Stephanie Okereke is indeed a queen and if you think this writer is wrong, then you need to visit our newsroom to feel the pulse of some of my colleagues who were on hand to receive her when she came calling on a courtesy visit to our headquarters. An accomplished movie star and a former beauty queen had several hearts pumping when she sauntered into our newsroom.

Of course she had every reason to identify with https://www.nigeriafilms.com because according to her, “ I’ ve heard about all the beautiful things you guys have been doing to support Nollywood and I want to be part of it”.

Indeed she had a swell time with us and at the end of visit we had a clear picture of Stephanie Okereke and what makes her tick. She also shared with us her experience as a movie producer and more as you’d soon find out. Enjoy:

It’s really nice to see you today in our office…

It’s nice to see you guys too.

So, how are you doing today?

I’m alright, thank you.

You’ve been away for quite sometime, what happened?

I was away to do my movie and after shooting, I returned home to attend the BOBTV event where many people demanded to see the movie, I think BOBTV is good platform for film makers to interact.

So how was the response at BOBTV?

It was awesome, they loved it. I showed the movie on a Tuesday at the event and on Wednesday at the workshop, it was full hall when I arrived. There were a lot of young people and they asked questions on how I did it. Everybody is demanding to see the movie, I think the response was great.

Is that your first ever self produced movie?

Yes it’s the first movie which I wrote, directed, produced and acted all in one.

What was the experience like?

(Laughing) It was a lot of hard work but it was fun. All this happened because I wanted to do something different. In the beginning I was thinking about it myself; Can I do this? How do I go about it?. Should I do it I asked myself? . There were so many challenges ranging from funding, location, getting your cars and so on.

So how were you able, to do it?

Well I was able to do it by God’s grace. It’s just like any other moment you face challenges, then you have to tackle it the best way that you can.

How long have you been in the movie industry, do you think experience has anything to do with producing or directing a movie?

I’ve always been there so age has nothing to do here. I mean over there, they have young directors who are about 16, 17 years and above 50, age shouldn’t be a restriction. You don’t have to be old to be a director.

There are lots of young people in movies abroad. Most of the foreign movies you’ve watched were directed by young people. So as they grow in it, they keep improving and that means a lot of experience. I did my first move in 1997 when I finished secondary school.

Eleven years after, don’t you think it took so long to come this far?

First of all, I wasn’t expecting it and it just happened. And also in life, there is time for everything. There is time for you to make certain decisions and move to another level, so I think this is just the proper time for me to do this.

What is this movie all about?

The movie is centered around responsibility and commitment. A parent’s love for a child. It’s about a guy who doesn’t want to come into relationship and suddenly finds an unknown baby. And this baby opens the way of God for him to discover himself. So he’s going through the glass of the situation around him and then there’s his relationship with this Nigerian girl.

So it’s all centered around a man?

Yes, a man, the baby and the girl.

Where was this movie shoot and who are the stars?

It was all shot in Los Angeles (LA), and I used Americans, African American, and also some of our African actors.

And who are the American actors?

Well you wouldn’t know but they are quite big in America

You didn’t use any of the stars here in Nigeria?

No. I didn’t use any of my colleagues that you know. It wasn’t an issue of whether I use my colleagues or not. It was an issue of the script. I had to use only those who are characters in the script.

What was the experience like blending Nolly and Hollywood together?

It wasn’t much of a Nollywood thing but I represented Nollywood in the movie (I’m the girl in the story). Even though I didn’t have to tell them who I was, by the time they heard my name, some of them went to the internet and saw the things I had done and they screamed.

They saw that I had a lot of experience. And at the end, they learnt a lot from the movie and they love the fact that they worked with me.

What do you think could be responsible for low turnout of movies in Nollywood?

I think it’s a whole process of trying to get to a particular level and the fact that ideas are conflicting, different strategies and ways of implementing things. I think right now the Nigerian society is complicated as it is. And sometimes for solid things to happen, there has to be this phase of conflict which will soon be over.

So right now people are waiting to see which direction to go. Soon everything will still come back to normal.

There’s a feeling that the earlier we resolve this, the better for Nollywood because right now the situation is bad.

But some actors and actresses are hungry?.

Yes but when you say hungry, I’m like oh my God….
Most people have not actually done any movie in the last one year…

Yes. It’s just like when the writers in America went on strike and everybody was complaining. Right now I think that every sector of the industry has to define their role (film makers, writers, distributor and even the censors board).

Again, since we’re trying to standardise and go global, it’s also important that we draw experience from the international community on how things should be done. People should also stick to their roles because what we see in Nollywood is people trying to interfere with creativity. And you know that creativity is something personal. The way Mr. A perceives is different from that of Mr. B. I believe that if we can do this, we’ll surely make a headway.

Are you saying there’s a lot of busy bodies in the industry?

