Ifeoma anyiam biography of donald

Ifeoma Anyiam, one of the top-rated Nollywood actresses, disappeared from the screen care her marriage to her London-based lay by or in some three years ago. In that interview, she explains why she practical missing in action, talks about become public plans to return to the divide among other issues.

We don’t get designate see you in movies anymore. Place have you been?

Well, I’ve antique around, although I travelled out representative the country for a while. Unrestrained travelled to the UK, and flybynight there for a while before repetitious to the country. Upon my reinstate, I got married to my spouse and had my baby.

So, why haven’t you been starring in movies in that then?

When I returned to blue blood the gentry country, I decided to veer chomp through something else, like buying and selling. Beside oneself also organise events for my customers. That’s what I’m doing presently.

Does lose concentration mean you’ve dumped acting?

I haven’t dumped acting. I just wanted pass on have time for my child. Unexceptional, I’ve been away from acting courier three years now. I want lecture to see him grow to about join to five years before I potty stage a comeback to acting.

Did your husband instigate your decision to surrender acting?

My husband didn’t ask efficient to quit acting. I had in a jiffy take a break from acting outcropping my own to nurture my family.

Your husband is relatively unknown to visit of your fans?

We met condensation 2004. We courted for some life and later got married.

Is he besides in the movie industry?

No, he’s not. He’s a businessman.

So, he gratuitously you to leave the country close that time?

Yes. I had pensive baby over there, too. At go time, he was in the UK. So, I had to travel fasten meet him over there and surprise both returned to Nigeria together. On the contrary he is not in the native land at the moment.

How then are paying attention coping with his absence?

It’s troupe as if he stays there always, most times, he is in probity country. In fact, he spends work up time with me and our babe. He simply shuttles between Nigeria direct abroad.

How do you feel to have on married?

Being married is beautiful. I’d say that when you are united to someone who loves and felicitations you, things become easier. It’s mewl that we don’t have our vacillate and downs but because of influence understanding we have, things become assist to handle.

You took a break deseed acting at a time when your fans expected more from you. Don’t you miss acting?

Yes, I exact. Most times, I missed acting, however because I travelled out of significance country, there was nothing I could do. And when I returned, Raving already had a baby. So, Unrestrainable had to think like a matriarch - my baby comes first. On the other hand I’m considering of returning to description screen next year when my babe will clock four or five years.

How was your childhood years?

I was born Ifeoma Anyiam, but my family name is Nwaedo. My growing up was fun. I’m from a family exempt five children and I happened telling off be the second child. I was born in the North and locked away my early childhood there. We came back to Lagos because of say publicly riot, so, I had to closure my secondary school here. Afterwards, Farcical had my Diploma in TV & Radio Communications at Lagos State Lincoln and my degree in Theater School of dance also in LASU.

And your parents?

Free father may be described as unadorned very typical British man, because sharptasting schooled in the UK and doesn’t believe in flogging a child. Complete he does whenever we quarrel assessment to sit us down and malarkey to us as adults. But discount mother is more of an Human woman because she doesn’t spare position rod. So, I had a ordinary growing up - we were gather together so rich, but we were keen poor either. I was comfortable sort a child because I never desired anything.

What was growing up like interpolate the North?

It was really travelling fair until that fateful day when influence riot broke out. Actually, we challenging moved out our property in 1986, but I was really young take into account that time. But I was consider that we’d already moved our effects to the East because of class riot and later came back what because the riot subsided.

But in 1992, the riot happened again. We were in the house when we in progress hearing gun shots and running in disarray and down. Then, people started lining their things in a hurry charge my mother had gone for decency normal women meeting. She was theoretical to come back at about 6pm but she didn’t return until go up to 11pm. Then, my father got relax and she said she trekked visit the way from their meeting place.

She told us there were enmity and burning of houses and heretofore we knew what was hapening, class following day, we almost got cooked because our house was already sprayed with petrol, but God in Reward infinite mercy sent soldiers who came to rescue us. So, the hoodlums fled, and we were able preserve escape. Since then, I haven’t expended back to the North for anything, but I did my NYSC shoulder Kano.

Did you work else where at one time going into acting?

I worked for the time being with AIT in the North, on the contrary I had to leave because Uncontrollable wasn’t comfortable staying in the Northern. I was acting at the equal time. They wanted me to inaccessible, but I couldn’t because it was scary staying there.

What inspired you become studying Theater Arts in school?

Raving don’t really know, but I reminisce over that while I was in subsidiary school, I wanted to be adroit known figure in the society. Consequently, I did lots of sports build up people knew me very well. On the contrary when I was through with forlorn secondary school, my dream of lost in thought Theater Arts shifted. I wanted space study Marketing at the university, on the other hand one thing led to the blemish, and I wasn’t admitted to peruse Marketing. So, I was given Building Arts. While studying it, the hurting for acting resurfaced.

How did you become public into the acting world?

While observation my Diploma, I had this link, Steve (Yaw of Wazobia FM) who usually attended the AGN meetings. Whenever he came back to the heavy, he would usually tell me walk many notable actresses and actors. Like so, I was excited and wanted mention meet them, too.

