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QUESTIONS.: Damasus is an unusual name. What part of the country are you from?
STELLA.: I’m from Asaba, Delta State. Damasus
was actually my grandfather’s first name. It’s a Greek name. The family name
was actually Ojukwu, but when the war broke out, the Nigerian Civil War, a lot
of Nigerian soldiers mistook my family for the real Ojukwu himself, so a lot of things happened to my
family members until my grandfather came and said look, instead of them killing
our people thinking we’re Biafrans, let’s just change our name, so we’re safe.
That’s how the name became Damasus.
QUESTIONS.: And it has remained the same ever since?
QUESTIONS.: And it has remained the same ever since?
STELLA.: yeah.
QUESTIONS.: Interesting. You grew up in Asaba or in Lagos?
STELLA.: I grew up in Benin City actually. I only lived in Asaba for about three years when my father was transferred from former ACB Bank in Benin to Asaba Branch.
STELLA.: I grew up in Benin City actually. I only lived in Asaba for about three years when my father was transferred from former ACB Bank in Benin to Asaba Branch.
QUESTIONS.: So you did all of your schooling in
Benin City?
STELLA.: Yes. But my JSS 3 to my final year in
secondary school I did in Ibusa, in a private school in Ibusa about 15mins away
from Asaba. But from the time I was born to that time, I did most of all my
education in Benin.
QUESTIONS.: In what way did your childhood
prepare you for a career in the entertainment industry?
STELLA.: I think it was basically my mom. My
mom used to be an opera singer. She used to be a stage actress. When we went to
church together, she used to make me sing with the junior choir and all that.
And then whenever we were in school and they wanted to do a school drama, she
would tell me to go for it. Since I was in primary school, she was always there
making sure that I did one drama piece or one song or something.
And when I was growing up,
they bought tapes of Boney M, Abba and she made me sing along and things like
that. I would actually hold the electric kettle cord as my microphone and all
that in front of a mirror. Ever since then, she just basically knew that I was
going to do something in the entertainment world and she just kept encouraging
me to do that.
QUESTIONS.: That is also unusual. The typical
parent in Nigeria would never encourage you to go into the entertainment
business.
STELLA.: Yeah. My mom’s case was different
because she was in it. I had a problem actually (with my father) when I started
acting because of the impression a lot of people had about actors. My mother
was always supporting me and she was there telling him its not like this, have
you forgotten how we met, though I was a banker but then I was doing my singing
and acting on the side so let her do what she wants…
And my parents are very
liberal people, you know, so they let their children be who they want to be. It
was easier for me because my mother was already an entertainer before I joined
them.
QUESTIONS.: Wow, you’re one of the lucky few.
STELLA.: Yeah.
QUESTIONS.: It appears you did a lot more acting
work in 2003 than any other year… What happened?
STELLA.: I honestly don’t know. I can’t say
for sure. I just know that each one I did, people just kept calling me. I won’t
lie to you, the money got better and bigger, so it was difficult for me to say
no. As a fact, I used to say let me take time off for my kids or let me take
time off for… Last year, it was just like a blow out. Everybody remembered that
I was around. I also realized that the scripts that came my way were very good
and they were characters that would project me more. So, I guess that’s why. But
I can’t tell you why they wanted me all the time. I don’t know.
QUESTIONS.: What kind of roles do you accept?
STELLA.: It has to be something that is based
around me, something that makes me important, something that challenges me,
something that will make me really work. I cannot just take a script, look at
it and just go and talk. Something that will make me rehearse in my house, look
at my mirror, have someone to read with me at home, something that will make
people to be blessed, so every day and say please can we break down these
scenes and let’s do a character analysis, something that moves me that I don’t
really need to do anything artificial, something that will make me bring out
the best from the bottom of my belly, you know… Something that will make me
work like the one I’m doing right now… Its really making me sweat. Scripts that
make sense. Scripts that will talk to you - as you’re reading it, you’re
imagining it and you’re going through the motions with it, not just any story,
you know? Stories that you can relate to, that you know that whenever people
see it, they will remember you for doing one thing or the other… That’s it.
