Her parents, Leonard and Grace, christened her Nkemakonam Chioma Chukwuka at birth. But in Nollywood where she has since found a second home, her new name is ‘Missus Clean’. Yes! Chioma is one of the few scandal-free actresses we still have in the movie industry. A native of Oraifite in Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra State, she attended Edward Nursery and Primary School, Lagos, Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha, Anambra and Lagos State University where she read Banking and Finance. Married to Franklin Akpotha, from Isoko, Delta State, and blessed with two children (a boy and a girl), the movie, Disguise, brought her to limelight and since then there’s been no stopping her. YES International! Magazine’s AZUH ARINZE had a wondrous time with her in London and below is the result…
It is obvious that the Almighty God has been nice to you, what more do you want from Him?
More money. More money, so that I can do lots and lots of things. I’ve got a lot of projects at hand.
What is your greatest wish and your greatest desire?
That Nollywood would be what it’s got to be. That Nollywood would be Africa’s voice; we tell Africa’s story without prejudice, without pride. We tell our stories the way it is, the way an African would tell our story.
What got you interested in acting in the first place?
I guess it is the flair. I always had the flair for being in the entertainment industry. But I didn’t know it was acting in particular. I actually thought it was going to be music or just talking to a lot of people, but somehow I ended up here.
What were some of the challenges you faced when you started?
I didn’t study Theatre Arts. It wasn’t something I went to school to do. That one, on its own, is a huge challenge, because I was just a green horn. Every script I did, especially my first scrip, was a huge challenge because I didn’t know what and what to do, what and what it entails to be an actor. First of all, to deliver lines and deliver the character you have been called to do. I was practically learning on the job and I’m a fast learner; but the fact that I love the job made it easier for me to learn on it. The basic challenge I had was starting off and knowing how to interpret the character; understudying a particular character I had been given to do.
How would you describe your first attempt at interpreting a script?
Truthfully, it wasn’t something I can say verbally, but it was like learning something new that you had never done before and you are not writing it, you are practicalizing it. So, it was very, very difficult and challenging. But on the long run, I found it very easy because the people I worked with were very open people, they were willing to teach and I too was willing to learn. Basically, I worked with professionals, so it was much easier.
Who gave you the greatest encouragement in the industry?
Myself. Then, my friend, Queen Ann Ohiri and then a little while after, my parents and my family. My younger ones were also giving the necessary encouragement.
Who were the people you looked up to when you started and who are the people you still look up to now?
Initially, when I was coming in, I loved watching Liz Benson, Patience Ozokwor, Joke Silva, Kate Henshaw, Stella Damasus and a lot of them. Right now, the only person I look up to is Kate. She is a fantastic actress. I look up to her because she is a mother, she is a wife, she is dedicated to the job, she’s very disciplined, she’s determined, she’s hardworking and those are the qualities I strive to achieve as a person. She does it effortlessly and it makes me feel that if someone like her can do it, then I can.
What do you like most about being an actress?
I think basically it is the ability to take on another person and just feel what someone else feels. Most of the roles I play are everyday characters; people going through hard times, suffering, under pressure. It gives me joy to be able to understand them more and I learn from it as well, because if I assume a character in a movie, and once I am interpreting it and discussing with my director how best to play the role, I learn what to do if I find myself in any situation like that.
What would you describe as the hardest blow that acting has dealt you?
People misinterpreting every move you make and everything you say.
What is the biggest mistake that most actors and actresses make?
The only mistake an actor would make is not investing in their future and not realizing that the reason why they are who they are is because the fans have chosen to put them in the limelight. They should always appreciate the fans and not take them for granted because really, if your fans don’t ask for you anymore, you are gone.
You are one of the scandal-free actresses, how are you able to do it?
I am a very private person. To the glory of God, it’s not something I just said okay, this is what I can do. Yes, I avoid certain gatherings and all that, but you know when you open yourself too much, you open yourself up for a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of things that are not right. But to the glory of God, I must say that I’ve been who I am.
