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By Agatha Emeadi
Ngozi Ezeonu is a Nollywood legend whose acting career spans decades. Even now that she has reached 60, a milestone year, she maintains a majestic presence on the screen. For her, the journey to sixth floor came with ups and downs as well as pleasant and unpleasant moments. But in it all, Ezeonu affirms that God alone is qualified to receive thanksgiving and adoration from her grateful heart.
How does it feel to be 60?
Imagine one is going to an office where there is no elevator, and the office is on the tenth floor, and one is climbing and got to the sixth floor, has the person not tried? I am on the sixth floor now, though it is a long journey, but I give God all the glory.
The journey to the milestone 6o, what was it like?
It has not been easy at all. In some places, the ride was smooth, but one to pass through some bush paths and contend with thorns at different phase of the journey of life. In a nutshell, it has not been an easy journey, but I thank God. It has been a milestone of which I did not feel the number 60. I still feel I am young. But it is when I remember the number, I simply say, ‘this woman you don old,’ but it feels good to age actually. Turning 60 is so good. I want to thank the whole world for celebrating me.
All through the years as an actor, you have avoided roles that involve romantic scenes. Is there any particular reason?
Well, no actor collects every script. It is not possible. There is no way you will take all the roles that are given to you because you cannot foot every script. I am selective. I do the ones I think I can do well and also pick up very challenging roles, but I cannot do every script. From the onset, I have never done anything that has romance, everyone knows me with it. Not for anything, but that I see children who see me as their role model with scripts. Children do what they see and they believe in us so much, so when I do certain things, the younger ones would want to do them because they feel that if Ngozi Ezeonu could do it, it means it is the right thing. They will not understand why you did it, that I was doing it was not real, but acting. When they see you kissing somebody on movie, they feel it is real and they would not know you are acting the kiss, so I have come to realize that and ran away from such scenes.
Raising children in an internet age is a major challenge that parents encounter. What are your thoughts on this?
It all depends on how one started training his or her children. The bible says train up a child in a way he should, so that when that child grows, he will never depart from it. Why is a teenager having access to the Android phone and internet space? Probably, I am old school, but that was how I trained my children and it did not give me stress. Presently, I still have a teenager that I am still training. I have not given her any access to the internet except it is for school assignments and research. During that moment, adult supervision must be there. When the work is over, the phone is retrieved from her immediately. On the television, I know what I allow her to watch. One can also determine that through the decoders. Then, most especially, hand the children over to God for direction and care. It is not what anyone can do on his or her own.
How did you find yourself in acting or did acting find you?
Years ago, I could remember that Zeb Ejiro saw me and recognized me as a model. He queried if I could act, I told him, I do not know. He invited me to the audition of Nneka, the pretty serpent; I went and was chosen. But before then, I had done a little bit of normal school acting, but Zeb Ejiro discovered me.
What do you think about parents’ choice of career for their children especially in the area of entertainment?
I think parents should allow their children to be whatever they want to be in life. I was a victim of parents choosing career for me, but I was insistent on acting. When I told my parents that I wanted to go into acting, my father was kind of supportive to whatever his children can do with their strength. But my mother did not want to hear anything about acting. Even when I started as a model, my mother kicked against it. You will not believe that my mother disowned me because I wanted to be an actor. But her disowning me did not deter me. I still did what I wanted. Happily, I am glad that before she died, she called me and said, “Your stubbornness has helped you in life. If you had allowed me to stop you from acting, you know you would have allowed me tamper with your destiny. My child, I am happy for you.” So, her words strengthened me further. I was happy and promised to be the best that I can.
Again, my mother never wanted me to be any profession other than teaching. Her reason was that teachers usually have time for their families and take good care of their children. I told her no woman neglects her family because of career.
Are you fulfilled today as an actor or would you have loved something else?
I am fulfilled being an actor. Just that to whom much is given, much is expected. As a matter of fact, I went into acting out of curiosity. In fact, I just said, let me just go, see what they do, have fun and that was how I got hooked on acting. Then again, at some point, it became a career which I took seriously. With that, I realized it would be something very serious for me. But to think that when I go to places, people would beckon at me. It dawned on me that a lot of people, particularly mothers and children look up to me as a role model. Therefore, I cannot fail them. It will not be proper for me to start doing what I am not supposed to do. That is very reason I do accept romantic scripts, especially because of my children who see me as their role model. When I walk into some places, I will be recognized. At several places, people are eager to help because I am an actor. Most times, protocols are broken because of me, that is why I said, it is the grace of God. These are some of the goodies that come with being an actor. Then, the other side of it is when you play a bad role, people seem to think you are like that. But I am so glad that these days, everybody now knows one is playing a character. The whole thing is scripted; one is just playing a role in a movie, interpreting a role in a movie. So many good things have come my way through acting. I do not take them for granted instead I am grateful to God.
How was growing up in the Eastern part of the country then?
I am the first child of my parents in the family of seven children, though my parents are late. I am from Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State. Growing up was tough because I came from a very humble beginning. Back then when I was young, my parents were not comfortable at all. Not until there was a little transition due to hard work which we are all grateful for. I recall that back then my mother was a very tough mother, a disciplinarian. Whenever the whole family was together and my mother was in a good mood, I would want to act her character out. In fact, she became a case study for me. There are some roles that would be given to me I would simply act my mother.
What advice would you give to the upcoming girls who look up to you?
First, they should not be desperate for anything. I say this because becoming a star is easy, but maintaining the stardom is the problem. I also say that whenever they become stars, they should not let it get into their head.