It’s not about busy body but there is conflict in the industry. At this point, I think we need to harmonise. This conflict has been going on for about two years now. We have to come together this year and harmonise so that we don’t continue in conflict.

With all this conflict, do you think Nollywood can survive?

Yes Nollywood has come to stay and we are not going anywhere. This is just a phase we are going through and we will surely come out of it. The film makers know that this is the time for us to do more quality work and go global. So we have to stop doing movies for ourselves and family members. We should begin to do movies that can cut across several borders so that non-Nigerians can be able to relate with it.

We should also improve on the quality of our work, not this kind of haphazard movies we do in Nollywood. Right now I think there are lot of challenges for film makers.

With all this conflicts in the industry, how do you intend to market your movie?

The major thing is that I have a good work and people are willing to buy. For sure it will work out itself. Right now I’m doing a theatre release of it with Silverbird, then I’ll release DVD later.

Do you think it’s because of poverty that Nigerian movies are produced in part 1, 2, 3 and so on?

I want to let you know that it is poverty mentality that’s affecting Nigerians in almost all sectors of the economy so let’s not restrict it to Nollywood. I want do also let you know that film making pass different stages before it comes to DVD. But in Nigeria we are used to exploring only one stage which is the DVD.

Meanwhile you could make money if you do a theatre release or TV/Internet release before putting it in DVD.

That is why film makers are crying that Nigerians are not buying movies. But I think that they need to win back people’s confidence (give them reasons why they should buy a particular movie). These reasons are in improving the quality of our work. And when this is done even the people who no longer watch our movies will want to watch if they see a good one.

And as per marketing, I think we don’t use the right channel. A movie should be well promoted. A good example of a well promoted movie is the Slumdog Millionaire. Most people never knew the content before they subscribed to it.

People also complain that stories are recycled….

Somebody asked this question at BOBTV and I told them that there is nothing new again. Even in America, stories are recycled. It all depends on what angle you want to take it from and that’s where originality comes in. Julius Caesar has been done so many times but from different angles. Right now there’s nothing original.

What role do you think Nollywood should play in rebranding this nation.
America was able to colonise the whole world today through entertainment. When people watch American movies, they want to behave like them. And that is sometime. When you visit America, it appears you know everywhere because you’ve seen it in the movies.

We are talking about rebranding this nation. So I think they should focus more on the movie industry because movies recreates life. While watching a movie, you see your life presented to you. Don’t forget that through movies, we sell our culture, tourism, perception of this country and a whole lot of things.
Movies move from hand to hand, region to region so it’s easier to sell this country through movie because that’s how America colonised the world today.

It appears you are talking much about movies, what’s happening to your love life right now?

(Laughing) Right now I’m working on promoting and marketing my movie. Love life is something you don’t plan but when the mind is free and open, it comes. You don’t know who you may fall in love with. So at the appropriate time everything will fall into place.

Are you going to get married because you’re in love or because your friends are all getting married?
Right now I’m not married, I’m very single and I don’t want to go into that. No comments please.
You are like a role model to a lot of young ones out there, what advice will you give to them in terms of relationship?

At this point, you really have to think about yourself and what makes you happy as an individual because you have just one life to live.

Yes I went into a relationship and came out of it but what matters is the way you come out of it and what you do with yourself thereafter. It was just an experience I went through but I’ve moved on with my life. And believe me I’m a better person today because I’ve learnt so many things from that experience.

What was your experience like when you…

It was fun and I think it’s a good platform for a lot of young girls to discover themselves and decide which way they go from there. Once you have this platform, how you use it and what you become later matters a lot.

You once took part in the Most Beautiful Girl In Pageant, right?

Yes it was fun

Did it help your career?

Yes it did, it gives you a lot of confidence. Wearing a bikini and moving around a lot of people makes you more confident in yourself. So you’ve got to believe in yourself because if you don’t, you’ll end up being manipulated.

Are you into any form of humanitarian service?

With time I’ll have something an NGO. Sometimes I’m called upon to do some sort of humanitarian service which I oblige to as long as my face or something I say, will make a change.A

Will you remain like this forever?

Of course, I’m not going to stay like this forever. I’m enjoying my life the way it is right now. It’s not compulsory that I must have a man in my life. Life has different phases, there’s a time to be single, married and a time to have children. I am in the single phase.

May be the next phase you meet me, I may be in a relationship or I’m married.

You’ve come a long way in this industry, what trying moments have you faced?

Personally I don’t think I’ve had any such moments. It’s been great all through for me. This industry has made me who I am today.

Where are you from?

I’m from Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State. My full names are Stephanie Onyekachi Okereke.

Are you the only star from your place?

No. My aunty is also a star. She is the Director-.General of Nigerian Stock Exchange and my uncle is the King of my village.

So you are a princess?

Yes. I am.