Thread: I would date my fan if… Nse Ikpe Etim, actress

...With KATE HALIM

Nse Ikpe Etim re-launched her acting career in Nollywood with a breath-taking role in Emem Isong’s movie Reloaded. After missing in action for over a decade, she is currently reclaiming her position as the toast of movie lovers.

Switching from Queen’s English to pidgin when asked personal questions, Nse will never forget her late father in a hurry and the affectionate moments they shared. Her family has been instrumental in shaping her life as a woman, in her bid to truly discover herself.

In an interview with Daily Sun, outspoken and cheerful Etim strongly opposes nudity in Nollywood calling it a Western culture, she also gave the reason she prefers operating from Abuja and why new talents in the industry pose no threat to her career. Excerpts:

Why are you based in Abuja?
Abuja just happened. I have been here for five years. Besides, it is very serene and that makes it a desirable place for me.

Are you afraid of the hustle and bustle of Lagos?
Fear is not the right adjective to use, but I would say ever since I moved out of Lagos, I have found it difficult to adapt to the hustle and bustle of the ever busy city. Actually, I left Lagos because I wanted something new and I also got an employment at that time with a male fashion house to go and open their Abuja branch. So, I moved and knew I wasn’t coming back to Lagos. I love Abuja and can’t trade it for Lagos, although I frequent Lagos because of my colleagues and work.

When did you start acting?
I started a decade ago. My comeback to the screen was as a result of Emem Isong’s unwavering belief in me, and for that, I am grateful.

If you were not an actress, what would you be doing?
Apart from contract cooking where I channel my energy, my adventurous nature would have driven me to something else. But charitable works top my list. I love acting because it brings out the best in me.

How many charitable works have you done so far?
If I mention them, then it is no longer charity. I would have told the whole world the good deeds I have done to alleviate the plight of my fellow human beings. It is a secret between me and God. Helping the less-privileged is also my passion.

Why did you take a long break from Nollywood?
It was because I went in search of self. To be in this industry, one needs to know what one wants and where one wants to be. I could not handle it. Emem Isong always said I ran away because I felt I would make more money as a banker which is not exactly how I would put it. I went in search of self, to discover myself truly.

Sincerely, I have been away for almost 12 to 13 years, until I re-launched my career in 2008 with Emem Isong’s Reloaded, where I played the role of Ramsey Noah’s wife. I came into the industry in 1996, and left in 1998. When I left acting, I went into banking, and later moved into TV and media. I had a syndicated programme on radio and eventually, I left all these to work for myself, which I still combine with acting till date.

Did you miss Nollywood while you were away?
I did actually. I was thinking about my colleagues all the time, but I still could not make up my mind. Given what my esteemed colleagues have done, the birth, death and the resurrection of Nollywood, I missed a lot. I guess, the period I returned is also the time that has been slated for me to hit the screens afresh.

Do you regret leaving Nollywood for that long?
In my code of life, there is no room for regret. Once I have made my choices, I live with them. I have no regrets because I came back a better person. You only live in regret when you did something wrong but, in my case, I just left to better my skills.

Why did you come back?
Honestly, it just happened. Emem Isong re-introduced me to Nollywood. She was so persistent that I developed some form of confidence as we would put it, hence, my role in Reloaded. What more can I say? I believe it is the will of God and I do not feel I have missed so much while I was away.

When you came back to Nollywood, did you feel threatened by the influx of new talents in the industry?
I met people in this industry, so it would be out of place to think that I was a threat to anyone. Invariably, I am saying that what makes this industry peculiar is that no one is indispensable. I am not threatened, rather, I am happy that my profession is commanding respect in our society and parents are giving their children the much needed support. It is better to give these young ones the opportunity to display their talents rather than see them as threats. It will make the nation a better and safe place if they are positively engaged. So, no one is a threat to me.

How many movies have you featured in since your return?
Eigh. I still have more in the offing.

Would you act nude in a movie?
Our society might have borrowed a lot from the Western world, but one thing we know is what we want and nudity is not part of our culture. I would not do that and besides, a story can be told well without nudity. I am a promoter of African values and in the same vein, I will always do my job, but nudity is not part of my job.

What if you are required to act nude for a huge amount?
I won’t do that for any amount in the world. It is debasing for me as a woman. Our culture frowns at any woman who would go nude for the world to see.

Who is your greatest threat in Nollywood?
Honestly, I have great respect for all my colleagues. Being threatened makes it look like it is a warfront which it is not. Every individual is unique in his or her own way and we all contribute our quotas to the entertainment industry through acting. It is more of a family affair than a threat situation. The sky is big enough for us all, I do not see anyone as a threat to my career in Nollywood. I am me, doing my own thing and that makes me content.

How has your family impacted on your life?
My family has helped me to accept people, for who they are, live and let live is one of my mottos. I have learnt to say please, sorry and thank you to whomever I have to. Most of all, I appreciate that life is for the living and as my mum would say: ‘Enjoy your life’.

So, how are you enjoying your life?
I am really having the fun of life because I am living my dream. I am engaged in what brings out the best in me. Nollywood is a great place to be, we relate like brothers and sisters. I also have my private moments when I relax with friends and family members.


Which of your parents was your favourite as a child?
My mother, I apologize. Before he passed on, It was my father, but by the time I was a teenager, mum moulded me and she is the best mum ever.

What fond memories of your dad do you still cherish?
He worked with the CBN, and was always on the move. I have so many fond memories of him, he used to play tennis a lot, and I used to go with him to watch him play. He used to buy me books that were not meant for me, but for people older than me. The first time I read Day of the Jackal and other great books, was courtesy of my father. He taught me how to read a lot, and I still miss him.

As a child, what pranks did you play?
There was no extraordinary prank worthy of news. I was just the normal child growing up in a home filled with love and laughter. My family is instrumental in moulding me and I am grateful to God for my family.

All about me
I am Nse Ikpe Etim from Akwa Ibom State, I am the first child and daughter in a family of six, four girls and two boys. That comes with a lot of responsibility. My family is closely-knit, we have fun laughing and just being us. I attended Federal Government College, Jos, Federal Government College Ilorin, and finally University of Calabar, where I studied Theatre Arts. I grew up in Kaduna, Jos, Ilorin and Lagos. I am an ardent fan of Manchester United. I am not your regular girl next door, I am more down on the streets. Sometimes, I am referred to as a Ladette because I hang out with the boys, watch soccer and share beers. Someday, I believe I will break free.

What is the craziest thing you have done for love?
Shebi, you go wait first make I fall in love before I go do crazy thing for love.

Does that mean you have never been in love before?
I do not wish to discuss that. What I know is that true love exists.

And your dream man?
The famous question. He should be God-fearing, confident with an air of arrogance and madly funny.

Why an air of arrogance, isn’t that a negative trait?
Well, it is my choice and I choose to live with it. When you love someone, you overlook his faults no matter what they are. We all have shortcomings and should not be judgmental about other people’s faults.

Would you date your fan?
That’s a tough one. I would date anyone that fits the above description even if he is my fan. The issue is that I see everybody as a potential great person no matter who they are or what they do. It is also of no consequence where they are in the social ladder. My fan is a human being and if he fits into my ideal man, I would date him.

When are you getting married?
Na wa ooo! na we dey decide abi na God matter? Anyway, my life has been wonderful, I have had fun but it is God who determines when what happens and to whom. I will get married in God’s time because he will never make a mistake with my life. Marriage is a good thing and it is every woman’s desire to experience that. It will happen.

The Sun News