Like old wine, Rachael Oniga seems to be getting better as she grows in age. In this interview with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, she talks about Nollywood, remaining relevant and her preference for Englishspeaking movies.
Have you ever thought of retiring?
There is no place for rest in this profession. Even when I clock 100, there are still scripts for me. As long as God keeps me alive and I am still healthy, I would go for it because the older one becomes, the better.
Before Aunty Bukky Ajayi died, the truth is if you give her a very good script and reasons to play the role, she would likely take the offer. It would be a scene or two and it must not have adverse effect on her health. We all respected her so much and I thank God for her fruitful life.
But you shouldn’t expect an aged person to be everywhere like before, unless you want to maim him or her?
At what point did you have your break in the movie industry?
I just give glory to God. I started in 1993, and two years later, God had pushed me up. I count myself lucky because where I am today is not because I am the best. God’s will for individuals matters. Some people can be in a profession for years and they do not get acknowledged, while some would be everywhere within a short period they joined a profession.
How have you been able to stay relevant?
It is not always rosy and every journey has its ups and downs. The pleasure and hazard you get from your trip to Abeokuta is different from a journey to Ibadan. But they say practice makes perfect. Anything you do in life, as long as you are consistent, you would get better by the day. I do not think there are special tricks about it. I see myself as an actor so whatever comes my way, I try to make the best out of it.
Are you satisfied with growth of Nollywood?
At a particular time, the industry witnessed a downfall; I am talking about 15 years ago or even more. We became confused as the practitioners were no longer in charge.
But as time went by, some aspects of the job improved. We are better technically, though there are still aspects where we are experiencing a deep drop. In the past, if your script was not good, it would never see the light of the day. Scripts were thoroughly checked.
When we arrive at the final script also, we would still rehearse and meet with other cast and crew members. But for some time now, it has not been like that. The director hardly knows the actors and same applies to actors too, unless they insist. This is not good and it also explains why we have lots of half-baked jobs. But it doesn’t mean we don’t have very good scripts. We still have some good movies and we should be proud of that.
Have you produced any movie in recent times?
I have produced English and Yoruba movies. I have produced three or four Yoruba movies, but I see myself more as an actor. The movies I have produced were stories dear to my heart. My movie, ‘True of False,’ was to enlighten people that there was nothing like ‘ogbanje’ or ‘abiku.’ The movie really touched many hearts.
I could still recall a man who came to embrace me while I was travelling out of the country. He said his marriage was at the verge of collapsing when they saw the movie. They revisited their doctor and they found out the problem. After correcting it, the woman got pregnant and they started having babies. He was so happy and urged me to always put out more of such movies.
After ‘True or False’ in 2005, I produced some Yoruba movies too. I only produce whenever I want to share things with the public. To be frank with you, at the end of the day, most producers don’t recoup their money.
So, you didn’t make profit from the movies you produced as well…
I didn’t. The marketer would either complain about piracy or other things. Are the distributors even doing their own bit? A marketer goes to location, instead of making sure that products are distributed, they would even start dictating to the director on role an actor should play. When you know nothing about a profession, yet you still want to have a say in it. Those are the things that kill the industry.
If you are an actor, you should act well. And as a producer, you should know the in-and-out of your job too. It does not mean a producer cannot act or an actor cannot produce. But there are instances you shouldn’t intrude into other person’s job. For instance, a doctor cannot call himself a nurse even though they both work as administrators in the hospital.
You’ve featured in both Yoruba and English movies; do you have a preference?
A job is a job, provided I like the script. If you ask me the one I feel more comfortable with, I would say the English-speaking movies. But both are fulfilling.
Most people do not know my tribe or state of origin. Some see me as an Igbo woman, while some think I am Hausa. I have worked with the likes of Sodiq Daba in a movie that had Hausa setting and people said I looked like a Fulani. All you have to do is to give me the lines and I would play them. I know some people are unlucky; once they speak, you would know where they come from.
Where are you from?
I am from Delta State. But I have lived a large part of my life in Lagos; I was born in Lagos. I only left Lagos when I travelled for holidays and when I went for my secondary school in Edo.
Why do you like starring in Wale Adenuga Productions?
Working with Wale Adenuga is like any other job. When I am doing a production, I am deeply involved and I put in everything. If you say I have a good relationship with him, I will not argue about that because he always comes out with fantastic stories. If I get a good story to work on, I cannot say no to it.
How do you keep fit?
The point is when I am not working, I sleep a lot and play with my grandchildren. I thank God for the kind of life He gave me.
Why do you avoid red carpets and events unlike other actors?
I actually get invitations to lots of events. Though there is no age limit to attending industry events and every actor should be proud to be part of them, I think it is mostly for the younger ones. We have had our time too. During our days, we were always making plans. At my age, do you still want me to start running after designers and gracing red carpets with these younger girls?
There is time for everything in life. From home, I can still watch and appreciate it. I am with them in spirit and that is what matters. I attended AMVCA last year, so I know it is a beautiful ceremony where our works are celebrated.
What is the craziest thing a fan has done to you?
It is all those men that want to collect money from you by all means. They would threaten to break your wheel screen if you don’t give in. We are used to it; I just look at them and when they get tired they leave. It is an ugly situation, but there is nothing we can do about it.
Have you ever committed a cooking blunder?
The first soup I cooked was bad, though my mother forced me to cook it. My elder sister, who is dead now, was always cooking while I was a tomboy. After playing, I would still come back to complain about her food or grumbled that she had finished all the plantains and meat while cooking.
When my mother said it was my turn to cook on a particular day, I thought it was not a big deal. I did mine and it didn’t make sense. I then went into the house to get sugar and added a lot to the soup. To me, it was sweet and the real deal. When everyone tasted it, they reacted immediately. The neighbours were called to see the blunder I committed. They asked me what I added and I said nothing, though they later knew it was sugar. Whenever I tell my children the story, they laugh at me.
