You are looking good-
I will say it is my nature. I’m not really on the fat side, and most importantly
I watch what I eat. It’s just my physique and I do daily exercise.
What’s your favourite food?
I’m a rice person; but knowing that rice contains more of carbohydrates, I don’t
take it much these days. I eat more of fruits and vegetables, fish, cereal and
water.
Let’s look at the transition, Georgina Onuoha as the little girl, Georgina
Onuoha the actress, and Geogina Igwebe now the wife and the mother.
Well, these are all phases of life. Georgina Onuoha the little girl you used to
know then as an actress is now Mrs Igwebe. She’s now a mother of a lovely
daughter. I will say, it’s just God’s plan and purpose for my life. It’s being
wonderful.
What’s the name of your daughter?
She is Chigozie Nicole Mary Ann Igwebe
Did you invite your colleagues to come and celebrate your safe delivery?
Yes, a whole lot of them were with me in the hospital. Caro Ekanem, Chioma
Chukwuka, Ruke Amata. It was wonderful having all these people around in the
hospital. It showed how much I was appreciated by my colleagues. I really felt
loved and the atmosphere was quite warming.
One question people often ask is that with many successful men in Nigeria,
why did you chose to settle for somebody who is based in far away America?I
don’t think it has to do with whether the person is inside or outside the
country. What God has prepared for your destiny will always take its course. I
ran into my husband in Paris. I didn’t mean that my husband wouldn’t have come
from any part of the world. It’s destiny you cannot change it. If it has already
being designed for you to marry somebody who lives millions of miles away from
you, you cannot change it. I guess such is my case.
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Would you say you miss the silver screen
action when you were expecting your baby? And
now that you have put to bed, what’s next?
Acting still remains my first love. I missed my
job, my colleagues, life on set, the fun, and
joy of doing the job itself and all that… I
really miss them. But I had to bear them all.
So what next?
Going back to work of course. Mission
accomplished.
(Laughs)Now that you have become a wife and a
mother, would you be selective of roles?
I have always being of the opinion that as a
professional, you should be able to interpret
any role you are given very well. It’s all about
professionalism with the exception of going nude
or semi-nude. No, it is not part of our culture
and I will not be a party to it. I didn’t do it
as a single girl, and I will not do it now.
How will you combine your role as a mother, a
student, actress, and a wife?
Oh! I have graduated. I’m now faced with my
career and motherhood. There is always a way to
tie these things together without any feeling
left out.
Do you think you can slip back to Nollywood
or you will have to fight to get a place?
I don’t think I will have to fight. I just have
to flaunt my assets. I think motherhood has made
me prettier and I’m still in good shape so there
is no need to fight to fit in. I have already
carved a niche for myself, nobody can be
Georgina, and Georgina cannot be somebody else.
So, nobody can take my placed in Nollywood.
How did you find yourself in Nollywood?
Oh! It all started after my secondary school; I
was about 17 then. My father wanted me to join
the Nigeria Police Force. I rejected it. I
wanted to go to the university to study mass
communication. Then my elder brother who was a
continuity person was going to the location one
day and I was at home he asked me to follow him.
When we got there, Teco Benson saw me and asked
if I could cry and I said yes. He said get
inside the bus and I did a ‘waka pass’ (a movie
extra role) in the film titled Curse from beyond
which starred Olu Jacobs and Regina Askia.
Thereafter, I featured in I hate my village by
Calistus Ikebata, followed by other movies like
Twins from Coroma International. Since then I
became a household name.
Since you joined Nollywood till date, you
have not been linked with any scandal, what has
been your secret?
I will attribute that to God, my upbringing, and
myself knowing what I went through to be part of
the industry. I wasn’t going to take chances. I
also came from a Christian home; my mother is a
teacher and my father a military officer. So, we
grew up knowing what to do at the right time.
When I joined Nollywood it wasn’t difficult for
me to discipline myself. I chose my friends and
I don’t talk anyhow and that way things fell in
place for me.
How soon are you going back on set? Because I
know your fans are missing you?
