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Actress Lizzy Anjorin opens multi-million naria store – ‘There is no man behind my success’

Lizzy Anjorin is not only an actress but an entrepreneur. The pretty mother of one is actually living up to expectation in her business activities just as she is also not lagging acting wise. Just a few weeks back, the Badagry, Lagos State born thespian opened her multi-million naira super store called, Peak Me, in Ogba-Aguda, Lagos, making two of such in less than one year.

ENCOMIUM Weekly visited Lizzy at the super market on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, where she spoke with us about her career, business and much more.

lizzy2One Friday, March 30, 2012, you staged a lavish burial ceremony for your late parents, would you describe the event a success?

Actually, with God and good people like you, it was a very successful event. I felt so happy about it. I never knew people would turn up to that extent despite the shift in the date. Initially, I was like asking myself a lot of questions, wondering what the event was going to look like as the only child.

When you want to stage a party, you can’t predict easily what exactly it’s going to look like, what is going to happen. But with the help of people around me, everything was successful. I can’t forget all those that stood by me, including yourself, Lanre Teriba, Alhaji Shefiu Alao, Alhaja Salawa Abeni, Hon. Rotimi Makinde, Iya Rainbow, Aunty Nike Pella, Aunty Bose Joseph, Uncle Jide Kosoko, Hon. Obasa, Kaka Morufu, Murphy Olajide, Bunmi Ajiboye, Ayoka Omo Ologede, Kemi Korede, Joke Lawal, Ronke Eniola, for sure of NAHCO, Anod of NAHCO, Asiwaju of NAHCO, Abule Ado, Okanlomo, Lepa Shandy, Tolani Osinrin, Monsuru Fala, all the movie marketers and many more.

I really appreciate them all, they actually made me proud that day. I pray that God Almighty will continue to support them in all their endeavours. They will all live long to give their parents befitting burials.

How true is it that the tent you planned to use was pulled down by thunder a day to the event and that actually caused some setback?

I won’t agree with you on that. There wasn’t any set back really. It’s true that the tent we planned to use was no longer available, that doesn’t mean there was a setback. What happened was that we couldn’t use that kind of tent again because of the time it will take us to set up.

It took us almost three days setting up and when it was disrupted, we just had to opt for an alternative that could be set that same day. That was actually what caused a little delay before the event kicked off but glory be to God, everything turned out a success.

Like how much did the burial gulp?

I don’t need to tell you that, you know me, I won’t mention anything like that.

But some people said you spent close to N5 million on it…

(Cuts in) Anybody can give you any figure but left to me, there is no amount you spent on your parents burial that could be said to be too much because I believe they made me what I am today. If at all I spent N20 million, I won’t mention it.

My greatest joy is that people really turned up and it was a very successful outing. I think, you’re there, you saw how people rallied round me. It was that day I loved my job most. Being an actress and a business person has really helped me. I really appreciate my parents and the kind of upbringing they gave me.

Just as Yoruba would say ‘Bi biire ko se fowora’ (speaking in Yoruba). It was that day I appreciated that proverb. Some people even thought as the only child, I wouldn’t be able to go that far because one would be lonely. I too thought as much but I thank God for everything.

Although, in some other aspects, one may feel lonely, the situation becomes different when it comes to things like that. People really stood by me.

The impression some people still have about the event is that you couldn’t have single handedly put it together without at least a man behind you?

There is nobody except God. Everything about me is God. I believe you’re there that day and you also saw when musicians were singing my praise. If it’s true there was a man behind the whole thing, they should have mentioned his name, echoed it to the high heavens.

No man footed the bill of my parents’ burial, it’s God who has always been with me and I pray He will never leave me. But to be honest, I would be an ingrate if I say nobody supported me. In fact, some people actually stood by me, they really tried for me and I can’t forget them.

Some sprayed me money, some couldn’t come but they sent one or two things to me. I enjoyed people’s support both morally and financially. But the most important thing is that you don’t have to wait till people say come and take before you start getting things ready by yourself. You must have had enough money and materials needed for the event, not waiting for sponsorship.

What’s your reaction to the report in one of the magazines that your colleagues shunned your parents’ burial?

That’s not true. What actually happened was that the change is the date of the event from March 31 to March 30, 2012, partially affected the turn out but even at that, the crowd was beyond my expectation. You know the funny thing, they called me from the venue on Saturday that people were trooping in not knowing the burial ceremony had been done on Friday, March 30, 2012.

They couldn’t get the information that the date had been shifted. If anybody is saying that my colleagues didn’t attend my party that means that person was not at the event. The person actually missed it out rightly. A lot of my colleagues came to honour me and I believe you saw them.

I thank God I could see some of the big wigs including Uncle Jide Kosoko and his wife, Henrietta, Hon. Rotimi Makinde, Monsuru Fala, Iya Rainbow, Aunty Nike Pella, Bose Joseph, Lepa Sandy, Wunmi, Joke Lawal, Tolani Oshirin and others.

So, if any of my colleagues couldn’t attend the party, I don’t think it was deliberate. What caused it was just the change of date and the information may not have circulated round the industry. So, I bear no grudge against anybody on that.

Let’s digress to another issue. When exactly did you open this super market because the tale in town is that it was opened after the burial and…

(Cuts in) No, it was opened two weeks before the burial. Even, those who bought the aso ebi for the event got it here. How do you think it’s possible setting up this kind of a thing after the burial which of course gulped a lot of money.

Let me tell you the truth, renovating this place took us like three months and before we set up the place, it took us almost a month.

Lizzy Anjorin
Lizzy Anjorin

When did you conceive the idea of venturing into this kind of business?

I have always been a business oriented woman. This is not my first shop, I have another one in Abule Egba which was opened in July 2011. I just believe that you should have a business you can fall back on because being a star is not something that will last forever. You can’t be there forever, it’s just like a tenure which will expire one day.

For instance, if you’re a governor, you’re there today, others will take over from you tomorrow because some have been there before you came in. so, that’s how stardom is. But your business remains your business forever whether you change your pattern or not. That’s the only thing you can fall back on.

Like how much did it cost you to set up this place?

I can’t say. All I know is that it’s a lot of money.

But can we say it’s a multimillion naira super store?

So you said.

We can see a lot of foreign wines and other items, how do you source all these?

We have wines, can foods, gift items and many more. Some are imported while some are sourced locally.

Some people believe movies are not selling any more, so it’s difficult for you guys to make money as before, how did you get the money to set up this store?

(Laughs) I have been in the business before becoming an actress and since I joined the industry I have not stopped being a business woman. So, I am making my money from both sides.

So, there is no man behind this multimillion naira investment?

(Laughs) Man? Before a man can establish something like this for a woman, that woman must have given him a t least a child. There is no other person apart from God. He is the secret of my success. He is the one doing all the wonders in my life.

Do you intend expanding your business frontiers in the nearest future?

Of course, there is a plan for that. By next year, I will open another store, bigger than this by God’s grace.

-TADE ASIFAT

This story was first published in Encomium Weekly on Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Encomium

Written by Encomium

A media, tech and events company.

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