QUESTIONS.: Which is the one you’re doing right
now?
STELLA.: Dangerous Twins, the one with Tade
Ogidan.
QUESTIONS.: I know they shot a series of scenes
in England. You’re not in the England sequences?
STELLA.: No no, I’m the wife of the other twin
in Nigeria.
QUESTIONS.: Dangerous Twins id promising to be an
explosive thing.
STELLA.: Oh yes, oh yes it is. And then with
the cast as well, it’s going to be fantastic. We have Sola Sobowale and Bimbo
Akintola also in the movie. It’s going to be very nice.
STELLA.:Ramsey Nouah is a fantastic actor.
He’s doing so well. In fact, I’m really really complimenting him. I do that
every day because it’s not easy playing a twin. You wear one costume, play all
the lines of one person, wear another costume of the other twin and start doing
all the lines and remember what the other person said and how he dressed, and
you know things like that. And he’s been doing it so well. I’m really really
impressed with what I’m seeing.
QUESTIONS.: What is it like, STELLA, to have two
talents? I’m talking about the singing and acting now. Do you get pulled to
explore one more than the other?
STELLA.: Em… Maybe. I’ve been doing both
together at the same time. I think I prefer it like that because I don’t want a
situation where I would have to choose between the two. I manage my time very
well. My husband and I, we have a band called Synergy, and we have a lot of
shows. Private shows for weddings, launching and things like that. And then I
do my movies as well, but if you ask me to choose between (two) of them, I will
tell you I probably can’t because I love both of them and they complement each
other. You know, now I’m being offered scripts to play as singer in a movie and
I’m telling them the highest bidder will take it. If people are planning to use
me as a professional singer… I have something that I perceive as being an edge
over a lot of other because I can do – and I’m a dancer as well. So I combine
all of these things to try and make me a perfect actress, you know… At least
the best I can be.
QUESTIONS.: You sing, you dance and you act?
STELLA.: Yes.
QUESTIONS.: Interesting. So how did you sharpen
all these skills STELLA? At the professional level, did you have any special
training or did you just start doing it? How did you get into it formally?
STELLA.: I’m a theatre arts graduate. I’ve
been doing theatre arts for (long distance gabble). I’m doing a part-time
course. And in these five years, I think I know a lot. As a theatre student,
you must have (more long distance gabble). The acting, to be a theatre arts
student, you have to go through different acting techniques, acting styles and
people that have propounded a lot of theories about expression, movement,
bodywork and things like that. So I guess I try to put a lot of that into
practice whenever I do a movie or anything else because I try to translate what
I have read into practicals – into motion. I read a lot of books. I love to
read, so I try to educate myself… Each character I play, I try to talk slightly
different from what I have done. I try to change my style of acting, my style
of walking, things like that… I think its basically my education that really
helped me. And then my husband used to do movies as well. He used to be an
actor as well, and since he is more experienced than I am, he helped me out a
lot when I was starting. I guess I do try to improve in everything that I do by
reading more. I’m studying other foreign actors as well cos I have this artist
that I like a lot – Cicely Tyson. I think she’s fantastic so I learn a lot from
her.
QUESTIONS.: Aside of Cicely, is there any other
person you would call a role model?
STELLA.: Jack Nicholson. I love him as well.
And I think they’re fantastic because I’ve seen them do these same roles and
they’re so convincing. I mean Cicely Tyson played a role…She played the role
when she was a very young girl and she grew up into a great grandmother and she
was so fantastic because her voice changed, her style of acting changed,
everything changed, so for someone to do that, it takes a lot of work and I
respect it…
QUESTIONS.: Are there roles for instance that you
would not play?
STELLA.: I don’t think so. I think I can play
every role because it’s my profession and if I play a very bad role or a loud
role, it means I am doing it to correct something. The script has to be right.