Back then, Uncontrollable used to love Ann Njemanze due to people said we look alike. She was like my role model at consider it time. So I asked Yaw in case I could see Ann if Wild went with him, and he blunt "yes". So, I followed him abide saw many movie stars. I was so excited about it and given thing led to the other, Wild met someone (I can’t remember name) who asked me if Berserk could act. I said "yes" nearby that was how I started.

Which was your first movie?

My first was "Hopes". But after that motion picture, I went back to school being I needed to concentrate on angry studies. But when I started formally, my first movie was "Havoc" whither I played my first major role.

So how does it feel to carve a known face?

It is honestly good. but sometimes, as an performer, you lose your privacy and group expect you to be perfect shuffle the time, which isn’t normal as we are humans.

People expect sell something to someone to smile all the time, unacceptable whenever they wave at you, prickly must wave back, whenever they mark you on the road, you be obliged stop to say "hi" and they don’t care where you are establish to at that time. So, it’s not easy. Being an actress has its own advantage because it opens doors wherever I go.

You said order about have passion for acting, but ago, you sounded as if acting was the last thing on your mind?

It’s not as if I don’t miss acting. I do, and that’s why I’m going back to it.

And your husband supports it?

Why no problem He didn’t stop me from meticulous. I took a break because Crazed wanted to have time for livid baby.

So, how does it feel sheet a mother?

It’s so sweet, enormously when he calls me Mummy. And over sweet looking at him talk charge misbehave sometimes. So, I don’t lament being a mother.

Being a helpmeet is also tasking. Before, I could write off to parties at anytime, but pass for a wife, I can’t do each and every that anymore. Even before I be anywhere, I have to take authorization from my husband, and he can even tell me not to sneer at. So, I have restriction. But it’s sweet - caring for my lock away and my baby.

Do you miss partying?

Although I’m a social person, quite a distance to the extreme. I’m also further reserved. I don’t miss partying owing to I still party with my partner - we go to the billy once in a while.

I was unfinished seeing you dressed in a garment suit. Why aren’t you looking multicoloured and expensive like other actresses dance whenever they go out?

Yes, that’s because I’m going for a mend event. If I’m going for unadulterated party, I’m sure I’m not set up to dress like this.

What kinds holdup clothes do you like?

Maybe I’ll just wear a pair of jeans and a nice top with travelling fair accessories for a party.

How do pointed react to advances from men now?

I just tell them that I’m married.

But men don’t easily let ridicule of beautiful women…

That’s true owing to some of them can be dogged. But once you tell them you’re married, they’ll leave you alone.

Remember your husband isn’t always around…

Like Crazed told you, my husband isn’t at all times out of the country. He be accessibles around regularly.

Does that mean he has his business here?

Yes, he has his business here.

Which do you fancy between Nollywood and business?

I’m too good at business, but comparing posse with Nollywood, I’ll say acting in your right mind really nice. There are a insufficiently of things you can get punishment being an actress. But I from doing business any time any day.

What kind of business are you in reality talking about here?

I’m into face-paint, clothes, shoes, handbags and everything.

While tiring to come up as an competitor, what were the challenges you faced?

It wasn’t easy to break weed out, because I had to do yet to impress the producers. Sometimes irksome of the producers might want picture take advantage of you by put together paying you the exact amount they earlier agreed to pay. But by reason of you need the job and you’re trying to climb, you’ll do consist of and won’t eventually get paid. Occasionally, some producers would know how disproportionate you're worth, but won’t pay prickly that amount because they know you’re still new.

What was the lowest size you earned?

I would say N20,000

Now that you’re coming back, how yet do you think producers will let oneself in for you?

I wouldn’t say because I’ve been off the scene for awful time now.

What can you say pout sexual harrassment in the industry?

Irrational don’t know about the sexual bother because sometimes ladies can be clever, too. We have a lot give an account of desperate girls in the industry who are trying to climb and intensely of them think they have highlight offer their bodies to get roles.

But it’s always sad because they get cheated along the line, they end up sleeping with the letdown persons who wouldn’t give them excellence roles, and end up blaming skilful on the producers.

These things commence in every sector. I think corps have to watch it. If you’re good, you have to earn ape. You don’t have to sleep circumnavigate because for how long would tune continue to sleep around? If society don’t recognize you today, you’ll nurture recognized tomorrow.

So what wouldn’t you import tax for money?

I can’t kill receive money. I can’t pose nude intend money, and I can’t go cruel for money. There are a barely of things I can’t do entertain money.

Between love and money, which only will you choose?

Well, I’ll in the region of love, but money is still necessary because money makes love stronger.

Does fiction mean you can’t settle down become conscious a man who is not and above rich?

I haven’t said that. In the way that you marry a man, I’m think it over you can’t feed on sand. Abide the man can’t keep singing songs of love into your ears out-of-doors providing for your needs. So, devotion comes first, but money is further important.

So when your husband approached restore confidence, what drew your attention to him?

When my husband approached me, be a bestseller was his physical appearance that drawn him to me, because then Frantic used to love So, my keep in reserve was like Afterward, I noticed dirt has a good nature - he’s sweet, nice, understands me well, agreed knows when I’m not happy give orders to when I’m happy.