Fair skinned actress, Nkiru Sylvanus was the Special Adviser, Lagos Affairs, to the governor of Imo state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and later Special Adviser on Public Affairs. Since her appointment, she has not been visible in movies until she premiered her own movie, The Voice last year. She is now the Director General, Imo Film Academy.
ENCOMIUM Weekly had an interview with her about her role in Imo state and sundry issues…
We will like to know more about the movie academy,when is it kicking off?
It has already kicked off In Imo state. We unveiled it late last year. The Imo Film Academy is an initiative of His Excellency, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha. The need for Imo Film Academy became very necessary because of his passion and love for talent and the entertainment industry with the hope that it will improve, harness and create a platform to empower the youths just like he has been doing in other sectors in Imo state. The academy is created to open up training in different categories like photography, acting, cinematography, directing, voice-over voice training, script writing, costume make up, set/prop, lighting, continuity screenplay and video editing.
When are you coming back to the movie industry, when should we expect you in movies again?
I didn’t leave Nollywood in the first place. Maybe, you can say that about me like early last year, but I returned fully since I premiered my film, The Voice in July, 2014. My role as Director General of Imo Film Academy is equally a serious work for me as an actress. It is part of my involvement in the industry.
Your appearance has changed a bit, more beautiful and fleshy, what is the secret?
Really? Let’s just say it’s peace of mind and a good healthy lifestyle. I try as much as possible to stay off cosmetics. I try as much as possible to be natural.
I don’t have any particular beauty regimen. It’s a factor of gene and being at peace within yourself. If you are at peace within yourself, every other thing will be right with you. So, I am blessed with that look. I eat normal, live normal and apply very little or no cosmetics to my body.
You have a project you are working on, can you give an insight?
There are several projects I am working on actually. Some of them will be unveiled this year. One of them is my personal talk-show coming up. Another is a reality TV show. It’s a kind of talent hunt for the youth of Imo state. We are organizing this reality show on the platform of the Imo Film Academy which I head as the director general.
A lot of your colleagues are going into talk-shows, what makes yours unique?
For me, I am not just starting a TV shots because every other person is doing it. I have been into broadcasting before now. I have this burning desire to build people through my TV show for more than five years now and it’s taking so much time because I want it to stand out. My TV show was not borne out of the desire to be seen. I want to achieve a developmental goal via the talk-show. The talk-show is born out of my innate desire to give a helping hand.
We are in the election period, what’s your take on celebrities campaigning for politicians?
Anybody can campaign for candidates of their choice, especially if you are doing it for genuine reasons. There is nothing wrong in campaigning, your reason for campaigning is what we should be talking about.
What do you mean by genuine reasons?
The other day, a journalist was asking just like this, what my opinion was about celebrities campaigning for politicians because of what they stand to gain and why I’ve always supported the government of Imo state. I replied him by saying, our reasons for campaigning is different. It’s bad if you are supporting a politician when you know he is not genuine and only seeking political post because of his own selfish interests. But it’s a noble thing if you are supporting a politician because of the deep conviction you have about that person’s good manifesto for the people. I, for example, began to support Governor Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha of Imo state because of his good works even before becoming the governor.
This was a man who has been supporting the development of thousands of people before he became the governor. Everybody knows him as a philanthropist of no little means, and since he became the governor, he hasn’t disappointed his people. So, my point in a nutshell is, support the dream not what you want to gain monetarily. Don’t support a politician because of money.
Apart from your interviews where you talked about the governor a lot, how come we’ve not been seeing much of you on TV campaigning hard like some of your colleagues?
The reason is, in Imo state, Rochas Okorocha needs not make much noise. The people have already chosen him because he has been tried and tested. He has fulfilled almost every promise he made to the people of Imo state, if not all. Until Owelle became governor, Imo state and its people were in total sadness as the ordinary Imolite was languishing in abject poverty and deprivation. So much hunger and anger in the land. Now, go to Imo and see how Okorocha has transformed it overnight. No more bad roads and poor drainages, dilapidated and unkempt office complexes and public property. Some of the best government buildings in Nigeria can now be found in Imo state. This is not a matter of hype. When you enter Imo today, that’s what will greet you. If you last visited Imo state like six years ago and you are entering it today, you’ll get confused and think you are somewhere in Lekki or London. Pensioners, old men and women were starving and dying for unpaid several years of pensions. That’s no more in Imo state. In Imo state, minimum wage is N20,000, the governor doesn’t pay the same N18,000 being paid in other states. Today, under Governor Rochas Okorocha, Imo state has become the only state in Nigeria where indigenes go to school free of charge from primary to tertiary level. I’m not kidding, the facts are there. All public infrastructure are now in top form. Before Rochas, public infrastructure were collapsing. The road networks is enviable in Imo state now and I’m not talking about Owerri, the capital alone. Many other towns in Imo state are enjoying the same thing as the capital. So much to talk about as regards the achievement of the governor, and you can see why this man doesn’t need too much campaign. The people know what is good for them and Okorocha is their only governorship candidate as far as they are concerned. Not even all the propaganda against him by some of his detractors can discourage him from continuing in his effort of delivering the dividends of democracy.
You are also known for your ability to induce tears easily when playing an emotional role, how do you do that. Do you apply a tear inducing substance?
Tears, for me, is an emotional thing, and I have learnt to work on my emotion at will to bring out how I want to express it when acting. I can work on myself to be moody, happy, cheery, just any mood I want to portray. It’s a gift. And nope, I don’t need to apply anything to my eyes to bring tears. I can induce it by reaching down into my emotion.
So, what’s your reaction to the recent rumours that have to do with you getting married?
I have spoken about it and I have said I won’t say anything about the issue again (concerning Oge Okoye’s husband). This is like the third time rumour monger are talking about me getting married. If I am getting married, everybody will know about it. I will announce it myself because marriage is a thing of joy. So, you just ignore all the baseless rumours.
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