Nollywod actress, Ifeoma Okeke could best be described as busty and daring. In this interview with ORUKPE NELSON, the busty actress talks about her career and NGO.

What was your first movie?

I started acting in 1998 and my first movie was ‘YogoPampam’. I played the part of an extra. The movie was produced by Nkem Owoh. He was the one who brought me into Nollywood because we normally did our Legion work in his office then. He was always telling me that I was a funny person so I should come into the industry. He was so serious that he told my mum and as they say, the rest is history.

What has been your greatest challenge since you started acting?

When I started acting, my aunts and uncles did not support the idea. Then they felt that everyone who acts was either a prostitute or a dropout. They put their feet down that I must not go into acting. But my dad against all odd said something that I will never forget. He told them that if it was other people’s children that were prostitutes, they would watch their movies. He advised them to allow me to go into acting. That is why I can never disappoint him. He has been very supportive.

Has that impression changed over the years?

Yes, it has changed. Today, they are the first ones to buy the newspapers to read about me, buy films I feature in and also proudly tell people that I am their daughter.

Which role in a movie would you say have caused you so much embarrassment since your acting career?

It was the role I acted in the movie, Prostitute, which was produced by Kingsley Ogoro and directed by Fred Amata and UzorKuwenchi years ago. I was in the choir in my church, SS Molumba and David then. Immediately the film was released, a member of my church said I could not be in the choir again because of my role in the movie. She embarrassed me but thanks to a reverend father then who told her that I was only acting. Her argument was that because I was one of the best counsellors in the church I should not have acted in that kind of movie. For me, that was really embarrassing, castigating me in the presence of people in church because of a movie role.

In most of your movies, you act comic roles. Is that where your talent lies?

I can take up any role but I guess my comic roles are more prominent. Comedy is very hard; you can imagine when you are acting and everybody around is laughing except you. So, it is just difficult.

Many actresses have one business or the other they do besides acting. What is yours?

I am into events and I run a non-governmental organization called Purple Campaign which creates awareness against violence. It is four years this year while my event company is eight years now. I normally do my Purple Campaign event either in May or June but this year it is going to be different. This year, we want to take our time to put all my events so that we will have just one massive event which will hold here in Lagos. It will hold in Lagos because I was born and bred here. I understand Lagos and Lagos understands me.

What informed Purple Campaign and what is it all about?

Purple stands for royalty and it stands for violence as well. We are only saying, “say yes to royalty and no to violence”. I have a friend that was raped and she is going to be 35 this year. When she told me her story, it was something touching. I just wanted to be a voice to people that cannot voice out. And in Nigeria when you come out and say you have been raped, people just stigmatize you. So I chose to be a shoulder to somebody that needed a shoulder to cry on. And I wanted to be an ear for somebody that wants to be listened to.

Where do you consider the favourite part of your body?

My face and voice. These two keep me going.

It’s a surprise you didn’t say your boobs given that you’re very busty.

When you have something, you don’t need to be noisy about it. I remember those days when I joined Nollywood, they would tell me, “Ify if you’ve got it, flaunt it.” So I used to be one of those ladies who flaunt what they have got. But today, people who want to flaunt it are more than those who actually flaunt it. So we said we should hide ours.

So what kind of clothes do you love to wear?

I have become a role model now because I empower youths. The younger ones easily emulate what they see so I just have to start living by example. I used to wear sleeveless outfits and flaunt my cleavage; but how can I tell those who look up to me that they are naked when I am the master in being naked? That is basically why you see me these days covering up as much as I can. But that does not mean that once in a while if I want to show some cleavage I can’t. My dressing depends on the occasion.

If there’s one thing you would never do in your career, what would that be?

That would be going naked. I would never act nude because I am an African woman. I am a proud African woman at that.

Who are your role models?

I love Joke Sylva so much. I also like Clarion Chukwurah, Eucharia Anunobi and Sandra Achum, they encouraged me a lot. When I started acting along with Nkechi Achum, Sandra Achum’s younger sister, Sandra told me some words that have kept me going. And for my young fellows like Grace Amah and Empress Njamah they are wonderful actors. Jennifer Eliogu is also one person that I admire. She is deep but she is wonderful and my respect to all of them.

What advice do you have for aspiring actors?

There is this adage in Igbo that says, “When you wake up is your morning and there are sometimes that your evening is sweet” So they should not be in a hurry. There are plenty stars up there. There is no other Ifeoma Okeke in Nollywood, you cannot replace me and I cannot replace you. What I can act, you can act too. When it is your time, nothing can hold you back. Destiny can only be delayed but it can never be denied.