If I’m just going to play (for instance) a prostitute just for the sake of
being a prostitute and it doesn’t make sense and the story is not centered
around that particular person so she’s able to change at the end of the day and
make people realize how bad it is, then I don’t think there’s any point in
doing it. But if I’m playing roles like that where I have to really loud but at
the end of the day there’s a message, a positive message, that’s going to be
passed across, that people need for the ills of the society. Then I probably
would do it. You have to learn different acting styles and techniques to be
able to play things and make them convincing without being extremely vulgar or
do things that are very extreme that people will frown at. There are ways of
doing different things that I try to learn every day, so I don’t think I will
shy away from any role. It just depends on the director I’m working with and
how we can work together to bring it out without having to irritate people or
be vulgar about it.
QUESTIONS.: Let me ask you a vague question.
What’s the most challenging thing that has ever happened to you?
STELLA.: Oh my God, what do I say? I think
that it’s being a young wife. Because of who I am and what I do, its not easy,
because in this part of the world, its not easy to keep your home intact
because when you in-laws, you have families and then there are some things that
you would probably not accept or take and because of the negative publicity we
get and things like that… I think that’s my greatest challenge because
sometimes they hit on us the females who are married and it takes a lot of work
to try and repair the damage and also a lot of work to try and make sure that
your spouse trusts you enough to stand by you and believe you… And also to be
that wife that your in-laws expect you to be, no matter what, even if it
breaking your back or killing yourself. I think its more challenging than any
job or anything I have to do outside because if you regard something as the
most important thing in your life, I think that is the think you fight hardest
to keep intact. Its more difficult for an entertainer – an actress - to keep
her home, especially when herself and her husband are very young and are going
through a lot of things and trying to be adults and trying to be mature and
trying to be role models and parents and all that. I think that’s basically my
greatest challenge in life and I am determined to succeed. Really really
determined.
QUESTIONS.: You briefly addressed my next
question in your last response. I was going to ask you what it is like to have
the husband and wife in the entertainment industry? How does it impact on the
home, the children and everything?
STELLA.: We have a way of doing it. We always
make time out for the kids. We never abandon them. And we found out recently
that whenever we have shows outside Lagos or outside the country, I find that I
stay back so that he goes and I stay with the kids – or sometimes, if I have to
travel on location or something, he stays in town. But if both of us have to
go, then there must be a family member who will stay with them. And its not
easy, you know. It’s not easy… That is where we fight the most… Because we work
together, we don’t always agree on things. Of course we’re two different
people. He’s a human being; he has different views and things like that. I’m a
human being; I have my own set rules and principles, even though I try to do
what the Bible says… You must submit to your husband. Of course I try to that,
but at the same time, there are some things that I will need to stand on or
grab on to and say no, this is how I want it and he may not like it and we
fight a lot. But being in the entertainment world together is one of the most –
in fact, I’m very lucky because even though we have our problems when we fight,
we find that we always have something to talk about, something to bring us back
together, you know… If there’s a problem in your house, and we have a show
tomorrow, what are we wearing? Okay let’s do this and before you know it, we’re
already talking. I have a movie… Okay, let’s read it together.
And again, it’s easier for
me to go, shoot, stay out late, come back and he understands because he’s into
it as well. We basically try to help each other out and do our work, but he’s
still the same person that says if you have to do this job, do it well. Don’t
say because of me you will not do it to the best of your ability.
QUESTIONS.: Do you see your kids going into the
entertainment business?
STELLA.: My first child, no. My second child,
probably. I think she’s getting because she cannot stay in one place if she
hears the slightest sound. She would stand up and dance or do something. My
first child is more subdued. She’s more of a technical person. She like remote
control, she likes cable, she likes phones… She doesn’t like toys actually. She
doesn’t like things that are entertaining. She likes things that are very
technical like the computer; she likes working with her father, things like
that… So, I’m still watching them to see what will happen.
QUESTIONS.: Synergy… You guys only perform in
exclusive circles?
STELLA.: Yeah.
