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Yoruba Actors Are Being Cut Off From Nollywood - Nike Pellar
Nike PellerNike Abiola, popularly known as Nike Peller, has seen it all in acting. Having started well over a decade ago, she could be said to have paid her due. Cornered recently in Lagos by GBENGA OLUMIDE, she spoke about her career, her marriage, among other sundry issues. Excerpts:
Your face seems
to be scarce on screen these days. Are you still in the industry?
I’m still very much in the industry. I can’t leave the industry. It’s my profession.
Are you married now?
Yes, I’m married.
To whom, if I may ask?
The person I’m married to is a very private person. We’ve been together for years, so I should know what he likes and what he dislikes.
One of the things he dislikes is being talked about publicly. He is a rather private person. However, those who attended our traditional marriage and the rest, know him.
Is he the reason your fans have not been seeing much of you lately?
No, he’s not. What happens is that I do more of behind-the-screens work nowadays. I do most of the costumes used by my colleagues, and I have things like generators and buses which I rent out to them.
Basically, I’m trying to take my time, considering how things are now. You know, films are churned out anyhow, many of which are wishy-washy. I don’t want a situation whereby my fans will be calling me to ask why I take part in films that are of low standard. So, I’m taking my time.
Before you got married, tongues have wagged –you have been described as an old maid. How do you feel about this?
I feel nothing. I believe it is not how far, but how well. What is the point in getting married at a young age, and having problems in your marriage. If I marry late and I’m happy with my husband, then all glory be to almighty Allah.
What do you do aside acting?
I’m a fashion designer. Before I became an actress, I went to a fashion school, Singer Fashion School, Lagos. I was there for two years. Though acting has been taking me away from fashion designing, I’m about to take it more seriously.
Any film of your own?
I have films of my own, and I’m about to release another one into the market. I have a working title, but it won’t be wise to say it here, because it could have been changed by the time it finally comes out. Part of the film was shot in Mecca, when I went for Hajj.
Even as a married woman, there will be admirers. How do you cope?
Of course, there are admirers. It is expected since I’m a woman, and, with all modesty, I’m famous. The only thing is that one should know how to ward persistent ones off without injuring their pride. I know how to go about it; I have no problem in that regard.
Are you romantic?
Of course I am! I’m very romantic. My husband can attest to that fact.
What was your experience in Hajj like?
Ha, my brother, Hajj is what I pray that all Muslims should experience. Anybody who goes to the Holy land will be convinced of the pre-eminence of God. When I got there, I looked at the wonders there and started crying like a baby. If I have my way, I will go to Holy land every year. It’s just too wonderful. And I also met some wonderful people there. I had a nice time.
If you were to kiss a man in a movie, who would it be?
There is a way to do it. We call it miming. I can do that with any man. But when it comes to real kissing, it’s not in our culture in Africa. Anyway, as artistes, we can do miming and it will look so real to you that you won’t believe if I say it was not a real one. It all depends on the director.
At times you dress like someone from the North, like now, you are wearing two earrings together. Why?
Nothing. I just like it. Although my maternal great-grandmother was a northerner, I only see the way I dress as being fashionable, nothing more.
How do you see Nollywood?
Nollywood is okay. It’s still young, so we cannot expect perfection yet. However, it seems, we, the Yoruba-speaking actors are being cut off from the running of the body. And it’s not the fault of our colleagues at the other side; it’s our fault. I say this because many, in fact, most of us Yoruba-speaking actors don’t attend meetings and other get-togethers.
Thank God that we have an elite at the helm of affairs now; I’m talking of Prince Jide Kosoko. He’s the one who makes all the moves to ensure that we are part and parcel of Nollywood. Left to my colleagues, they see anybody who attends meetings as not having anything tangible doing.
I don’t know if it’s complex. I just don’t know. This attitude has made us look inferior to our counterparts; whereas we are superior in all ramifications.
