One-time poster boy of Nollywood, Emeka Enyiocha could be said to have seen it all in the movie industry. In this interview with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, he speaks on why he went on self-exile, his marriage, regrets, and relationship with new actors, among other things.
Do you still act?
I am still much around. I am behind the scene and I still go to locations. I have been working on my personal projects.
Does this mean you’ve shifted focus to movie production?
When I took a break for seven years, it actually affected peoples’ mindset about me. People thought I had left the screen to pursue other things. But since I came back two years ago, I have been working but doing more of personal projects. I now use my own skills to better myself.
Why did you leave the industry at a time the ovation was loud for you?
Maybe the money I was making was not enough. I got married, started having kids and more responsibility set in for me. Also, I didn’t like the idea of someone dictating my life for me anymore; it was not good for my future. I needed to look for something to do and get close to my kids because I started having children immediately after marriage. I didn’t want my kids to start calling me uncle when they grow up.
What were you doing for seven years?
I was into partnership with a close friend of mine. We did productions together. We did ‘The Patriot,’ which is a fight against fake drugs and adulterated products. We did ‘School,’ a movie about rich kids causing trouble in the school and we did ‘Champions of Our Time,’ in partnership with the Lagos State government. It is about the physically challenged and letting them know that their status does not amount to a mental disability.
Does that mean marriage slows things for an actor?
Definitely marriage slows you down as an actor. Family slows you down except you do not want to take care of them.
Don’t you think you could have combined both effectively like some of your colleagues?
I tried to do both. I didn’t leave totally; I was also doing my own productions. I was working in Lagos, which made me stay close to my family. I also opened a bar. I was a ‘beer seller’ and that taught me humility. It taught me how to save money, respect and appreciate people. You know as an actor they just pay you and you spend the money as it comes. Before you know it, you find out that there is nothing left in your account.
Are you still running the ‘beer parlour’ business?
I had a challenge at some point and I stopped. The owner of the facility wanted to use it and I didn’t want to go back to the business. I wish to make it bigger like having a bar and guest house all in one place.
Are there things you think you could have done better in the past?
I do not regret my past, but I would have done better if I had the information I have now. I didn’t spend money frivolously; I used my money for family and helping people. But I should have helped myself more with the ideas I have now. Imagine having N10m in the bank when I could put it in a business and make more money. I would like my kids to go into entertainment but as the boss of their won. That should not stop them from working for other people too. If I had known, I would have been the boss of my own years ago.
Are you proud of today’s Nollywood?
It is my industry and I am proud of it. It has evolved and surpassed our expectation looking at the way we started. We now have access to grant once you qualify for it. In the last two years, you can count one or two movies that have hit close to a billion naira in the box office. I don’t think there is a business bigger than the movie industry, so I must be in this business till I die.
Don’t you think the newcomers have taken the place of people like you?
An average Nollywood practitioner of yesterday does not embrace the internet and social media but the newcomers do. I was in Enugu shooting when I got my first phone, a Sagem phone, which was about N34, 000 or so. We didn’t know about internet then but the younger generation has taken advantage of it and it is helping them in a way. But they are not deep like us; they still have some work to do when it comes to interpretation of roles.
In 2010, ‘Champions of Our Time’ won the best film in Burkina Faso but we were not social media compliant. Try and imagine what we could have done with social media after winning such an award, but we didn’t make noise about it.
The new generation has come, they have taken advantage of social media and it is working for them. Some of them are doing well but most of them just came in to get the fame, especially the ladies.
Do you think you can still become as big as you used to be?
We are even bigger now! You need to understand that in the past there was no much distraction. Now, you have 100 ways of seeing different movies. It used to be strictly through VHS. I think I was lucky in a way because people still remember my face and contribution. In the last five years, how many new stars have come out of Nollywood? It is hard to mention.
Don’t you feel bad that the newcomers are making more money than people like you?
I think it is the media or people that are making this up. Can you tell me how many of them who have a house? Are there married? Do they have kids? Do they have production houses? So, tell me what the envy is about?
Do younger actors show you respect?
Salutation is not love! For me, I get along with the younger ones I have worked with. I don’t understand why I would envy them. Do they earn better money or are there better actors? If I take it as a point of duty to be on social media every day for the next two months, you will see the effect. But The Point is that I am not used to it and I have other things I spend my time on.
Is your wife into entertainment too?
She did a bit of theatre art but she is a lawyer now. We met at an occasion. We’ve known for 11 years and we’ve been married for close to nine years.
How were you able to convince her to marry you?
Life is all about taking a step at a time. We met; we got talking and understood ourselves. It is a thing that evolves, you don’t need to say a word; your action speaks for you. Once you see what is good, you will embrace it. We do mistakes as humans, no doubt.
How do you keep shape?
It is hunger. You eat less; eat the right food by denying yourself certain things. It is not everything you see that you eat. When you have time, you do little exercise too.