QUESTIONS.: Is there any special reason behind
that? Or is it the kind of music you play?
STELLA.: No, it’s not just the kind of music.
We started out playing regular shows in places like Jazzville, Eko Hotel and
places like that. But as you grow older and you expand your band, you find that
you need to grow more because you find that in Lagos it is when you play
private gigs that you’re respected more and you’re paid more. When you do
regular shows at the Jazzvilles and Eko Hotels, they pay you just a little bit
of money to get by. In everything you do, you try to expand and move up and
earn more and gain more and be more recognized. I guess we moved up and people
started accepting the fact you cannot just come and see us every week. We are
only at exclusive places where you must have really paid well for and things
like that. Its not just the kind of music, cos my band, we do copyright songs
most of the time, apart from our own songs. We play highlife, we play funk, we
play disco, we play oldies, we play all sorts of music. We even play at
traditional weddings. We’ve played at a Nikkai before. We’ve played at even
Owambe. We have different people in the band that specialize in different types
of music, different genres of music.
QUESTIONS.: Sounds like you guys are having a lot
of fun.
STELLA.: Well, we’re trying. It’s been a lot
of years of hard work, but we’re getting there.
QUESTIONS.: Did you know your husband before you
started acting?
STELLA.: No. I started acting… I’d done two
movies before I met my husband. I’d done… My first major movie was really my
breakthrough. The name of the movie was actually Breaking Point and that’s how
he recognized me the first time he saw me. So I was already in the movie
industry before we started dating.
QUESTIONS.: And he did not know you could sing
when you met?
STELLA.: The first day we met, I actually
grabbed his microphone. I went to Jazzville (with) one of my friends. And he
was on stage with his sister and his sister’s husband. I got on stage, I was
carried away… I loved the song they were doing. I got on stage, grabbed his
microphone and started singing with them. And at the end of the night he came
to me and said look, I like your voice. I hope to set up my own band. Are you
interested? And I said why not? So, we started working together. The first time
he saw me, he knew who I was. That’s how come he let me take his microphone
like that on stage. By the time he heard me sing, he saw another side of me and
he liked it. That is the side he prefers. He prefers me as a singer because he
says I’m a better singer than I’m an actress. He loves my acting but he
believes that I’m a better singer than an actress.
QUESTIONS.: So the poor guy saw you on stage and
fell head over heels in love.
(GENERAL LAUGHTER)
STELLA.: Well, I always tell him that, but he
still tells me that I was the one that fell in love first. I’m not gonna argue
because I actually tripped when I saw him.
(MORE LAUGHTER)
QUESTIONS.: How sweet. Jaiye (that’s your
husband’s name, right?), I read somewhere that he composes in French, Spannish
and in Yoruba and English. Where did the French and Spanish come from?
STELLA.: He studied languages. He’s French
graduate and he lived in London for a long time so he did Spannish in London.
He studied that and a little Italian as well. Then he came down to Nigeria and
got into Unilag and he studied French, so he’s actually a French translator as
well.
QUESTIONS.: So are you picking up any of these
languages?
STELLA.: Well, sometimes, when we’re in a
place and he doesn’t want people to know what we’re talking about, there are
some words in French that he has taught me, so when he says any words like
that, I know what he’s talking about. I’m not very good with languages, but
sometimes when he says things, he says something in it that makes it easier for
me to understand what he’s saying. I didn’t pique interest early enough, so I
guess that’s where my problem is. I can read French, but I might not understand
what I’m saying. And then I can understand a little Spannish, but I don’t speak
very well.
QUESTIONS.: Your husband is obviously comfortable
with you acting because he’s also in the entertainment business, so this rumor
on the Internet that he wants you to quit acting is just a rumor?
