By Agatha Emeadi
Jennifer Eliogu is a Nollywood actress of over 25 years standing. Not only that as she also has in her kitty an 11-year-old singing prowess, which has solidified and made her stand out in the entertainment industry.
In this interview with Sunday Sun, Eliogu took time to unveil her great exploits as an actor, saying “I have been here, still here, and hope to be there for a very long time.”
How did your journey into Nollywood start?
It started at the end of 1997 when I followed a friend who got a role to feature in a movie. I went to watch her rehearse her script and became fascinated with all that I saw, and there and then, I volunteered to be auditioned, but was asked to come the next day, which I did. The next day, I was given a script to act, and according to them, I did well and was applauded and was asked to come back the next day for another round of rehearsal. Then, the director chose to cast me for that role and de-cast the previous person who was earlier screened. But then, my major role in acting started in 1998 which was not planned. It was not that I woke up and decided to become an actor, no, rather I stumbled unto acting and I am glad I did.
What was the first movie you featured in?
My first movie was ‘House on Fire,’ which was shot in Jos then and featured the likes of Ejike Asiegbu, Francis Duru, and Gloria Anozie-Young. I worked with veterans at that time and was very excited.
Would it be correct to say, you were groomed by the best hands?
Yes, I was groomed by the best hands because in most of my roles, I either played the daughter of a veteran, both male or female, I worked closely with lead actors amongst my peers. I played rival roles and it was always beautiful. I still have special memories of those times.
How did you achieve quality when it comes to delivering your roles?
To me, acting comes naturally. One cannot give what he or she does not have. Therefore, it has always been being myself and letting it out from the inside the way it flows. I get complimented a lot for my acting skill and I am appreciative of the fact that my skills are recommended. I am being described as one actor who does not need to do much to deliver her roles; this means that I don’t need to do much to deliver on a script given to me and I am humbled with that remark from directors and producers.
How did music find its way into your acting skill?
Music has always been a part of me and it found expression over time. I have always loved music. Everybody who knows me can attest to this fact. Back in the secondary school, I was in debating and drama societies, as well as the church choir. So, music has always been a part of me, although acting found me and sprout out first; but after so many years of acting, I went back to my first love, which is music. The result is that 11 years down the line, I have a band and albums on different platforms. I have about four or five singles and also working on another album and loving it. I can’t wait for it to be released. Though acting gave me the springboard to shine and when music came, it took me to a new dimension. I write my songs and can sing what someone else has written, but so far, for all the songs I have, I wrote them myself and they all came naturally from the inside. In acting, one can role-play, but in music, you cannot.
What genre of music do you play?
I love music so much that I do a little bit of everything. I do afro jazz, soul, R&B, ballads, high life, and jazz. I love to fuse it all in one. I am not confused when it comes to music, but I will classify my genre as afro-jazz. There is a little bit of ‘Africaness’ with a jazzy feel to it. I like life equipment set-ups and life backlights. All my songs are not generated, we start building the beat from scratch, I want to hear the sound of the gong, traditional ogene, guitar, horns, and the drums.
Some of your songs are family-oriented, why?
If I have 27-30 songs, you will hear a lot of preaching. One time, I was invited to a church to minister, and someone stood against it saying, I was not a gospel minister, I asked what gospel is greater than preaching the love of God and humanity which is God’s greatest commandment. If you are not preaching love, then you are not preaching the gospel. I did a song called ‘‘Onulube’, (If you hear the cry) it came 10 years into music and that is one song at this point that is taking me to the end of the world. Those who do not understand it, ask for interpretation, and when told, they just love the song. I have gone to perform at inter-tribal places, but music being a universal language which everyone understands when they open up your heart, you would understand any genre of music with an open heart.
Talk about your new song ‘ASA’
ASA is a song that extols women. A slang that describes a beautiful woman, but in this case, one with beauty and brain. It is also about a well-mannered, cultured, and intelligent slay queen who is empowered. When she makes her own money there is this confidence she exudes because she can afford basic things of life for herself. Someone once said to me, I am looking for a man who would take care of me. I asked why can’t she take care of herself? In her defense, she said she was looking for a job. Then I told her, that the problem with women these days is that they want a man who will take care of them forgetting to put themselves in a position where they can take care of themselves first and be able to call a man’s bluff if the relationship seems not to be working. If the relationship is not working, one should keep walking. I am not an advocate of divorce or separation, but it has come to the point where people have to choose themselves first because one needs to be alive to be in a relationship. When we talk about being alive, it is not about death, it could be mental, physical or psychological; it could also be one being dead to everything around them because they are emotionally broken. I always advise people to find something that gives them sustainability and then when God blesses you with that good man, it would be value added. God created everybody complete, but in our minds, we think there is a hollow that only a man can fill. The Bible says ‘and two shall become one,’ but if you feel you cannot stay alone, you must be married, be ready to be a complete woman first because it is important to find contentment within oneself so that other things that come your way could be an icing on the cake.
What can you say about rivalry and unfriendliness in the industry, especially amongst female colleagues?
The reason for such an attitude is often unknown. However, I don’t think it is an actor’s place to dictate to a director who she can work with or not, but people have different reasons to put up unfriendliness within the industry. If I will ever ask a director not to feature another colleague then my reason must be valid.
Between Asabahood and Lagoshood, which do you think has made more impact in the industry?
Both hoods are making their impacts. I can tell you that the actors being labeled as Asabahood have more popularity than those from Lagos. The average African in the Diaspora watches YouTube and that is where most Asabahood actors get noticed. One major difference is exposure. Our environment is what has shaped the kind of stories being told in movies, but I can say for a fact that both hoods have grown over time and are still growing.
What advice would you give to upcoming actors and artistes?
If the industry is where one wants to pitch his or her tent, then you must take your spot there. First, be certain of what you want from the onset and trust the process. A lot of people do not see the work that goes into acting, they only see the glamour on the screen. Some people were fortunate to hit the jackpot and became celebrities, getting endorsements while others had to put in extra work. Some have grown slowly, but surely like myself. I have been here, still here, and hope to be here for a very long time. I consider myself an evergreen. To the younger ones, get adequate training, and know the ethics obtainable in your field of endeavour.