She is an actress to watch. With her stunning
beauty and passion for acting, Chika Oguine
who stormed Nollywood a few years ago, now
rubs shoulders with A-list actors in the
industry.
The Anambra State-born actress and graduate
of Management Science from University of
Nigeria, Nsukka, in an exclusive interview, bares her mind on germane
issues in Nollywood and the reason why most
producers now go for soft-porn movies.
Excerpts:
What are you currently doing?
I just finished a movie with Osita Okoli and a
soap entitled, Classic with Zeb Ejiro which is
now running on Africa Magic on Thurdays. I
will be working with Chidi Mokeme, the
producer of the award winning Champions Of
Our Time in his forthcoming production. I am
preparing to present a TV show. I just did a TV
commercial, which hopefully would be showing
in South Africa soon.
What does it take to be an upcoming
actress in Nollywood?
It takes more than talent; beauty, reading your
script and interpreting your role. One has to
be more than herself and ready to compete by
expanding the horizon both artistically and
intellectually. You just have to keep pushing to
get to that height where people commend your
work and see you as a star.
What are the challenges you face as an
upcoming actress?
I have done stage acting for five years in
Enugu before coming down to Lagos to join
Nollywood. Many producers wouldn’t like to
pay, especially when you are an upcoming
artiste. I think they should encourage young
actors and end the injustice in the industry.
Although, they take care of us very well; the
welfare is good and organization is very nice.
How do you cope with male admirers?
I think there are peripheral challenges every
young woman out there is having, even before
I became an actress, I had one or two people
who admired me and I was able to control
them. I try to keep mem at arm’s length to
avoid misconception. I use three magic words :
please, sorry and thank you.
How did you venture into stage drama?
It was when I wanted to get into higher
institution to read Theatre Arts, my parents
discouraged me by saying ‘why would someone
who has acting skill, go to school to still read
the same thing she has talent for’. They were
like ‘why not read something else to make you
have double professions so that when one
platform fails, you can have something to fall
back on’. They told me to either go for Mass
Communication or Management Science. I went
for Management Science. It was then that I
joined a drama club in Enugu which was one of
the biggest drama groups. It was a household
name in Enugu.
Why did your parents try to stop you from
going into acting fully?
It was not easy. At first, I tried it when I was
12 years-old and was still in the secondary
school. I went and got the AGN (Actors Guild
of Nigeria) form and I registered. My dad saw
the form and encouraged me to go for it. But
after a while, an uncle of mine came to the
house and asked my dad to stop me from
going into the movie industry, that I wouldn’t
have respect for him again. When my uncle
left, my dad withdrew the form so that I
wouldn’t act. Besides, you can`t act without
the AGN identity card. So, I couldn`t act until
when I entered the university to read Theatre
Arts.
What has stage acting imparted in you?
Honestly, stage acting can`t be compared with
the movie acting because you need a lot of
energy, especially when it comes to how to
moderate your voice and make it louder so
that people from far can get a glimpse of what
message you are trying to pass to them. You
really need to be original in order to portray
that character. You don’t need to pretend to be
that character, you need to be that character
to entertain your audience. That’s what makes
it different from movie acting. I think the
stage has prepared me in many ways.
Tell us about your growing up?
I was born and bred here in Lagos. I was not
born with a silver spoon, but I was born with
‘Jesus cares spoon’. And it is more than
diamond, gold and silver. Looking at my life, I
can`t stop thanking God for everything. I
could remember I went through the best
school and my father was up and doing. We
were very comfortable even at a time when
there were issues with a bank and my dad`s
business crashed. My mum was able to start a
business and we joined together to make it a
success. I was not born with a silver spoon,
but we had to learn how to survive. As a child,
I hawked in the street, I sold all sort of things
like mango and pepper in the street but here
we are today. I think my life has changed for
good. We had our own hard times which made
me learn the other side of the coin about life,
and it made me very strong, focused and
determined.
When did you develop passion for acting?