STELLA.: I don’t know what they’re talking
about. I have a husband who always tells me that he loves women that are
hardworking and have a drive. He tells me if this is what you’re meant for, if
you’re very popular because you’re an actress, (then) make the best of it while
you’re young. He doesn’t stop me from doing what I like to do. Judging by the
kind of negative publicity that I’ve got, the things that some people have
written about me, if he wanted me to stop acting I would have stopped a long
time ago, a long time ago… He believes in me. He has faith in me and he knows
that I will go places if I work hard at what I’m doing. And he’s not one to
stop your dreams or put a stop to your career because he feels or she’s my
wife, she can’t be seen doing things like that. He wants me to really really be
big and he encourages me, he helps me. So he has never told me to quit acting.
QUESTIONS.: How does the acting part of you
facilitate the musical part of you?
STELLA.: When it comes to music, my husband is
more popular than I am. He’s the one that people know as a musician. He’s the
one that they know as a family of music people because of his sister and the
others. So his fame gets more job for us when it comes to the music aspect than
my fame, because – don’t forget a lot of people still don’t know that I am a
singer. It’s just recently that we released one of our videos that people got
to know. So they know him as the musician. But when they see me performing with
him, they say aha, that actress o, she sings.
QUESTIONS.: A couple of questions from the
members of my website, Naijarules.com: you’re a mother and working lady. How do
you manage to remain so good looking?
STELLA.: I don’t know, really. It’s God. I
don’t have any special routine and I’m not a designer freak. I probably don’t
know the names of these facial or body things… I think I stay trim because I
work round the clock. If I’m not shooting a movie, I’m going to school or I’m
running Synergy or I’m running my African shop. I sell African things. I’m
doing one thing or the other every given time. Whatever comes with it, I
believe its God because I know I have good skin and I don’t do anything special
to maintain anything. I just try to be very clean. I try to wash my face all
the time. The products that I use are basically the Ginseng products and
Vaseline. I don’t have any funny thing that I do in the morning. I’m sorry, I
might not be of help on that because I think its all God.
QUESTIONS.: Another question from the website:
Rattlesnake 4, is it going to be released anytime soon? And are you still in
it?
STELLA.: I’m still in the part 4, yes. But I
don’t know when they’re going to release it. I have no idea. Amaka Igwe will be
able to answer that question. I shot a lot of things and it is not all of them
that came out in the part 3, so I’m thinking that they’re going to put all that
in a part 4.
QUESTIONS.: Okay. Can you tell us about your
African shop?
STELLA.: Yes, Monafrique. I like to make
things. I like to create things and design things. And I’m also someone that I
don’t know how to buy gold or silver or diamond or things like that, but I like
a lot of beads and I like African fabrics, so I just started traveling to
Cotonou, Ghana, Lome, and I just buy fabrics from all these African countries,
come back and design things – bags, table clothes, earrings, moccasins – you
know things like that. But I found out that when I started wearing them, a lot
of people liked them and they would come to me: How did you get this? And I’m
like I made it. And they say instead of buying all these boutique clothes that
they tell you buy one for 15 – 20,000 Naira, why don’t you make something
simple for me, something nice, and make an African handbag that will go with
the fabric. And I started making it for some of my friends. Before I knew it, a
lot of orders started coming in and things like that. As I am now, I don’t even
know how to satisfy all my customers because so many people have been calling
me and I don’t know how many I can make at a time.
QUESTIONS.: You’re having a very busy life.
What’s a typical day like?
STELLA.: Frankly speaking, I don’t have a
typical day. I know that from the time I wake up in the morning till about
10-11, I must make sure that in that space of time, I try to see my kids for at
least one hour. The rest of the time, I’m either shooting a movie, I’m at the
office working for Synergy or I’m designing one thing or the other for clients
of Monafrique or I’m doing a write up for something I want to send on the ‘Net,
because there are some people that sent me mail from London and tell me I want
you to write this for this magazine or things like that… I work on my computer.
I’m always busy. I always have one thing to do. And it’s not just about the
money. I think I’m a very restless person. I can’t stay in one place a long
time and I always want to do something to keep my mind working and keep busy. I
buy a lot of books… I don’t have a routine life. I’m a very spontaneous person.