Why do you think most actresses swim in scandals?
You know controversy sells and I just feel it’s their own way of projecting themselves. That is the way I look at it, but sometimes people get tired of controversies.
What do you normally look at before agreeing to be a part any of production?
I look at the story, if there is a lesson to be learnt from it. I look at the director, the cast and the crew; then I look at the role I’m playing. If people are going to watch me and learn at least one lesson from the role I’m going to play. Those are the things I look out for.
Does money play any role in your agreeing to be a part of any production?
Not necessarily, but sometimes it does. If I see a very good script and the production is out of this world, the crew, the cast, I mean very good standard, I won’t look at the money before I take on the job. If the money is fine, good, if it’s not, fine. I would probably do it because it’s a production I would love to do and be part of.
Which of your productions so far gives you the greatest joy and happiness?
There are a lot of them that I can’t really start mentioning, but my first movie is one, The Apple.
How do you handle setbacks in the line of duty?
In anything you do, as a human being in any profession, I feel for you to move on to another level, there should be setbacks. Setbacks don’t draw you back, they actually give you a wakeup call to do your home work well for the new level you are about to get into. So, if there is a “set-back”, I think it is time for you or me as a person to look back and say okay, what can I do? What haven’t I been doing? What can I do that would be different from what I have been doing to make a mark?
Where do you normally draw your inspiration from?
I watch a lot of movies, I’m a very deep person; I’m very emotional. I actually draw from my well. I relate with people a lot, I also draw from them. I read a lot of novels. It makes me fuller. So, anything I want to do, I draw from my well.
Love came to me when it was time for love to come. It came when there was emptiness in my life.
Why did you agree to marry your husband?
Because he was the only person who knew me for who I am. I met him before I became an actress and it was just on a platonic level, nothing very serious. I liked him as a person, but I kept looking elsewhere. But when the emptiness was there, that was when I realized I was missing out on a lot of things.
How long was your courtship?
We courted for a very long time, but not too long.
What do you like most about him?
I like everything about him. There is no total package. You have to like everything about a person for you to be able to settle down with the person.
How would you describe your journey into matrimony?
It’s been very beautiful and very rewarding and I’m grateful to God for that.
What is the greatest lesson you’ve learnt about marriage?
You’ve got to be patient; you don’t talk all the time. You’ve got to do more of listening than talking. Listening to what your partner isn’t saying sometimes results to what he or she does not want to hear.
What didn’t you know about marriage that you got to find out when you were already inside?
Everything.
What are the things you relax with?
I like cooking, reading, I like shopping and I like making people happy.
When you delved into Nollywood, were you expecting that you would get this far?
Not really, but I was expecting that people would know me and I was expecting to do good roles and good jobs. To the glory of God, here I am today. But I didn’t really think it was going to be like this.
Where did you grow up and how was your childhood?
I grew up in Lagos. My childhood was very normal, like every other child’s. I didn’t have a silver spoon in my mouth anyway, but my parents could afford what we needed to go to school and other basic needs.
You come from a polygamous family. Did that affect you in anyway?
No, no, no, not at all. Of course, in African setting, there are complaints about people watching you. But when you have your mind made up, nothing can stop you.
You are from the Eastern part of the country and married to somebody from the South South, was there any issue from your families concerning your marriage?
Of course, there would be issues, but love conquers all.
If someone is facing a challenge like that, what is the best way to overcome it?
You should be sure of who you are and who your partner is. That is the first thing and be sure that the love is enough to pull you through.
Is stardom a burden or a blessing to you?
It’s a blessing for me.
What do you like most about stardom?
The freebies that could come your way anytime and knowing that I make people smile in their homes and when people see me, they are happy, they like my movies. It gives me lots of joy.
What don’t you like about stardom?
Privacy eludes you.
NB: First published January 2014