BIAFRA : I WANT A MAN THAT CAN CURB MY EXCESSES –NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS ROSE ODIKA

With over a decade experience in the Nigeria movie industry, Rose Odika, a Nollywood crossover actress, can be described as one of the best. The thespian who has carved her niche in the Yoruba movie industry, in this interview with DUPE AYINLA-OLASUNKANMI, speaks on her career, project, and rumoured marriage.

WHAT projects are you currently involved in?

Presently, I’m in the process of putting together a television programme titled Ewa Asa which aims to showcase the beauty of African Culture. The intention is to appreciate the diverse cultures in the African setting, especially promoting the values of the Yoruba culture. It’s a competitive programme where people pick up forms. It is not a beauty Pageant, but an event which is in two phases.

First, you pick a topic and speak undiluted Yoruba for 10minutes without interference or break. The second phase is about picking from aspects of incantations in Nigeria, for instance, Ekun Iyawo, Ifa Kiki. The winner of the first prize goes home with N50,000. The 2nd place winner goes home with N30, 000 while the 3rd prize is N20, 000. That is my little way of giving back to the society.

You are one of the few actors who have been able to remain scandal free. How have you been able to keep your private life outside your career?

First of all, it is to God’s glory. Secondly, my father taught me well; may his soul rest-in-peace. My father will always tell me, ‘remember whose child you are’. I always remember where I’m coming from, so I don’t take the wrong steps. My father has helped himself by building up the family and I won’t destroy the name. Also, I don’t bite more than I can chew and I take things the way they come.

You still look beautiful; do you have a secret formula?

I think I am enjoying His grace; I take care of my social life and my health. If you don’t have any aliment, you will look good. If your social life is not too rough, you will look good. So apart from God giving me good health, I have been able to maintain my social life. I don’t smoke, and I don’t drink alcohol. I am into skin care but I don’t mix harsh creams. I know what will be good for my skin and what will not be good; so that has helped me in taking care of my skin. Also, genetically from my family, we have youthful looks. So that is what it’s all about.

You were reported to have re-married after 10 years, and you are yet to say anything. What is the true situation?

It is a rumour please. I drove down to a journalist’s office to showcase my new programme. They started interviewing me and one of the questions they asked me was why I have not been married for 10 years. I only jokingly said of course I will be married soon. It was just a joke. I like talking positively to myself. Before I knew it, instead of them to promote my program and say something like Ewa Asa in the making, or Rose Odika hosts Ewa Asa, they started airing it that ‘Rose Odika is about to wed’. I still insist, and saying it here that I am about to wed.

What are the qualities you look out for before you put your trust in a man?

First of all, a man that can attract me must be calm in nature. The man must be very patient because I am very short tempered. He must be patient with me. Another important factor is that the man must be more mature and he must have the tendency to overlook things. The man must fear God and be truthful; he must be at least 90% truthful. I want a man that will not lie but tell me the way it is. So those are the qualities I look for in a man that I would want to settle down with.

What do you think the Nigerian film industry needs to do to improve on the quality of movies produced?

That’s a good question. In the next few years, I would want to see a situation where the government sets aside some fund, a sort of film fund which actors and actresses can access.

But there is a fund already on ground given to Nollywood by the Federal Government…

Yes, but it didn’t go round. Let’s thank our former President, Goodluck Jonathan for the initiative, but we want more of it. That one didn’t circulate and for us, putting down collateral to get it is not what we are talking about. Some money has been set aside for the less privilege, some money has been set aside for the security, some money has been set aside for the entertainment industry. Just set the money aside. It shouldn’t be something that we should return.

We have worked for this country by building its image, so if you say “producer we are giving you this to support what you are producing,” it is better. If you can put down money for security, you can also put down money in image making for Nigeria. Also, they should help us get a good film village so that we won’t go about disturbing people in their respective homes. If we can build shopping malls, a film village should be built because the entertainment industry is one of the largest employers of labour and we don’t need a certificate to be there. We only need talents, so why can’t they just assist us?

There’s a certain disparity between English Nollywood and Yoruba Nollywood. Where do you stand on that?

The press is not helping out by giving us the term English actors or Yoruba actors. An actor is an actor. The Yoruba film industry started before the English came up; so if some people want to claim superiority, the Yoruba industry should be the one taking the lead. However, there shouldn’t be any clash among us. Why don’t we have one body like we have the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).

As a professional body, we should look for a name, an umbrella body to cover us up where we can be having a yearly conference. So whatever your association is, let’s still have a body that controls all these associations and we will have a better industry. I don’t believe in superiority in Nollywood. What is Nollywood by the way? This industry started over 20 years ago, so these are the things we should correct and put all this egoism and face the industry.