Encomium
COSSY Orjiakor, Nigeria’s boobs queen is arguably the most controversial actress in Nigeria most especially when she acted a role that involved sleeping with a dog in a movie called Itohan in 2002. This Agulu, Anambra State born sexy actress takes no grudge in the report rather she got focused on what she knows how to do best, entertainment. ENCOMIUM Weekly had a telephone interview with her on Thursday, September 9, 2010, she disclosed why she’s been lying low of late, why she preferred telephone interviews, why so many people want to read about her, the secret behind her x-rated shows, why she can’t think of marriage now, insinuations about her deadly skin disease, the truth about her being cast out from her village and many more…
For quite some time you have been lying low, most especially from what you are known for, how has it been?
I have not really been getting a lot of roles as in movies. People have not really been acting my kind of movies and some of the ones I got the money was not worth the stress. But I shot a movie in South Africa and my own movie, but I am not bringing it out yet. I have not really been doing much in entertainment circle, yes. It is true, but I just shot a movie entitled Behind the Mask.
What do you think could be responsible for this, that is your not getting roles?
Nothing really, I don’t know. Probably, those days have passed when there are lots of movies, you meet people around but it is not like I live on the acting stuff, it’s just like a hobby anyway.
So, how have you been coping?
Movie roles is something I can live without, it’s not about money anyway. So, I have been coping very, very well. I have been watching movies since I’m not acting, I will be watching.
So, what do you do now for a living?
I don’t feel like discussing my private issues because when you say things in public some people find a way of getting back at you. They just find a way of misrepresenting you, most especially the press, so let me just keep that private.
What are you working on currently?
I am not really doing much on show business now, but probably by next year. I have not had the time for that for a while. Right now, I am not busy at all.
Can you define your style of showbiz?
I am an entertainer, I do whatever I am told to do when it comes to roles and I have to know how it works. If it is a script, whatever it entails, I do it.
The kind of roles you are given most especially x-rated ones, do you think is still relevant in this evolving world?
Like I said, I do any role, any role. Once it’s a role and it has a message, I do it. An artist is somebody that interprets roles well, not somebody that will start to search for chosen roles. If everybody is acting Jesus Christ, how will you be able to bring Judas and the devil in a movie, the movie will not make sense. You need to be able to have the good and the bad, all in a movie because that is the lesson.
So, are you planning to diversify to other areas of showbiz?
No, you should know I have done some. I have some videos I have shot. I’m not pushing my musical stuff right now, showbiz is more like a hobby to me. I want to concentrate on the business, with what I am feeling, I’m not ready to bring anything out yet, when its time I will bring it out. I have shot like four albums already but I am not bringing out any yet, I might bring it out as a single or an album. But right now, I’m not just thinking about diversifying, I am doing videos, keeping them, I am not doing much right now.
Why do you think so many people want to read about you?
Because I am real, I am a kind of person that will say yes when I want to say yes and I am a goal getter. I try to be myself and I try to encourage people. I don’t look down on people at all because I always believe there is something you can learn from somebody else no matter how bad or how little every other person can afford. Yes, I think that is one of the reasons, then I am a critical girl and a very sexy person. At least, I’ve been told about that several times, so I believe I am. Then, I am a role model as well because I think I have encouraged a lot of people around me and so many girls look up to me as their role model.
You are arguably one of the most popular entertainers when it comes to x-rated shows, what is the secret?
When you are sexy, there is nothing or let me say, anything you do, its all about what most people want to see, most especially the hypocrites. Whatever you do, people will look at it and say sex, sex, sex. Cossy is sexy, yes, but there is really nothing I can say about that, I’m a very good entertainer because movies I did like eight years ago are still getting reviews. Most of these guys that write about me think because they can write and contribute to their journal, they just find a way to get back at me trying to pull me down. However, what I believe is that, whoever that is writing anything crazy about me in one way or the other, don’t even know what they are writing. Everybody should know that it is jealousy.
How do you react to press reports on unbelievable, scandalous activities about you?
Really, I hardly read newspapers, I prefer stories that are interesting, motivational books and novels. But I always get to know about them because at times, they keep calling me or some of my friends will bring them to me. Some of the stories that I acted a movie with a dog, there are different stories but I am not complaining.
But some of your fans are saying you are not featuring in movies because you’re currently battling with a skin disease, how true is it?
Did you see my Valentine pictures? Those that saw those pictures, did they see anything like that? Anyway, I am taking new pictures for my birthday and I intend to come out in the picture with more revealing things so that they will know if I have anything I’m battling with or not. I don’t really care about what people say about me. With the kind of skin I have, let me tell you, Cossy is feeling good, no rashes or whatever. I am not interested in anything that is not affecting my life positively, I don’t care about what jobless people say, even if I have skin infection, I’ll use money to treat myself.
Have you ever had any body enhancement surgery before?
Do I look like somebody that can be that stupid to waste my hard earned money on surgery? I can’t think of that, maybe when I am very old, but right now my body is tight and I don’t think I can consider anything like that.
Your greatest asset is your boobs, how have you been handling them?
