Yoruba Actors Are Being Cut Off From Nollywood - Nike Pellar


Nike PellerNike Abiola, popularly known as Nike Peller, has seen it all in acting. Having started well over a decade ago, she could be said to have paid her due. Cornered recently in Lagos by GBENGA OLUMIDE, she spoke about her career, her marriage, among other sundry issues. Excerpts:

Your face seems to be scarce on screen these days. Are you still in the industry?
I’m still very much in the industry. I can’t leave the industry. It’s my profession.

Are you married now?
Yes, I’m married.


Nike Pellar

To whom, if I may ask?
The person I’m married to is a very private person. We’ve been together for years, so I should know what he likes and what he dislikes.

One of the things he dislikes is being talked about publicly. He is a rather private person. However, those who attended our traditional marriage and the rest, know him.

Is he the reason your fans have not been seeing much of you lately?
No, he’s not. What happens is that I do more of behind-the-screens work nowadays. I do most of the costumes used by my colleagues, and I have things like generators and buses which I rent out to them.

Basically, I’m trying to take my time, considering how things are now. You know, films are churned out anyhow, many of which are wishy-washy. I don’t want a situation whereby my fans will be calling me to ask why I take part in films that are of low standard. So, I’m taking my time.

Before you got married, tongues have wagged –you have been described as an old maid. How do you feel about this?
I feel nothing. I believe it is not how far, but how well. What is the point in getting married at a young age, and having problems in your marriage. If I marry late and I’m happy with my husband, then all glory be to almighty Allah.

What do you do aside acting?
I’m a fashion designer. Before I became an actress, I went to a fashion school, Singer Fashion School, Lagos. I was there for two years. Though acting has been taking me away from fashion designing, I’m about to take it more seriously.

Any film of your own?
I have films of my own, and I’m about to release another one into the market. I have a working title, but it won’t be wise to say it here, because it could have been changed by the time it finally comes out. Part of the film was shot in Mecca, when I went for Hajj.

Even as a married woman, there will be admirers. How do you cope?
Of course, there are admirers. It is expected since I’m a woman, and, with all modesty, I’m famous. The only thing is that one should know how to ward persistent ones off without injuring their pride. I know how to go about it; I have no problem in that regard.

Are you romantic?
Of course I am! I’m very romantic. My husband can attest to that fact.

What was your experience in Hajj like?
Ha, my brother, Hajj is what I pray that all Muslims should experience. Anybody who goes to the Holy land will be convinced of the pre-eminence of God. When I got there, I looked at the wonders there and started crying like a baby. If I have my way, I will go to Holy land every year. It’s just too wonderful. And I also met some wonderful people there. I had a nice time.

If you were to kiss a man in a movie, who would it be?
There is a way to do it. We call it miming. I can do that with any man. But when it comes to real kissing, it’s not in our culture in Africa. Anyway, as artistes, we can do miming and it will look so real to you that you won’t believe if I say it was not a real one. It all depends on the director.

At times you dress like someone from the North, like now, you are wearing two earrings together. Why?
Nothing. I just like it. Although my maternal great-grandmother was a northerner, I only see the way I dress as being fashionable, nothing more.

How do you see Nollywood?
Nollywood is okay. It’s still young, so we cannot expect perfection yet. However, it seems, we, the Yoruba-speaking actors are being cut off from the running of the body. And it’s not the fault of our colleagues at the other side; it’s our fault. I say this because many, in fact, most of us Yoruba-speaking actors don’t attend meetings and other get-togethers.

Thank God that we have an elite at the helm of affairs now; I’m talking of Prince Jide Kosoko. He’s the one who makes all the moves to ensure that we are part and parcel of Nollywood. Left to my colleagues, they see anybody who attends meetings as not having anything tangible doing.

I don’t know if it’s complex. I just don’t know. This attitude has made us look inferior to our counterparts; whereas we are superior in all ramifications.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/11102008/weekendride3.html

Some still deny tribalism even when it's glaring.

I think she just doesn't know how to act and she's getting old. Nollywood (or any wood for that matter) is not very kind to aging celebs.

DeepZone:

Some still deny tribalism even when it's glaring.

yu know!!

thats right.

Inability to read is becoming a chronic problem here. Read the last part of the article below and tell me how it defines tribalism.

How do you see Nollywood?
Nollywood is okay. It’s still young, so we cannot expect perfection yet. However, it seems, we, the Yoruba-speaking actors are being cut off from the running of the body. And it’s not the fault of our colleagues at the other side; it’s our fault. I say this because many, in fact, most of us Yoruba-speaking actors don’t attend meetings and other get-togethers.

Thank God that we have an elite at the helm of affairs now; I’m talking of Prince Jide Kosoko. He’s the one who makes all the moves to ensure that we are part and parcel of Nollywood. Left to my colleagues, they see anybody who attends meetings as not having anything tangible doing.

I don’t know if it’s complex. I just don’t know. This attitude has made us look inferior to our counterparts; whereas we are superior in all ramifications.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/11102008/weekendride3.html

Mr. Emeka, na wa for you oh! How can one successfully peddle hate for another tribe if they used their head or tell the truth? Seriously, do you really expect a tribalistic mind to work side by side with the ability to read, comprehend, think, use common sense. . . In short do anything people with brains can do?!!

Ah! You are expecting too much and I’m sorry to say this but you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment.

DeepZone:

Yoruba Actors Are Being Cut Off From Nollywood - Nike Pellar
How do you see Nollywood?
Nollywood is okay. It’s still young, so we cannot expect perfection yet. However, it seems, we, the Yoruba-speaking actors are being cut off from the running of the body. And it’s not the fault of our colleagues at the other side; it’s our fault. [size=18pt]I say this because many, in fact, most of us Yoruba-speaking actors don’t attend meetings and other get-togethers.[/size]

All I can say is "Mo be eleda mi ko se o nrere fun awan eyan mi". . . . Amen!
"A s'o rire o, eleda mi, mo dupe o"

I think she just doesn't know how to act and she's getting old.

Actually she acts very well.

and how is she any older than most of the people of Nollwyood?

Ruby_Pearl:

All I can say is "Mo be eleda mi ko se o nrere fun awan eyan mi". . . . Amen!
"A s'o rire o, eleda mi, mo dupe o"

Ti mo ba ji lo wuro kutu kutu, ma di ori mi mu
Mo s'o rire o, eleda mi, mo dupe o

I say we start a Nairaland band, RubyRenny and The Girls. Maybe we can talk Deepzone into joining us. . . keep her busy so she stops opening threads that so wa lenu.

KarmaMod:

Actually she acts very well.

and how is she any older than most of the people of Nollwyood?

I don't know how old she is but she can still pass as an ayounge compared to so old mamas they got squeezing their rolli polli old mama bodies into school uniforms acting like primary school children.

lmao!

Sisikill:

Ti mo ba ji lo wuro kutu kutu, ma di ori mi mu
Mo s'o rire o, eleda mi, mo dupe o

I say we start a Nairaland band, RubyRenny and The Girls. Maybe we can talk Deepzone into joining us. . . keep her busy so she stops opening threads that so wa lenu.

lmao! not bad, not bad at all.
As long as I'm the captain

Dnt worry, we'll give Deepzone a job doing the choir laundry

Of course you'll be the Caption, who else can fit be? As for Deepzone doing the laundry. . . I'd rather she was in a position where I can see her clearly. I don't want her to "mistakenly" dip my clothes in Poison Ivy because she "heard" it can cure someone of of Aboki blood. Nah, Nah. . . front and center for her, front and center!!!

rotflmao!! Sisikill, ee gbadun!

Caption ko captain ni

Smh