I can wake up and say okay, I’m going to Ghana to buy fabrics.
QUESTIONS.: The movie industry in Nigeria is
growing and that is a good thing. But from all you have said so far, one can
tell that if anything happens to the movie industry, you have so many other
options, so many things you can do…
STELLA.: You can say that because I have a
thousand and one other things that I do on the side, but believe me, if you
asked me, deep down inside, I would tell you that the one that I really really
really think I love most is the acting and that’s the movie industry. I really
wouldn’t want anything to happen to it and I doubt if anything is going to
happen to it cos I want to be part of it. Really really grow big and go
international, you know… If you asked me to choose between acting and
everything that I do, I probably will choose acting, although acting is the one
that doesn’t guarantee a steady income per se. But it’s the one that I love
most. At the same time, I get regular income from the other things that I do,
more than the acting thing. The movie industry is very peculiar and I don’t
like to slot myself in every movie, so I try to do one in like two months so
people don’t get tired of seeing my face on every poster. So when I do that,
you know the income is not going to be as regular as the next person who does
movie after movie after movie.
QUESTIONS.: What does the future hold for STELLA
the actress and STELLA the singer?
STELLA.: STELLA the actress and STELLA the
singer is really going to be big by the grace of God. I want to be a source of
inspiration to everybody. I want to come to London and say I want to do a show
and people will say Oh God, STELLA is having a show, I must see the show. It’s
not just about popularity. I want to be able to affect the life of people
positively. I want to be able to affect the life of the youth. I still see me
being someone who is looked up to, someone who does things just to better the
community, the society and things like that. Of course I want to be rich.
Believe me, I want to be rich. If not for my sake, at least for my children. I
just want to go all over the world. I want to be remembered as that person who
was really really really good. I just want to be a good person.
QUESTIONS.: When you say you want to be rich,
what is your definition of wealth? How much is rich?
STELLA.: I can’t tell you in numbers, but I
know that wealth to me is being able to afford anything that I want. I’m not
naturally a materialistic person. I’m not flashy, I’m not extravagant or
anything. I’m very simple. Rich to me means I can sit down and a thousand and
one people can come to me and say we need to pay school fees, I need this, I
need that… I want to be able to say oh, take money. Do whatever you want with
it as long as it makes you happy. I want to be able to take care of my parents.
I want to be able to take care of my cousins. I want to be able to spoil my
kids. I want to be able to tell my husband happy birthday and give him the key
to a car that he has been dreaming about or talking about, you know? Things
like that. I want to be able to surprise my sister and tell them I’m giving you
– your husband and your children – an all expense paid trip to Hollywood or
Disneyland or something. I just really want to make people happy. I like to be
happy and I like people around me to be happy, that’s it.
QUESTIONS.: STELLA, I try to give every star I
interview a chance to react to stories in the media or anything that’s been
written or said about them that they feel is untrue and they want to give their
own side of the story. Is there anything that has been written about you that
you would like to react to?
STELLA.: I don’t really like to respond to
such things because my life will definitely go on. People won’t think about me
every day. I got tired or trying to defend myself. Like a few weeks ago, there
was (a publication) that came out that said that on the 11th of December
(2003), I was at the Bar Beach and I was making out with Richard Mofe-Danijo.