Do you want to help me and carry them or what? I have been handling and carrying them well. Maybe I should write my bra size so that you guys will help, my fans also, should send bras and all that to me (laughs). I will be able to handle them and support them well or you should send it to me yourself.
Do you have any plan to insure them?
I don’t want to talk about that (laughs). Tell us now as your fan.
Okay, if you have a plan of doing it, how much do you think you can go for?
I don’t know.
What can you not do with your body to get money?
Anything I enjoy is what I use my body for. I don’t really look at the money, I am contented with it, no matter how small the money is, I’m always contented. What I know my body enjoys is what I do with my body.
What was the craziest thing you ever did for money?
Normally, I don’t go out for interviews, I prefer to be paid before I leave my house. So, I think those things are crazy, I don’t really like stressing myself except if somebody is buying me few hours and all that, even when it comes to work. If there is anything that will bring Cossy out of her house, it has to involve money, especially when it comes to meeting someone one on one, I just have to be paid.
Are you saying granting interviews is the craziest thing you ever did for money?
Yeah, normally I do interviews on phone. I am a phone girl. If I have to come outside I allow the person to fuel my car and al that and I only do that when the need arises or I’m greatly in need of that money.
Have you ever thought of settling down with a man in your life?
I have not thought about it and I’m not thinking about it now but when it is time for me to settle down, I would google out the kind of guy I want to marry so that you guys can help me search for him.
If you had a choice of marriage, who will be your ideal man?
First of all, the guy must have flat tummy, you know those ones ladies call ‘fish pie’. Then, there must be physical attraction, I am attracted to guys with flat tummy before you start thinking of religion or financial stability, you have to be physically fit. A very good looking guy.
So, are you saying you have never seen such a guy in Nigeria or wherever you’ve been to?
I am not thinking about that yet, whenever I’m going to marry, I will let you know. I’ve seen one or two of them that I have had relationships with in the past but marriage is a different ball game.
How will you describe Nigerian guys?
Nigerian guys are really good, when you compare them with South Africans. In fact, there is no comparison. Nigerian men treat their women nice and they are very hard working. Even an Igbo man now works very, very hard to take care of his wife. The only thing I don’t like about Nigerian guys is that they beat and beating is the only thing that can make me leave any man I’m married to. If I’m married and the man hits me or maybe slaps me whenever we want to have sex the guy just have to turn the other cheek for me to slap back, if not, I won’t stay in that marriage.
After the fall-out of your purported and widely reported sex scandal with a dog, it was reported that the Obi of your village cast you and your family out of the village because of that sacrilege, how true was it?
Oh, it’s a pity. Is it an abomination to sleep with a dog (asks rhetorically), As an Igbo, its an abomination to sleep with a dog and anybody that did such a thing should surely be cast away, even if the person doesn’t die of diseases. I don’t know, it’s a movie, if somebody actually sleeps with a dog the person should even be killed, stoned to death not only cast away. But for the fact that they have not stoned me yet, maybe my God is on my side because it’s just a movie that I acted. I acted that movie seven to eight years ago. It shows that I am a very, very good actress, if after watching it people are convinced that it was real. It shows that all these awards they have been giving to others all fake because if somebody can do something and convince people that yes, I actually slept with a dog then, I am a very wonderful actress that deserves an award and you guys have not given me any award and you still go ahead to say I slept with a dog while acting a movie. I thank God, that I am just lucky.
So, are you denying it?
I am not denying it, I accepted that I slept with a dog in a movie and it is on Youtube, you just type Cossy on Youtube and you watch the movie. Yeah, I enjoyed watching the movie, it’s a nice movie and its still being talked about today because I acted in it. I know the sky is the limit for me, it shows that I am a very, very good actress.
What actually prompted you to take such a role?
I told you I can take any role, the same role I took eight years ago, I can still take it today. I am an actress, once you employ me to do something, I do it. I can still act the same role because it’s just acting. Acting is when you interpret a role, when you are trying to be like someone or something else that they wrote in the script, not like playing yourself. In that video, didn’t you notice that I had HIV and died? People are not looking at the effect as in the message the movie is trying to pass, people are just thinking of Cossy! Cossy!! Cossy!!! Boobs! Boobs!! Boobs!!!, why is she showing them. Yes, I have them and there is nothing there, if you are looking at me, the boobs are in front, so you must surely see my boobs before you look at my face. It is a pity that it is not in the back or what would I do, I just have to live with them and let me tell you, if a human being slept with a horse in Nigeria which I believe no Nigerian girl have ever done and a producer writes based on that and wants me to act it, I will surely act it. I am good at that.
So, what do you think people don’t really know about you that you want them to know?
They should know that I only act what is given to me and I don’t say no to roles. I told you that if everybody acts Jesus who is going to act Judas. Of course, I have educated family so they know what’s up, they know what is acting and what is real. I don’t do acting for money, I do it as a hobby. Something I love doing, for me to be paid is a privilege. So, it is not about how much I would be paid, I can do it for peanuts or for free if I want.
– GBENGA SHABA
140910