I have been acting from my childhood. I could
stand in front of the mirror and do all sort of
acting, mimicking the people around me. I was
always doing all kinds of gesticulation in front
of the mirror as a kid. I am someone who likes
the media. I have always been watching
television and reading novels and wished I
could be the character in the thick of the
action. I think my acting is something that is
inborn. I knew that Enugu was not a place to
expand my career, so after graduation, I came
back to Lagos to join the industry.
How did you get your first movie role?
When I came back to Lagos, I didn’t know
anybody in the movie industry. I approached
my aunty who had contacts of some movies
makers. Then, I went for audition and I was
given a script to read, which I read very well.
It was more of casting and auditioning. After
the first movie I featured in, my name spread
like wild fire. A lot of people started bringing
scripts for me.
What inspires you?
My passion drives me anytime; any day.
Coming to the industry with a degree is not a
joke. I had opportunity to go into other
sectors, but I have passion for acting. If I am
sleeping and you wake me up with a script, I
will give you what you want in the character in
a flash.
What is your assessment of Nollywood?
Saying that Nollywood is still growing has
become a cliché. For me, we are doing well
and it is the highest employing sector in the
country. It keeps a lot of people working to
entertain the country amidst the boredom we
are in. Acting is very easy to do, but it has
long gestation period and you have to endure
the good, the bad and the ugly. So, Nollywood
is the best industry one could think of to make
a success of her life. If you are really working
hard, you will definitely get to the apogee.
Apart from acting what else do you do?
Of course, I do a lot of things. I sell shirts,
jewelry, I have a jewelry line from India. My
mum gets them for me and I sell. You can’t
see it in Nigeria. I am thinking of setting up a
small shop so I can sell the goods when they
come in.
Can you act nude movie?
For the fact that we are in Nollywood, the
African tradition doesn’t allow a woman to
bare it all in the name of acting. In Hollywood
you can bare it all but here in Nollywood, I am
afraid no because there are a lot of factors you
have to consider.
What is your opinion about soft-porn
movies in Nollywood?
Technically, they call it body double. I don’t
see anything wrong in using stunt man or body
double to show sexual aspect in movies. If it’s
not porn I am fine with it. But nowadays, most
producers are craving for it because they want
to get their money sharp, sharp. They would
make it look like a romance movie by looking
for someone like you. And the actress might be
removing her bra and pant just to impress, and
after everything, you would think that it is a
real movie. But when they take it to the
censors board, they would remove the
sensitive part where you acted porn. After the
board has approved the movie, they would
bring the cut-away back and sell it outside
Nigeria as a porn movie.
Your fans would like to know whether you
are single or married?
You can see my hands, there is no ring and I
am not married. There are many men out
there but there are no husbands.
Who is the man in your life?
I am not into relationship but I am in a
relationship with my God.
Can your future husband make you quit
acting?
I don’t think so because I have passion for
acting. It will be very hard for me to quit. I
will balance the equation like Mercy Johnson
who got married recently and still acting.
What qualities do you look out for in a
man?
You can`t find a man that has all the good
qualities every woman would ascribe to. For
instance, those who are God fearing are
somehow boring. And when you say you need
an outgoing type that can take care of you,
their anger is too much to handle. In fact, it is
only God that can decide who one should
marry. There is no Prince Charming with good
character.
What is the favourite part of your body
that men are crazy about?
I like myself as a full package, and every part
of my body is unique. You can`t get my kind
of eyes, lips and good accent anywhere in the
world. And I have sexy boobs that men always
talk about. Some of them usually approach me
because of my boobs. Some even ask me
whether the boobs are real or artificial. I am
sexy and you know it, Christian.
When did you have your first sexual
intercourse and were you advised by your
mother about sex?
I didn’t have sex till I was in my third year in
the university. I never dated any school guy. As
for sex education, we were not taught by
anybody. We learnt it by ourselves but my
mother always advised us to be careful, she
would give us books on sex to read. My sisters
and I knew what to do even without being told.
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