And I thought that was so crazy because it was on the front page and they gave
date and time. That date that they gave, my husband was with me at the beach. He
was there with the driver and (lost in phone static). They needed to fly to
Abuja and he called me and asked me where are you? And I’m like, I’m shooting
at the beach o. Will you come? And he said no problem. And he came there. On
that particular day, I was there with all our friends and I didn’t enter this
particular car that they were talking about and you know there were a lot of
people on set. You had the director, you had the cameraman, you had the
technical crew, you had the other artistes on set. …Where was the town that we
did whatever they said we did? My lawyer wrote them a letter demanding a
retraction or we would take them to court and I just turned to the lawyer and
said how many do you want to fight? After that one, other magazines picked up on
it and started writing rubbish. And people just expected me to break down or
cry or things like that. Eventually we got home and laughed over it because it
was so crazy that the day they decided to pick was the same day that my husband
was with me all through. People will always talk about. Be good. Be bad. They
will still talk about you. And it looks like they need me to sell their
magazine, well fine, if they think that I’m that important. All I just say is
that I’m glad that the people that matter most to me know who I am and they’re
always supportive, they’re always behind me. Things will come, temptation will
come, the devil will try to use people to bring you down and destroy you. If
you’re a child of God, as long as your conscience is clear and you know that
God sees all, just put everything in the hands of God. As long as your husband
needs you and knows that whatever it is, you’re in it together, and he supports
you, I don’t need any other person to vouch for me or anything. Because it will
continue, not matter what I do or what I say or how many court sessions I go
for. They will still write whatever they want to write. You can’t kill them and
you can’t stop them. I think it will be easier moving on.
And believe me, since that
publication came out, I’ve been twice a popular as I ever was. Nowadays, people
are coming to me wit scripts, with jobs… I’ve had people from London telling me
they want me to be their representative, they want me to provide local programs
for them. I’ve had people telling me I want you to be my editor in chief, I
want to start an entertainment magazine. You know people said they read about
this thing and everybody wanted to know who STELLA was. And when they met me,
its like ok I want to do something with you actively. So it actually opened
doors for me that I didn’t expect. So I’m like okay God, if this is the way
this has turned out, I’m grateful.
MORE INTERVIEWS
You mentioned sometime ago that you don’t brand every product that comes your way. What’s the reason for the rejection?
There are certain things I don’t like to talk about. But the truth is, I only look out for things that will benefit me in the long run. And one of the things that puts me off from some of these contracts is the attachment of a time frame.
For instance, a one year, two year deal is unacceptable to me.
I have been discussing for the past two months with the management of AM Victorious. We have spelt out terms and conditions for this deal.
My lawyer as well as my manager who is currently in America looked at the project thoroughly and we found out that it’s beneficial to both parties.
In terms of agreement and duration of the contract, its okay. So many other brands have approached me in the past but because of the unfavourable terms and conditions, I turned my back on such deals.
I don’t want to start a journey that will end in two years. It takes a longer period to make impact on something. Moreover, it’s not easy to represent a brand and help that brand become a market leader.
What I agreed with the company is that instead of making it a duration thing, let us make it a life-long business plan. My business plan is to make money and also get myself involved in something that will be beneficial to me. So, this deal is beneficial to me as well as it is beneficial to AmVictorious. We are not into this deal based on duration. I’m also building a relationship that will last in my lifetime and also allow my children benefit from it.
That’s the reason I accepted the deal, and why I haven’t accepted other contracts that came my way in the past. The fact that the Amvictorious is giving me an opportunity to do business with them that can last for a lifetime is a factor.
How do you feel about becoming the brand ambassador of Amvictorious?
I’m excited and I looked forward to it.
I actually flew into Lagos from Abuja to seal the deal. It’s very important that finally, I have seen it come to pass. This is the first time I would be signing a contract of this nature before the media; to publicly identify with a product.
I’m humbled knowing that there are a million and one other celebrities out there, who are more popular than I am; celebrities who are doing bigger and greater things internationally than I am.
So for the company to chose me over these celebrities not just as a Nigerian but for the whole of Africa, means that I should continue doing the positive things that I have been doing.
I’m honoured that Amvictorious singled me out to be part of this project. For me, it’s God’s blessing because I have been praying for something that I can be proud of. And today, my dream has come true. I’m very excited.
Stella Damasus is into acting, music and fashion. What are you doing at the moment?
I’m involved in a lot of things. I’ve just finished the final audition for my foundation: Stella Damasus Art Foundation where I am offering a three-month training for talented young Nigerians free of charge in the areas of acting and singing.
