Jennifer ElioguYou cannot discuss Nollywood today without mentioning the name and contributions of Jennifer Eliogu, to its immense growth. The pretty mother of two has spent 15 solid and uninterrupted years contributing her quota to tinsel town. In fact, she recently took her support for the industry to the next level, by lensing her debut movie as an accomplished thespian-turned-film producer. From Within, her latest effort, she disclosed would bridge the gap currently lacking in family oriented movies across the length and breadth of Nollywood. With a world premiere slated for March 20, at the posh Oriental Hotels, Lekki, Lagos, Eliogu, is fully poised to announce her presence in the elitist league of female film producers. In this riveting encounter, elated Eliogu spoke on the movie, her NGO, life as a singer cum compere, what to expect at the coming premiere, and many more.Enjoy the interaction!Sweet sister, it’s been a long time, where have you been?I’ve been around, in and out, quite busy working on a couple of things. I just finished the production of my first movie titled, From Within; it features my humble self, Kenneth Okonkwo, Ebele Okaro, Thelma Okoduwa, and a host of other up-and-coming acts. We will be having the world premiere of this movie on March 20 at the Oriental Hotels, Lekki, Lagos, after which we would storm Abuja and South Africa, respectively.Your presence is felt more in the area of events anchoring these days than acting. Does that mean you have abandoned the latter for the former?No, I can never abandon acting, the reason is because there are occasions and events here and there that need my presence, they keep calling me and I keep answering. Sincerely, anchoring events came my way naturally. It started when I attended my friend’s wedding and the MC did not turn up and I took the Mic and started talking, it was around 2003. Then I was not doing it for money, but now you have to pay me real good money to anchor your event. It pays my bills very well and I have anchored several Nollywood and other social events and awards. Mind you, I just anchored the Red Carpet for the recently held Sun Man of the year Award.Between acting and events anchoring, which are you more comfortable with?Sincerely, I cannot compare both, acting is a talent and over the years, I have done well for myself. I love that job to death. Events anchoring or compere allows you the opportunity to express yourself. You don’t have a director; you stand there and do your thing. I just love both and they both pay well. I had earned for certain compere jobs what I was paid to act in a film.With 15 years’ experience in the industry can you still remember the number of films you have featured in?Sincerely, I have lost count, but I have done close to 100 jobs, besides, I do not believe in quantity, but quality.What would you say inspired your becoming a film producer, after 15 years in the industry?For me, my going into film production was not a competition but a divine mission, we usually sit back and criticize works of other people and keep finding faults always. At a point I felt that rather than sit back and keep criticizing I could do something and set a good example. I started writing way back in Switzerland when I had my first baby and was not doing anything. In fact, that was when I wrote this script and two others, which I also have the intentions of shooting soon. I wrote the scripts leisurely, I was not in a hurry or under pressure to deliver it at any stipulated time.My reading a lot and the fact that I watch a lot of films contributed in making this script great. I did a story that families could sit together with their children and loved ones and watch. Mind you, we have a lot of nudity and vulgar movies on air, all taking centre stage these days. So, I decided to do a story that we could learn one or two good things from. When we were growing up, we used to sit with our parents and watch films, goods works, which no longer happens these days because we have desecrated the airwaves with obscene pictures and productions. All these informed the decision to lense From Within. I am not toeing a particular line for all my films, I am doing different kinds of stories and they will all teach morals, educational films and movies. From Within is a fictional work with a little bit of true life scenarios. We shot in December 2010.You are a mother, actress, compere, and now a producer. How do you juggle all these together?I’m also a singer; I believe that when you have a passion for what you do, you will always create time for the others. It’s not very easy but because I enjoy what I do, the days roll by without me knowing I’d done so much. Entertainment gives me joy. Acting, compering and singing live to an audience, all gives me joy.For how long have you been singing, any album yet?Azuh Amatus, you no dey Naija. In fact, I started singing before acting. I started in the choir and later started writing my own songs. But for some reasons acting came my way first. I still intend to do something soon about my album.How did you do it, you went on locations to shoot your debut movie as a producer and nobody knew?You have never known me to be a noise maker, I believe so much in achieving and would not want to make so much noise and it does not take off eventually. We shot on locations in Abuja for close to one month. Afam Okereke directed and I had my editor also on set, he was editing live while we were shooting. It’s a beautiful movie that I can beat my chest to tell you was worth the whole stress. It’s a family story with some morals for the young girl child. It has a lot of suspense and intrigues, woven around a young widower with two young daughters and his quest for true love, which he eventually found at the least expected place.Why Abuja as the choice of your location?
