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In the fast-paced world of Nollywood, where “faces” often trump “craft,” Padita Agu is more than a screen beauty. In this Nollywood on Radio interview, she tells TOMI FALADE how she has fared in the course of her 25 year career.
Okechuckwu Oku is one of the few filmmakers that I always feel is under celebrated, becausehehasdonesomanygoodmovies. He has come back with ‘Blackout’ showing that heisnotaflashinthepan. Howwasitworking with him? How did you get the role?
Like you, I saw ‘Black Rose’, and I kept asking, ‘who did this? This is a fantastic job.’ I contacted him to appreciate him for his work, and it turns out that he is someone I had worked with before on the set of the first feature film that I produced called ‘Last 3 Digits’. He was the cinema photographer at the time. So, when I saw Black Rose, I realised he’s the same person who made it. I called to commend him and to let him know that I love his job, and I would like to work with him someday, in the future. Not long from then, he was going to do another project, and he called me to come take a role. But the role was what some people will call a minor role. For me, it wasn’t a minor role; every role is important. I also wanted to experience working with him as a filmmaker, so I went and did that with him. I had about three scenes in that one.
After that, he had another script, and said, I would like you to do this one. Maybe he saw something in what I did with the three scenes, but he called me again, and then the rest is history.
When you read the script how did it make you feel?
Okey is a fantastic filmmaker. He doesn’t just get on set and turn things around, everything is planned from beginning. The story is the way you saw in the film. In the film, you see a lady wake up and she doesn’t know where she is, and the first line she utters is, ‘Who the f*** are these people?’ From that point, my mind was blown. That’s like the first page. I read the first page, and I thought, ‘Wow. Okay, I want to get into this. I want to see how the rest of the story pans out’. So I read it, and it was interesting with mind blown even from the script. I needed to get on the project.
So you knew that you had done a fantastic film. During the Best of Nollywood Awards, I remember that the Best Actor and Best Actress categories, which ‘Blackout’ won were the last set to be called. What were you thinking when nominees were announced and winners were announced and ‘Blackout’ wasn’t among any of the winners of those categories.
So without a doubt, I know that ‘Blackout is a fantastic project. There’s no question about that. I’m very confident. So when I wasn’t seeing that mentioned a lot, I didn’t know what it was. To me, it didn’t really matter much, because I know what we did in ‘Blackout’. Every other project nominated are all great. ‘Seven Doors’, ‘Farmer’s Bride’, The one with the special effect, Toyin Abraham’s ‘Iyalode’, fantastic! So it’s all great movies, and you can’t really tell who would win. So, for me, as far as ‘Blackout’ was nominated, it’s a recognition that they saw something in the project
In my mind, I came to grace the occasion. I was nominated. I was invited. It’s our industry, and it’s all in an effort to appreciate our work. So I just came to grace the occasion. I wasn’t really looking out for whether I will win or not win, just being nominated for me was a win. But when it happened, I was surprised, pleasantly, and grateful for the honour.
I’ve read a bit about you because and I saw that over the years, you’ve been a very big advocate against rape. Why?
It’s something that needs to be addressed, because it shouldn’t be. I don’t think a lot is being done to assert the right punishment for the offenders, and the right care for the victims. It’s a topic that needs to be attended to. So, yes, I would like to do more on that aspect in the future.
What’s your message on the issue generally.
I like to address matters from the roots and all side. It shouldn’t be just one sided, not just punishing the offenders, but also educating and empowering the would be victims. The girl and boy child need to be educated and protected and in in today’s world, people need to be aware and empowered. Young and old too. Blackout too is a project that touches on that. We need to empower young ones. We need to let them know the dangers out there and how to protect themselves. But also the offenders should be met with the right consequences.
If a scenario like blackout plays out in real life, what would be your reaction?
I don’t know what it is, maybe experience or just minding my business; but it has kept me away from scenarios like that. Also, I’m very conscious of what I take in. If I go to a place, beyond cleanliness, I’m careful what I take. I’m careful who I am in a secluded place with, whom I spend time with in a private place. You need to know, to an extent, who or what that person is capable of, from their talk, their behavior, you can tell, could this person be an animal when the doors are closed or not?
We all need to be careful with stuff like that. I’ve had people on the street approach me and want to just hand me something, and something in my head just goes, ‘don’t touch it, don’t take it’. So I feel like in moments like that, I have avoided situations where we see people lace food or drinks with substance that could make you pass out or sleep, so they take advantage of you. If someone approaches me to give me something, the first thing is, I don’t touch it.
Do you believe in Juju?
It’s not a yes or no thing for me. I kind of acknowledge that it exists, but I don’t let it rule me, because I also believe that I’ve got power in my thoughts and in my words.
Can you run us through your Nollywood story? HowdidyougetittoNollywood, andwhat has been like?
It’s been two decades plus. This year marks my 25th year in Nollywood, officially, even though I started my whole drama in secondary school. I had flair for art. I would sketch, draw, dance, sing, I’ll make crafts. When I got into secondary school, I tried a lot of things, but then I joined the drama group. I liked it. When I got out of secondary school, I joined a drama group. But after a while, I wanted to watch what I do. With stage, after you’re done, that’s it, you don’t see it. The desire and the hunger to come out and watch what I’ve done came upon me, and that’s how movie interest came in.
I had my ears and eyes on what I wanted to, but where I was living, there was no movie happening there. I think if you just think of something you start to see it, or the opportunities that exist. So, one day, in school, University of Abuja, I see this notice for audition for a movie. I went for the audition and I did well. I didn’t get that role, but then they called me for another one in Lagos, so when I came that still didn’t happen. I attended other auditions, started getting roles, and the rest is history.
Do you think that people, any young talent thesedays, canstilljustgotoanaudition, and out of just the merit of their work, can still be called
When you asked how my journey was? I wanted to say that it is either I’m blessed, special, or I’m just focused. When I came in, it didn’t take me up to a year to start getting roles. I came in around February, March, and by October, I had done like two roles in very successful movies. So, yes, just by going for audition, you can get called. It was a process though. The very first one, I had a non-speaking role. The second one, I had like one scene to speak. And each of this step was celebrated. I celebrated all of them. The non-speaking role actually went on to be a very viral movie that announced me in my community. At that time, movies started with credits rolling, not at the end. When my relatives sat down to watch my movie, they didn’t see me. They kept asking, where are you? I said that was me at the beginning. I just pushed someone past. But that appearance, announced me. Everybody heard that I was in the movie. That just teaches me that do not look down on any role. Every role is important.
So, yeah, I would go read, and they like my reading. To them, it sounds natural and real. Every time I read, people tell me, you read so well. So, I think that today, if a true filmmaker is out there searching for people to cast for roles, and you hear someone read well, you might not get the lead role, but you will get something. Because, of course, they want to market the film. They want to be able to sell the film. So, they want to use a face that will sell the film. But there are other roles they can give an upcoming So, yes, I believe that today, filmmakers can cast unknown people.
For instance, ‘To kill a monkey”, I think Kemi Adetiba calls for audition. The lead guy was not a new person, but Kemi taking a chance on him to play that role shows you that we still have true filmmakers who trust the craft, not even just the name or the face
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