't even think I will be getting any in the future because of the kind of discipline I had growing up. If you remember the kind of home you are from, you won't want to engage in certain things. I don't drink or smoke either. I am naturally hyperactive .

Your genre of music is quite different…

I call it 21st century music and it's a fusion of Fuji, hip hop and R&B. Some people call it concoction music but I don't mind.

Being a Hypertek artiste must have given you some kind of leverage…

Yes,  it has changed things because Tuface is a legend and that is how people see him. For him to have chosen me shows that there is something I have that others don't. Some people think that I am riding on his back to fame but it is not so and that is why you don't see me and Tuface together. He leaves me to do my own thing. He even tells me that without Hypertek, I would still have made it. That statement makes me want to do things more on my own. He once told me that he signed me on because he saw himself in me. That is very encouraging.

How did you come about the name Dammy Krane?

My real name is Oyindamola Johnson-Hunga. My mum is from Lagos State while my dad is from Ado-Odo Ota in Ogun state. I was with my brother one day and he asked me what I wanted to achieve as an artiste and I said I want to uplift the industry. He just started calling me Dammy the Caterpillar and later he changed it to Dammy Krane.

There is so much competition. How are you coping?

I don't believe in competition so I don't even think about it. I believe that once you are in the industry, your focus should be how to make yourself relevant. My success in a short while can only be attributed to God, my family and my fans.

Which  song shot you into the limelight?

That must be my first song, 'My dear.' That song was inspired by the fact that I had been doing a lot of collabos and people were asking for a single.

Should we be expecting an album from you soon?

An album is dependent on the demand I get. Right now, I am trying to create a buzz for my music so hopefully, I am looking at towards the end of the year or sometimes thereafter.

Who are those you look up to apart from Tuface?

I look up to the likes of Dbanj, Psquare and KWAM1.

What don't you like about being in the limelight?

Being in the limelight is a challenge in itself and as an artiste have to be careful about how you handle thing you because there are so many uncertainties. Personally, I have resolved that when life throws me a lemon, I catch it and make lemonade out of it.

Don't you consider your age a challenge?

I don't think I am that young. Judging by what obtains in western countries, I am even too old. In this industry, the younger you are, the better. You also need to be intelligent to make it in this industry.

How do you handle female fans?

I grew up with women; my managers are women, so, I am always with women.

You have a unique way of dressing. Is that a marketing strategy?

That is just me. I don't think it's a deliberate act. I dress to look good and make my fans happy.

If you were not doing music, what do you think you would have been doing?

Maybe I would have been an actor. I really can't tell because I have never given life outside music a thought.

Does that explain your relationship with Yvonne Nelson?

That was just a rumour from mischief makers. Yes, she is my friend but we have never been lovers. We met on the set of a movie and we took a picture together. People saw the picture and decided to draw their conclusions from that. I was surprised but not happy. I was on tour when the story broke and I was slightly distracted.

Your single 'Condom Sir' generated some controversy…

A lot of people think the song is lewd but it is a safe sex campaign. I am only preaching safe sex .

Most Embarrassing Thing Would Be When A Fan Said To Me–Actress Black Queen Reveals

Black Queen is one of the few actresses who are successfully working for both the Yoruba and English sides of Nollywood. She is an ex-model and well endowed, no wonder men can't just leave her alone.

Speaking on her many encounter with guys, the actress said:
"Apart from being a celebrity, men always want to have a test of my body. But I know and believe they want me because of my success, name and beauty and that has made me stick to one man who I love and respect with all my heart.
I just tell my male admirers and fans that I am not available. While some understand and let me be, others don't. Because I don't want to be rude, I calmly tell them to let me be. 
When they become too stressful, I stop taking their calls or block them from my facebook and Whatsapp. For me, it is not a problem to handle my male admires. They have a right to ask me out after all I am still a single woman, and I also have a right to say no. 
The most embarrassing thing would be when a fan said to me at an event, "Black Queen, I like your boobs, can I feel it?"

My Affair With Mercy Johnson –Actor Kenneth Okonkwo Reveals

          
Nollywood actor, Kennith Okonkwo, has opened up his alleged affair with actress Mercy Johnson and he also reveals his sexual escapades with women. Read what he told Entertainment Express below:
"I am strong sexually for 24 hours. My wife knows that. Each time I have an affair with any lady, she goes out to tell her friends, and her friend will end up developing interest in me. So when I married my wife, I told her if she know what's best for her she should not tell any of her female friends what we do behind closed doors or else she will lose me. 
"When I was growing up, women older than me were coming for me, right in front of my mother. These women taught me a lot of things. I started kissing at a very tender age because it was part of the things they were doing to me, and I loved it. Maybe that is why my lips are red. They taught me how to be with women. They would give me their body to play with.
"So I grew up knowing a lot about what women want. Till today, when I am sleeping with a lady she has to cum before me. I enjoy sex more when the women have enjoyed themselves"
On his alleged affair with Mercy Johnson is claims their kissing are purely profession and nothing more:
"That is funny, and do you know why? Before Mercy was born, or should I say when she was still in kindergarten, I had already started kissing ladies in movies. So she met me still doing it. Why would her own be different? When you match her good acting skill and my exceptional skill, it comes out natural and people would end up saying is there something going on?
"Mercy is like a younger sister to me. I am close to her and her husband so it makes me laugh when anybody talks about Mercy and myself in anyway. There can never be a fling between a brother and a sister. We are only professional colleagues."
But what did people see before they started saying he and Mercy Johnson had something?

Former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Agagu Is Dead

Former governor of Ondo State Dr. Olusegun Agagu is dead. The former governor reportedly died at his Ibadan residence in Oyo State around 6PM Nigerian time.

Source - Sahara Reporters