Nobody forced me to change my religion – Liz
Anjorin
NOVEMBER 23, 2013 BY ‘NONYE BEN-NWANKO
54 Comments
Liz Anjorin
| credits: http://encomium.ng
Liz (now Aishat) Anjorin, tells ’Nonye Ben-
Nwankwo about her recent conversion to Islam
and her lifestyle
You woke up one morning and decided to change
your name and religion. Is that how people just
switch?
My name is still Liz. I am Elizabeth Aishat Anjorin.
I have always been a Muslim. It is just that I am a
very confidential person; not many people know
about it. That is why it sounds new to so many
people now.
So how come it became a public knowledge and
is even causing side talks here and there?
It was because I went on Hajj. That was how so
many people got to know about my religion. You
know that my name is Elizabeth, a Biblical name;
so when I went on Hajj, everybody had to notice
that I practise Islam.
Have you always been a Muslim?
My father was a Christian and my mother was a
Muslim. After my mother’s death, I decided to
practise her religion. Even before her death, I had
wanted to go for Hajj but there was no chance.
Stories started flying round when this story
broke. Some said you found a rich ‘Alhaji’ who
insisted you must convert to Islam before he
married you…
People must talk and if they don’t, they will die.
But to answer your question, I don’t think such
can happen. I don’t see why any man would tell
me to change my religion before he can marry
me. Funny enough, my boyfriend is not even an
Alhaji. Going on Hajj was something I desired. It
is not even meant for Muslims alone. If you
believe in God, go to the Holy City and pray to
your God and your prayers would be answered.
People from all over the world come there.
Was your baby’s father a Muslim?
Oh yes. The baby’s late father was a Muslim. He
gave my daughter a Muslim name. We all believe
in one God. There is no dichotomy. I don’t have
to judge anybody and say the person’s religion is
bad. We are all one before God. I am still proud of
my name, Elizabeth. It is just that when you go for
Hajj and come back, you have to be more
modest. It is just that I am human and I am a
young lady who is still single. I am free to live my
life. If I get married and my husband wants me to
be Eleha (woman in purdah), then I will do it. If I
marry a pastor and my husband wants me to be a
pastor, I will do it. I have to be submissive to my
husband. For now, I am a young girl, so I think I
am still free to follow my heart and do what I want
to do. But when you go for hajj, you have the fear
of God and you believe in God.
So you have changed since you came back?
Yes. Before now, I could do anything. I could talk
anyhow. But now, I caution myself. I can’t destroy
myself talking the way other people talk.
Did you go to Mecca so that people will perceive
you as a nice, holy lady?
Anybody who is saying such must be jobless. I
saw all the comments people posted on the
Internet because of my trip to Mecca. I know
some people said I was a bad girl and I wanted to
live a holy life and that was why I had to go to
Hajj. Those people who say such, have they ever
seen me in a party? Have they seen me where I
shouldn’t be? I am not a saint but I know I have
been a wonderful person. If a lady like me can
work and do some other things without anybody’s
knowledge, then people should pray for me.
Anybody saying such negative thing hasn’t seen
me. It is not easy. If a guy of 27 can ask me out,
then you know that I am a very decent lady to the
core. If you keep yourself decent, it shows on
your body. I don’t fix nails except on location. I
don’t wear fake eye lashes. I don’t smoke, I don’t
drink. I cherish my sleep at night. I don’t club, I
cover my body. So why would anybody term me a
bad girl? If I were bad, I would be struggling. I am
not saying that I am a saint but I will say it again
and again, I am a very decent girl. I don’t misuse
my body. Do I even have that time?
You don’t smoke, you don’t drink and you don’t
do so many bad things but was it not reported
that you and Iyabo Ojo fought over a man back
then?
Anybody who says such is just jobless. It is so
annoying. You don’t judge anybody. You don’t
even have the right to do that. Let them talk. That
is their headache. I am not going to say anything.
But there is a recent picture where you dressed
so sexy. You didn’t wear the long dresses ….
If I am at a movie location, nothing stops me from
dressing that way. Even when I am not at a
location, I have never really dressed seductively. I
don’t reveal my body. I always cover my body. it
is very hard for people to know that I even wear
tattoo. It is only at a location or when you see
poster pictures that you would know that. There is
a difference between your personality and your
job. For a male gynaecologist who is an Alhaji,
don’t women open their legs for him to check
them? It is his profession. People should please
correct this impression. I am an actress. If I am
given a role, I must interpret it. We are preaching
and trying to correct anomalies with our movies.
We are just acting. Even without going to Mecca
or Jerusalem, I have never liked dressing
seductively. You can still be beautiful without
exposing your body. The more you are even
covered up, the more beautiful you look. So, the
picture you saw is a poster picture. I have always
worn long gowns and I bet you, I look more
beautiful than those who wear scanty attires.
Attending event is part of my job; if I weren’t a
celebrity, I could wear anything to any event and
nobody would notice. But I am a role model. I
love to wear something unique. I am a young
lady. The way you dress attracts the calibre of
people that come to you. If you dress decently,
mature minds approach you. If you dress in a
funny way, such people will come to you.
So many people would expect you to finally settle
down now…
People believe it is one Alhaji that sent me to
Mecca. Ok o; when it is time for me to get
married, I will let them know. It might be
tomorrow, it might be next. I don’t know the time
but everybody will know when we get there. All I
am interested in is my business.
You are into business as well?
Oh yes. I am into fashion. I have a fashion house
and it keeps me so busy. I buy clothes from so
many countries and I sell.
Have you left acting?
No. I am working on my new movie, Kofo the First
Lady. It is a sequel to Kofo Tinubu. We have the
same characters in the movie but different story.
So you and Iyabo Ojo have fully made up, no
more quarrel?
No. we don’t have any quarrel whatsoever. She
even featured in my movie. I don’t have any
wahala with anybody. We are doing so fine, so
great.
Which faction of Association of Nigerian Theatre
Practitioners do you belong to?
I am a member of ANTP. I don’t belong to any
faction. All I know is that I am an actress. I
belong to my shop and my business. I don’t know
what is going on there. If you ask me what is
happening in my shop, I will tell you the latest.
One actress came out to say publicly that
actresses in the Yoruba movie industry practise
lesbianism a lot; are you aware of it?
I wouldn’t know I swear. I don’t even have time.
As a producer, if you waste my time, I go back to
my business and my shop. Lesbianism? Haba! I
don’t think Yoruba actresses can do such. Yoruba
people are well cultured. If you do any stupid
thing, there is something called ‘ oriki.’ You have
to be careful of what you do. And that is why I
always say the way you dress will determine how
people will approach you. They can’t approach
me. How will you even think of ‘toasting’ me
when you are a woman? Before you will even
open your mouth to ask me out, I will slap you
and beg God for forgiveness. Why would I get into
such when men are everywhere searching for
wives?