The truth is that I have been in the industry for 15 years and I know the challenges of shooting in Lagos, we also keep repeating locations in Lagos, again the traffic challenge in Lagos does not help matters and it will make you end up not achieving much. I don’t live in Abuja, but shooting there was awesome and the serenity was great and inspiring. My happiness was that we used virgin locations. We had a wonderful shoot in Abuja and equally achieved all we wanted in the script.
As a first timer, what were the major challenges you encountered while lensing?
Sincerely, the challenges were very few except that financially I spent more than I should have if I had known what I know now. Well, I don’t regret it because I was able to give my artistes a lot of comfort on set. Other than this, every other thing was perfect on set.
Did you go to Abuja with your two kids?
No, they stayed with my mum, while we were working.
Aside this project, have you done any other thing this year?
No, and the reason is because I have been concentrating all my energy on this project, but if a good script comes my way, I will give it a good trial. Above all, I am more concerned with my premiere which I am doing everything possible to ensure that it has my kind of style and class.
What are the major side attractions that we should be expecting at your premiere?
The side attractions are many, first we will have one or two acts performing, one of them will be coming from Too Much Music Label. I have a little surprise as well as a fashion show. Basically, we will have fun that will be memorable in the minds of all those coming.
Like how much was spent lensing this movie, may be, a rough estimate?
You don’t want to know. But if you insist, we spent over N5 million, to the glory of God.
How were you able to source that?
I’m an actress that has been acting for 15 years, since ’96 and I do other businesses aside acting. I bring in cars and clothes into the country, whenever I travel. It wasn’t like I had all that money stashed somewhere, but when you want to do something, you put your mind to it. It was a self-sponsored project and if at all there was any help, it came from my immediate family.
What plans are you making towards reaching out to prospective sponsors to be part of your premiere?
That is exactly what we are doing, we have written to several corporate bodies, only that the response had been very slow. I’m grateful to GTB, for being the first to come to my aid. In fact, the first day I walked into their banking hall, they raised me a draft, after going through my proposal. I’m very grateful; others have promised but are yet to respond. Fidelity Bank and Arik, also promised to assist. Ationu Global has been wonderful and we really appreciate all of them, including South African Airways. I feel great getting all these supports.
You recently floated an NGO. What are its aims and objectives?
I don’t talk about my projects until they are well-cooked and ready to be served. My NGO is called IDEAS, which stands for Initiatives for Development Empowerment and Acquisition of Skills. We want to re-orientate the youths and help change their mindsets about a whole lot of things. If we don’t have a change of mindset, nothing will work here. We are also reaching out to the physically challenged by helping them find abilities in their disabilities. We are also reaching out to the young girl child and helping them address child abuse. We are doing anything we can for humanity by affecting and touching lives positively. We want to help people; especially the young ones find that unique thing about them. If at the end of the day we are able to help just one person, it is our belief that the person will affect others. Due to lack of funds, we are yet to take off fully, but I’m optimistic we will do that soon.
There are so many depressed people out there and if you keep waiting to change the whole world, you end up doing nothing. After the premiere, we will storm major cinemas and schools to further spread the good news of From Within, which I started writing in 2006. Bitter and sweet, in the sense that people speak for you even when you don’t want to speak at all. And I have a habit of not responding to such inanities. But the sweet part is that it’s such a beautiful thing to be an actor. But it hurts me when we spend so much time in a movie celebrating evil, such pains me a lot. Life is beautiful and I wish everybody what they wish me.
Lest I forget, the last Val, how did you spend it, especially taking into cognizance the fact that your husband resides in Switzerland?
Agreed, we were not together, but we were on the phone throughout. It’s natural that we would miss ourselves, but again, I do not believe that we must wait till February 14 to show love. For us, every day is Valentine’s, especially couples who are genuinely in love.
First published, March 2011.
Culled from Azuh Amatus’ best selling books, FAMOUS FACES…