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Why New Day International Is Promoting
X-Project’s US Tour - Balofin
Tai Balofin Otunba Dr. Tai Balofin is the Chief Executive
Officer of New Day International. It is an outfit
that publishes the US African Eye. The veteran journalist cum music promoter has promoted lots of African and foreign artistes. Currently, he is promoting X-Project, a rave of the moment, the KORA Award nominee who will slug it out with 2-Face, D’Banj, P-Square, Asa and other artistes from West Africa and is ready to tour 28 states in the United States of America, says the NewDay International boss. In this chat with SANDRA IZUU- OKAFOR, he reveals why the company settles for X-Project. Excerpts:
Background
I’m Otunba Dr. Tai Balofin. I’m a journalist. I am the publisher of the US African Eye in the United States of America. I have been on this profession for 30 years and above. I am a music promoter in the United States of America. I am as well a politician. I am a man of many parts. I am a film maker. I am an actor. I had my first degree in Journalism; Mass Communication. My Master’s was in Business Administration.
Professional Management
I manage all these together because I am very passionate about what I do everyday. Politic is now the full-time thing. A lot of people say politics is a profession. If you ask them who they are, they will tell you they are politicians. It is very seasonal as far as I am concerned. It is not a profession. It is in an election that you participate. For the fact that I said I am a politician means that I am involved in politics. That is seasonal as I said. When election time comes, we may or not participate. But what I do full-time is journalism, which is publishing a US newspaper called the US African Eye. And, I do music promotion; I promote artistes all over the world.
Artistes Promoted
I have promoted Majek Fashek, late Sunny Okosuns, Chief Ayinde Barrister, Akande Obesere, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma. I have also worked with Sir Shina Peters and other foreign artistes. I have promoted Andrew Torch; he is Peter Torch’s son. I have promoted Maria Makeba and sundry of artistes whom I cannot recall at the moment. Currently, I am promoting X-Project, a rave of the moment. Their song is tearing the United States of America apart. Everybody wants them in America.
The Journey in the Business and X-Project Partnership
Putting everything together from Nigeria and abroad, we are looking at 30 years and above. I love X-Project’s songs. People in America are very passionate about their songs. They are leading the music chat now in America. X-Project, from Nigeria and Sierra Leone, is different from other artistes. They are humble artistes. The reason New Day International, my company in America, is coming to promote X-Project is to be able to expand the fans base of X-Project and for the Americans to see the flavour of another African group. Americans are very crazy about their songs. This is because of the standard and reality of African flavour in X-Project’s album. X-Project will be on the US tour for sometime. So, their fans in America are waiting seriously for them. It is going to be a great tour. Everybody in America wants to see X-Project on stage. By the grace of God, our entire mission will be accomplished.
The US African Eye
I have been publishing the newspaper for 15 years in America. Our main office is at New York City. We have offices in other cities. The U S African Eye promotes African businesses. It celebrates African stars all over the world. It celebrates African people in America and local scenes. It caters for the African communities in America. Plans are in top gear to extend this journal to the Nigerian audience at home. Before the end of the year, we shall be distributing it in Nigeria so that Nigerians at home can read what is happening in the United States of America; they can also read in America simultaneously. We want Africans based in America to know what is going on in their communities as well as Nigerians at home to know what is going on with their people in America. At the moment, we have close to 15 million Nigerians living in the United States of America statistically. That is a huge market. That is more than a state in Nigeria if you agree with me.
Marketing Strategy In Nigeria
It is the same thing. We have a network –we have an outlet. In Nigeria, if you want to buy a video cassette, you know it’s either Idumota or Alaba International Market. There, it spreads around. We know where it is. There is better network there than here. I have been engaging in businesses with some people in the last 15 years but I have not seen them face-to-face. The deals are working well. It is just on telephone and sending packages and cheques to them –even through email, we talk to ourselves. We believe in ourselves.
Learning Music Promotion
I am an artiste. I am in the industry. I know what it takes to package an artiste. Why I got into it is because I see myself in it. I am very passionate about it. That is me. I have started reading news on a radio station since 1976 in old Ondo State, OSBC. I used to do “Morning Chat” on the radio. Definitely, putting my nose in the industry came by accident. I was at the station one day, they were doing audition for some people to work at their station. They were actually doing it wrongly. I corrected them instantly that ‘they do not read news like that.’ The anchor man of the audition faced me. He asked, “Are you here for this?” I said “no, I want to become a doctor. I do not want to be a newscaster”. He therefore said, “You know what would help us? Read the news for some time before you become a doctor.” I actually started. From then on, I never left. Well, I’ve become a doctor? Yes, I have a PhD. Doctor is doctor. I did not specify whether I want to be a medical doctor or… But I thank God Almighty today for answering my prayers.
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