Multiple award winning Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, who recently raised her voice to fight poverty alongside the likes of Waje and Yemi Alade for the ‘One campaign’ has answered questions on if she would allow her daughter venture into entertainment, how she has stayed off scandals, why she is yet to produce her own movie and many other issues. Below are excerpt from the interview with Vanguard...enjoy!
Your daughter is now a brand ambassador, is it your way of launching her into the entertainment world?
Not really. It just happened. She is just a natural fit. They wanted a mother-daughter campaign anyway and so the whole challenge was, – will she be up to it? She was interviewed and they actually fell in love with her more than me. She almost took my job. Luckily for me, it had to be a mother-daughter campaign.
How would you react if she decides to be an entertainer?
Absolutely, she can come into the industry. What our generation is doing by God’s grace is to make sure that we work hard to leave infrastructure for them. I don’t want my daughter to meet the industry the way I met it. Luckily, we have been able to take some steps, we are working very hard. As you know, I am building my film village.
The whole idea is for them to have some sort of organization. The industry has been disorganized for a very long time. Right now, it’s okay for her to come into the industry, but she will be monitored. I can only do what I can, in my own way to stabilize the industry. Somebody asked me: `What will happen to daughters of individuals who have been abused in the entertainment industry?’ All I can say is that it’s either you stay away or you stick to what you believe in. You have a right to say no! I will not do that. Don’t be intimidated by anybody, believe in yourself and stay away from anything that you are not proud of and hang in there.
You have a young girl who is eighteen and probably dating, that means if she gets married early, you are going to be a young grandmother. Have you ever thought about it?
I don’t care much about it. It’s not something I think about. It’s not my cup of tea. I know people want me to think about that because I got married early. What I always say to people is all fingers are not equal. The fact that I got married early doesn’t mean my daughter must get married early. My mother didn’t get married early. It doesn’t have to be hereditary.
If I like the guy and we feel like she is mature enough to handle it and the person is responsible, then why not? We can endorse it. I don’t regret anything. Everything is a blessing to me. I won’t stop her, but it just has to be the right person. I married the right person.
Recently you were misunderstood about the trek comments you made on social media that people are trekking their lives away. Was that what you actually meant?
Really, I am not against any kind of sport. It is okay if you want to do anything. My point is, it’s either you do it for nothing and say “I am having fun” or you do it for something reasonable.
Don’t just do it for something that pisses people off. People ask if it is my business. It is my business because we are glorifying these people that are hurting us. If for example, I say I am trekking to celebrate a Boko Haram member,everyone will pounce on me. Why should I celebrate that?
Recently, people were angry because Time Magazine said the Boko Haram leader is one of the most influential people, but they forgot that they are talking about influence and not that he is being celebrated.
I was shocked that people didn’t understand what I was trying to say. What I meant was that, at this point in time when we are going through so much and we are trying to let these people know we are suffering, putting all our energies into making them feel like kings is not cool. The truth of the matter is that you are probably trekking because you don’t have fuel anyway.
What is that one thing nobody knows about you?
I think a lot of people don’t know that I am emotional. I am very strong and a lot of people think that nothing gets to me but I’m very emotional. I actually cry a lot. I cry for silly things. I might be watching a movie and just burst into tears.
Whose advice has been instrumental to where you are today?
The only advice I really take is the advice from the Bible. It sounds very weird but that’s the truth. It’s the only thing I go by. If it is not in the bible, I won’t do it. I also take my own advice. My mum has also influenced me a lot.
How would you define success?
You can’t define success in one sentence. A lot of people have tried to do that. Success is relative. What is success to you might not be success to me. But I think generally, it’s a state of peace of mind. A state of acceptance and a state of joy. Joy is different from happiness you know.
How have you been able to stay off scandals?
I am lucky that I am well trained by God, period! I don’t try,I am who I am. Some things that are scandalous just don’t impress me or I am not impressed by them. Having said that, I try not to do something that will seem like I’m leading someone on. I just try to put my brain to use. There are so many things you can avert.
Do you think if you hadn’t gotten married early you would have been married now?
I don’t think so, because I don’t think there is any man that can handle me apart from my husband. Not because I am a bad person, it is because I am a very strong personality. I can understand why a lot of female artistes find it very difficult to find the right person.
When you achieve some kind of success, you become really confused as to who really loves you for who you are. It’s not really easy, it is very hard finding those people who really love you. If you are not a very grounded person, you can also contribute in some kind of way to your own problems and so I might have contributed to my own problems.
What is your most expensive fashion item?
I don’t know and I don’t really care. I lost some expensive jewelries and my friends were freaking out. I don’t value those things, what I value is different.
No comments:
Post a Comment