In Search Of These Acting Celebrities

THERE was a time they lit up the screen. A movie was not complete or ‘would not sell’ without their faces. But they have somewhat taken the back seat and there is a lot of growing concern about their whereabouts.  

 Jim Iyke

There was a time when Jim Iyke was the poster boy of Nollywood. He was everywhere. In fact at a time, he was in seven out of every 10 movies released in Nollywood. But that was then. The dashing actor, who is reported to be involved in a high profile romance with Ghanaian actress Nadia Buari, has taken the back seat. Fans say they can’t remember when last they saw the once busy actor in any Nigerian movie. Although some of them say they have been following him on television as a star of his own reality show Unscripted, they complain that just trailing the actor and showing viewers his luxurious lifestyle on the reality show is not the same as having Jim Iyke star in a movie. An actor of many credits who disclosed that he would have featured in over 150 Nollywood movies, fans want Iyke back on screen, as soon as he can, but the actor hinted that only a good script can get him back on set. “And for now, what I am getting doesn’t inspire at all. There are a few good ones I am considering though,” he said.

Lari Williams 

Veteran actor Babalari Williams or Lari Williams for short, is too significant as an actor to be missing out of action. But the fact remains that the London trained journalist, poet and actor has been missing in action for some time now and fans still want to experience his depth of character interpretation. The last time the actor was believed to have done any serious work in the movie is about four years back. But he is still very much around. Sources said he has since returned to Lagos after he shifted base to Calabar, Cross River State where he taught briefly at the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Calabar. Uncle Lari, as he is fondly called, was at a time a visiting lecturer at the Lagos State University.  Fans say they still want more of him on screen.

Larry Koldsweath 

The decision he took a few years back to “serve God in His vineyard” is the reason veteran actor and musician Larry Koldsweath took the back seat in the movies. Here is one actor that was the producer’s favourite in the 90’s and even up to the early 2000. He is the one who is always good enough to play the uncle, the daddy, the devious character or the village chief.  But that is back then, as Larry has not done any substantial work in recent times, at least not in the last four years. The actor has certainly devoted more time to his new calling as an evangelist. Uncle Larry, as younger colleagues call him, ‘ministers’ more at church events and so has little time for acting, although he once remarked that his new calling does not translate to his quitting his first love-acting.  

Maureen Solomon

She is one actress who dominated the scene for some time. She was doing well, gracing six out of every 10 pictures, but took the back seat when it was rumoured that she has found love. Her last major effort was in the three-part movie Snake Girl featuring Emeka Ike and Ladi Joy Tortey. She was rumoured to be heavily pregnant at the time of shoot. She reportedly put to bed after shoot and since then she has been missing in action. A source says she is planning a big come- back soon and she is likely to upstage quite a lot of people when she stages the planned come-back.

Dakore Egbuson-Akande

Delectable actress Dakore Akande has been missing in action, though not on screen, but in Nollywood movies. The pretty actress literarily took the back seat as soon as she settled in as wife to the debonair Olumide Akande. Although she has been seen lately in some commercials on television, fans say they want the actress of many credits more in movies because she lights up the screen whenever she is cast in any movie. 

Pat Attah 

Until he relocated to Germany, Pat Attah was as relevant to Nollywood as butter is to bread. He was everywhere. Producers lined up daily at his former Ikeja home to ask him to accept to feature in their movies. The handsome actor was that hot and in demand. But since he relocated, nothing has been heard about the actor except a confirmation from some of his colleagues that he is doing well in Germany.  Fans still want to see the good looking actor in Nollywood movies and they say it is possible because there are others who relocated like him that still play a raised game in movies.   

Others on the roll call- Pat Attah, Emeka Ike, Saint Obi, Susan Patrick, Maureen Ihua, Emmanuel France, Victor Dega, Ameachi Muanagor etc.

Celebrity Extra and More……

For Nigerian filmmakers to Berlinale, Mama J Restaurant as the melting point 

Nigerian filmmakers and film journalists who attended the 10 days long 65th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival have confessed that they didn’t miss home at all since while in the freezing Berlin, Germany. They said they found the popular Mama J Restaurant, located in the heart of Berlin, as the proper ‘home away from home’. So when it was time for lunch or dinner, all roads would lead to the former Nigerian house in Berlin where Mama J restaurant currently sits. ‘We not only eat good food there but we found the place a melting point for Nigerians in Berlin’’ said Eric Ugondu, a filmmaker about the restaurant that is run by the very likeable, personable, humble and caring Edo state native Joy Osaze. Popularly called Mama J, with the ‘J’ derived from the name of her first daughter, Joy, Mama J is easily the most popular Nigerian restaurateur in Berlin Germany. Pretty with brains to engage anyone in a debate on any subject, Mama J started out her restaurant business from a small location on Schienkenstrasse, Berlin, in 2002. With demands and pressure from Africans who desired ‘home cooking’, Mama J moved to a more spacious outlet located on Donaldstrasse in 2005. Same year she opened another spot at Moritzplatz. But In 2013, the restaurants had to be merged with the one at Donaldstrasse joining that of Moritzplatz. So from just an outlet in 2002, Mama J’s Restaurant has grown to become the largest restaurant owned by an African and a Nigerian in Berlin. The Berlin International Film festival ends tomorrow and the filmmakers attending the festival say they will take their own closing party to Mama J’s place. 

Mercy Johnson explains 

train ride to Ikeja 

If she was just any other person, she would have hitched that ride even to Kano and she would not be noticed. But because she is a notable figure, a lot of people read meaning as to why notable actress Mercy Johnson hitched a train ride from Ebute Metta area of Lagos to Ikeja. In fact, minutes after she disembarked, her picture and that of her daughter, Purity surfaced online. Also she got calls from people who wanted to know what she was doing in a train when she drives a Range Rover. But the actress who is popular as MJ has come out to explain that she was around the train station at Iddo, when her Range Rover developed a mechanical fault and because she had to make a very important appointment in Ikeja, she took the less than 30 minutes train ride that was suggested by a member of her management team so as to beat traffic. Apart from being available, MJ maintained that the train ride afforded her the opportunity to interact with people that some of her friends referred to as “ordinary people”. MJ reiterated that she did not hitch the ride “due to lack of money to get a well packaged cab,” but that the train-ride turned a fast, reliable and convenient alternative. She thanked her co-passengers, officials of the train for treating her with absolute respect and courtesy.