Nollywood Actresses Harass Men Sexually •Halima Abubakar.

Why is it that Nollywood is not as pronounced in the North like here in Lagos?

I think that question should be directed to them because I belong to Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and we basically act English movies.

Have you made money from acting?

I’m surviving by God’s grace.

Do you do other businesses apart from acting?

Oh yes, I’m into farming and spare parts business. I’m into hospitality business, while I invest in other people’s businesses, among other things.

There are accusations that most actresses want to look flashy at all cost and yet they are fake. How true is this?

If some are fake, I’m not and you don’t need to wear flashy things or go out of your way to look good. Well I’m not categorical, I only wear what I can afford and don’t go out of my way to make things happen. I’m not also in the league of people that live above their means.

But it was reported that some actresses date rich guys to make more money?

Do you want us to date poor people? I don’t understand what you mean by that.

I mean some of you engage in other activities to make money?

Maybe they do it, but I don’t and that is a matter of choice. People are free to live their lives the way the want and being a noble woman, I believe that a woman’s body is the temple of God and pride to her future husband, if she decides to live irresponsibly and ruin her life, its her choice.

Are you aware that some of them do some extra runs?

If they do, that is their own choice, but I don’t do runs.

What is you universal selling point as an actress?

I try as much as I can to be real and don’t use too flashy make up, while I don’t over act. At least, we were on the same flight from Lagos to London and by that, you should have known the kind of person I am and my selling point is my gentle personality and I always use my brain.

I saw you doing some shopping in London, so what is your fashion life like?

My life is classy and chic and I love cultural stuff, while I add some Nigerian influence into my dressing. For example, I can buy a foreign attire and add Nigerian or a Ghanaian hand bag to complete the dressing. I also have a shop in Kano and some of those things are going into the shop.

As an indigene of Kogi State, why haven’t you featured so much in Yoruba movies?

I have done one and I discovered that I’m not too good in it and Yoruba language is one of the languages I respect so much, so I don’t want to spoil it and I had to opt out of it.

There is this allegation that there is sexual harassment in the movie industry, how true is this?

Of course, there is because immediately I came back 10 years ago, a member of an unprofessional clique calling themselves film producers, tried it with me.

Who is the person?

Do you expect me to mention anybody’s name? No, but one of them tried such with me but my god brother, Micky Robson, warned me against the person. Well, I will say I was lucky because I have people who were guiding me.

Was the person pestering you or wanted to do otherwise?

No, but the person insisted that I should come and collect my script at his hotel room and I told him ‘do people collect script in hotel rooms?’ Another incident was when another guy had an audition for a movie entitled Eagle Bride and asked people to pay N500 each, a lot of people actually paid the money.

Did you pay?

No, I did not pay because he asked me to come and pick mine in a hotel and I wondered why it is me, among hundreds of people, would go to a hotel and pick my script, when I did not even have a dime to pay in the first instance. Anyway, I told Micky and he warned me not to go and I did not.

Do women harass men in Nollywood?

Yes, they do because a lot of confused girls that came into Nollywood lately don’t know their bearing as they just came flaunting their bodies and when somebody tries to show interest in them, they cry foul and say that they are being harassed, yet they were the ones harassing the men. They do it because they are not ready to work hard because you can not tell me every man is harassing you sexually, so something must be wrong. Well, I’m an actress and when I am on location I see these things happening and when you try to advise them, they will tell you that they know what they are doing.

How do you see Halima Abubakar in the next 10 years?

My prayer is to be happily married and raise a good family.

When do you hope to get married?

Everything is in God’s hand.

Do you have a relationship?

I don’t discuss my private life on the pages of newspapers.

But who is the lucky man?

No, I won’t discuss that.

Who then is your ideal man?

My ideal man is the person I am dating.