I’ve also just finished auditioning applicants for the second session. I did the first session last year, and I have graduated some people. I also have a new company, which is based in Abuja. We are doing a lot of things ranging from organising seminars to producing movies.
We organised a seminar in Cameroon recently , and after the seminar, we decided to make a movie for the people to see how quality movies are done. We are currently editing the movie titled: “The Unspoken”. It will be out very soon.
I am also doing a documentary now, which is very dear to my heart. And when it commences I will let the press know about it. My new deal with Amvictorious took a lot of my time . We had series of meetings and consultations. The company is planning to set up a branch in Abuja. All these things took a lot of my time.
At the moment, I’m a columnist with PM News. I make sure that I write my column every Wednesday in PM News.
I’m trying to be the best I can be in whatever that I’m doing.
For sometimes now, your have not been regular on screen. What happened?
I’ve done three movies that are yet to hit the market. I did “Behind Close Doors” Part 3 and 4”. I shot the movie about three years ago.
I don’t know why it has not been released into the market up till now. I also did “Bent Arrows” a Lancelot Imasuen production which is yet to be released too. And recently, I did “Two Bride and a Baby” by Blessing Effiong,”. The premiere has been done at the cinemas.
The most important thing is not about flooding my face in movies that would make me a better person. Within this period, I went back to school to study acting in the UK. In fact, I’m actually going back there very soon.
I want to improve on my acting skill and my diction. I must continue to avail myself of the opportunity of being retrained.
Recently too my production company did a 13 episode TV Show called “Changing Life”, showing on AIT, OSTV, UK and Ghana. Soon we will begin airing it in Canada.
Right now, I’ll soon start shooting the second season of the show as well.
When you have all these projects in front of you, I need time to sort out my life, business and my children.
My first daughter is going to be thirteen, in August, while my second daughter will be ten too. I need time to stay with my children. I want to be part of their growing up.
I take out a few months in a year, do the things I need to do, and go back to tender my children. I try not to expose them to the public, until they have come of age and decide what to do with their lives. Whether they want to become stars like their mum, is left to them. Paying attentions to my kids is very important to me. That is why I’m not so particular about featuring in movies nowadays.
All these projects in your hands suggests that your music career is suffering?
Not really. My music is not suffering. I’m not a recording artiste, but I own a band and I still do my live performances. I don’t go to night clubs to perform, instead I perform at weddings, product launching, naming ceremonies and all that. You might not see me on screen doing music, because I’m concentrating on my band now.
For the past one year, I have been working on my own songs, trying to arrange them well because after over 15 years in the industry, my fans are expecting something good from me.
I have to be careful not to come out with something that will not meet their expectations. And before the end of the year and by God’s grace I will drop two singles.
When you look back today, what would you say may have gone either wrong or right in your acting career?
I don’t ever regret anything that I have done or gone through. They are all part of my working experiences. I like the pace at which my career have gone. And if after 17 years of being in an industry and I’m still so relevant that people still believe in me and want me to endorse their products, then, it means that God dictates my pace. I can’t run faster than my legs can take me. Since I surrendered myself and my career to God, He’s been able to order my steps. I’m not allowed to be everywhere. I’m only at places where I have to be attended to. I don’t have any regret at all. I’m happy the way my career has turned out. I’m happy with the pace with which I’m going.
Over the years, how have you been able to cope with the temptations and criticisms associated with acting ?
If you have asked me this question ten years ago, I would have answered it. But after more than 17 years in the industry, I don’t bother anymore.
They call me old layer now, since I’m not among the hottest and freshest actresses around. They have those they run after now.
I’ve been able to carry myself in the industry in such a way that God has been providing for me and my children.
So, I don’t succumb to male’s advances because of money or fame. The small fame that God has given to me, I’m contented with it.
How is your present love life?
I love Jesus. I’m in love with Jesus and He loves me so, more than anything else in this world. I’m happy.
Would you say, you have been unlucky in marriage?
I don’t know, God has an answer to the question. But I’m loving my life right now, and I love the way things have turned out for me.
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