(Laughs) As soon as I get my scripts from
producers I’m ready to work.
What’s your view of the influx of people into
Nollywood, especially people without passion for
the job but only for money or fame?
I will say getting fame is one thing and
sustaining it is another. History tells us that
a lot of people have become famous and along the
line, they end up with broken dreams and they
have withered away. I will say that for the past
three or four months now, a lot of talent hunts
just to bring people into Nollywood have taken
place. The question that really comes to mind
is; are these people prepared to face the
challenges in Nollywood? The Nigerian movie
industry is not just all about the beautiful
faces you see, but passion for the job they are
doing. Then as regards fame, it is not all about
being celebrated on the pages of newspapers
only, it is much more than that. You become an
icon or idol to people as the case maybe.
Invariably that adds to your responsibility, as
a person because you have to watch every step
you take in order to live up to your
responsibilities.As far as I’m concerned, fame
in the industry is much more than pretty faces,
speaking good English, and all that. You become
a role model that people look up to.
Talking about stardom, what are the prices
you have paid for it?
Personally, I can’t just walk on the street and
feel free. People will be watching you to make a
mistake and they pick on you. You have become
more than just a next door neighbour. Stardom is
a great task or responsibility. There are times
people will just want to test your patience.
Don’t get me wrong it’s not that they don’t
appreciate you.
On your way up, what are some of the
challenges you met?
Well, attaining this level wasn’t easy. As far
back as the late 1990s when I joined the
industry, you can’t have any say with Production
Assistants. When they tell you to sit down you
just have to obey them. But they are bloody PA
sorry for the choice of word but they are hired
and paid to do their job just like you. Again, I
was staying with my parents at Badagry,
travelling all the way from Badgry to Surulere
every day was one hectic journey. There are
times I will have to wake up by 5 a.m and get to
Surulere around 9a.m men! It continued like that
for about a month or even more than and I didn’t
even get a ‘waka pass’ role to play but I wasn’t
dampened in spirit. The prize I paid for stardom
was much. But I thank God for where I am now.
How comfortable has acting made you in terms
of your finances?
Very comfortable, I must confess.
In term of your busy schedule how do relax?
Don’t really have time for that. When I am not
working I’m in school studying. Right now as a
wife and a mother, there isn’t much time for
relaxing.You seem to know much about Nollywood
and Hollywood.
What can you say about Nollywood?
Nollywood is a striving industry and I will
confess, we are not doing badly. This is an
industry that is being built by private
individuals with no assistance from the
government. It took a whole lot of sacrifice
from these individuals to make Nollywood what it
is today. People should not condemn the industry
when it comes to technicality and screen
writing. The industry is still young, there are
no bases for comparison with Hollywood.
Hollywood is over 300 years to be where it is
today. Bollywood is close to 60 years. Nollywood
is barely 15 years and it has dominated Africa.
We are not doing badly at all. It might not be
in our generation but we will get there.
Most people are of the view that marriages
involving stars seldom last. What’s your view on
this?
Well, we are all entitled to our opinions and we
all perceive marriage from our different point
of views. To some, marriage is just a social
contract; others see it as a means of adding to
your popularity and fame. To some others, it is
a means of getting rich and wealthy; while some
other people really see it as a sacred union God
made it to be. People have different views about
the institution, but for me, I see it as a
life-time thing. I pray to God, because nobody
knows tomorrow. Bringing your career into your
home can’t take you anywhere. Your job is your
job and your home is your home. So, that
marriages of stars and superstars don’t last
depends on their views on marriage.My husband is
a God-sent. God has brought us together to
complement each other.
Is he bothered about your choice of career?
No. Like he always tell me, if I’m not a
physician, I would have been in Nollywood.
Has the birth of your daughter settled the
reported crises you have with one of your
sisters-in-law?
Any marriage that is built on Christ will never
fall. People will always voice their opinions
about you, about your home and about everything
that concerns you. I am not troubled and I don’t
want to be troubled by anyone. Whoever is
troubled I say sorry for being troubled (laugh).
When should we expect the next baby?
Time will tell (laugh). |