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Actress OMONI OBOLI addresses her controversial boobs revealing dress to Aso Rock

‘My vital assets were not showing’
 
A new movie, Being Mrs. Elliot, by actress Omoni Oboli will hit the cinemas on September 5, 2014.  But before taking it to the cinemas, the mother of three sons took it to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where a private screening held with President Goodluck Jonathan and his cabinet members in attendance.  The boobs revealing dress Omoni Oboli who directed, produced and wrote the movie wore to the private screening has come under heavy criticism and the talented role interpreter would not be silent about that, insisting her vital assets were not revealed in the dress.
She spoke about this in this interview and the making of the movie branded as a must-watch.

Omoni Oboli
Omoni Oboli

Just few days ago, your movie was privately screened at the Presidential Village, Abuja. Being the first to have done that, how do you feel?
I feel like I am dreaming.  After the screening, I told myself if this was a dream and that when I wake up I would be very sad.  I can’t believe it actually happened.  I still felt it was a dream.  It is a great thing for me and a greater development for the industry as a whole because it is not every day you get the president, who is always busy.  That day, he had been up and about.  He was in Akwa Ibom and Calabar to do some work.  He still got back to Abuja on time for the screening with his ministers, House of Representatives members, Senators.  The Vice President was there.  It was such a great step in the industry at this time and we have a president who is backing us 100 per cent.  We only have higher places to go from there.
Why did you decide to first go to the Presidential Villa and not the cinemas?
We are still going to have a regular premiere where we will have a lot of celebrities.  That was just the presidential screening.  It’s like I want my father to see it before anyone else. This is the father of the nation.  I wanted him to see the movie and it is my first movie and for me, it’s a very big deal.  It’s a great step in my career.  I just thought the president sees it first and give it his blessing.
What are the challenges of getting him watch the movie?
We, the producers and marketers association which I am also a member, wrote to the Presidency and they approved it.  Initially, we thought it won’t be possible but to our greatest surprise, he said yes, I will watch this movie.  For him, Nollywood has put Nigeria on the world map.  Nollywood is doing so much for the economy.  For him, Nollywood is a big part of the country and he just wants to commend us for a good job.
What was Mr. President’s assessment of the movie?
He said the movie is good.  We showed it at the presidential banquet hall.  We had to show it on a projector that is not purposely built for cinemas.  He said if the quality is this high, it means the quality if shown in a cinema will be fantastic.
With the screening are you indirectly endorsing President Jonathan’s second term?
I don’t see any reason we won’t support somebody who is supporting our industry.  He supports our industry and I see no reason we can’t support him. Is there anyone better out there?

With Gov. Mimiko, President Jonathan, Vice President, Namadi and AY
With Gov. Mimiko, President Jonathan, Vice President, Namadi and AY

In terms of performance, are you satisfied with Jonathan’s administration?
It took 50 years to get Nigeria to where it is today, Nigeria will not get out of the mess in four years.  The president is not a magician.  There is no way he is going to wade a wand and all our problems will be over.  The problem took time to get us where we are today, it will take time for us to undo what has already been done.
A lot of people felt you exposed a little too much with the dress you wore to the Presidential Villa?
First, I don’t think so.  I think the pictures that were sent out was taken from a funny angle.  I don’t think the dress was too revealing.  I don’t think I revealed my vital assets.  People wear dresses that reveal their assets and nobody says anything.  Rather, they say it’s sexy, it’s nice.  The dress was a bit open but I didn’t reveal my vital assets.  The truth is people will always talk, like we all know.  There is no way people will not talk about the screening one way or the other.  There are a lot of people who will not be happy about it, maybe they wished something like that happened to them and it didn’t.  So, they would definitely look for something negative about it.  We are human beings, people will always want to say negative things about a positive thing.  The most important thing in my life is the people who matter to me, what do they think about me?  People who really know me, if they think it’s okay, so be it. People who don’t know me and think I am being negative, they don’t really matter to me. My real fans know the real me, they don’t think I did anything inappropriate.
What makes a movie first class?
The script, how the story is treated should be important.  The presentation is also very important and then of course, the cast.  They should be able to interpret what the story is all about.  A great cinematography, editing, lighting and the story will come out great.
How were you able to direct the movie and at the same time play the lead role?
It was the toughest job in the world.  I wrote the script, produced the movie, played two roles and I directed it.  When I finished the movie, I wrote somewhere, Tyler Perry, my hero, because that is actually what he does.  It is very difficult.  I get back every day and I am tired, drained from the work.  Even when I got back I still had to plot the shoot for the next day.  Most times, I get few hours sleep.  It is tough but possible.

With President Jonathan and others in the controversial dress
With President Jonathan and others in the controversial dress

The storyline, is it a real life story?
Not at all.  The story is about finding love in an unusual place and under unusual circumstances.
How much did the movie gulp?
It cost a lot of money because it was a big project shot in three states – Lagos, Ekiti and Delta.  You can imagine moving a big cast and crew, production bus, equipment from one state to another.  The logistics was a lot of money.  I got the best equipment and cinematographer.  I got the best hands in the industry in terms of crew, those things don’t come cheap.
Where did the financial support come from?
From me, I got sponsors, I have Verve and Quickteller, Maltina and Fayrouz, House of Tara, AD Consultant, Lagos Monopoly, Aso Savings and Loans.  That was the only way we could have moved the cast and crew around.  It would have been totally impossible if I had to do it all alone.
If you had the opportunity to borrow money from a bank, would you have done that?
I am not sure because the interest rate is so high.  The movie is not out till now, you can imagine the interest that would have piled up for me.  It would have probably rushed me to release the movie.  So, I may not be able to pay attention to details because I want to get the money back as soon as possible.
What is the experience like shooting this movie?
I have to cut cost, manage the resources available.  Most of the shot was done in one location because of the cost of moving around.
Was this how you planned your career would go when you started acting?
No, it evolved with time.  At the very beginning, I never thought I could be a director.  I just wanted to act because I love acting and I am not going to stop because I now direct.  Acting is still my first love, being on set with many directors I began to feel I could actually do it.  Because I write scripts and I have given out some of my scripts and I was not satisfied the way it was treated.  I thought I should just treat other scripts myself, it would have my DNA in it.  I didn’t just wake one day to direct a movie.  I decided to go to New York Film Academy, to take a course in Digital Film Making which qualified me to be a director.  I did that and I have confidence.
New forces are emerging in the movie industry.  Is that a challenge to you and others?
Not at all.  If we don’t have new faces coming up, how will the industry grow?  It is not possible for me to be in every movie and I can’t be there forever.  I can’t be in 2,000 movies.  There have to be more people coming up every day.  We don’t even have enough who are actively pursuing their career.  We need more actors who can do the job and not just anybody.
Why have you not done a stage play since you joined the industry?
I will and I want to.  I just really do not have the time right now.  I have a stage play I wrote some years ago.  Stage acting takes time, you can do rehearsal for three months.  I really don’t have the time now.  Anytime I have six months to spare, I would do stage play.
You have your children now doing films and even winning awards.  Is this something you wanted to do?
One of them wanted to act, that is the one who won an award.  The other two are not really interested.  They were in Being Mrs. Elliot because I needed to use kids for some scenes.  It’s so difficult to direct kids, especially when they are not interested.
Like how many years have you been in the industry now?
I came in 1996.  Then, I was in the university.  It wasn’t easy.  I decided to put it on hold, that when I am done in school, I would continue.  I finished school and got married, so I couldn’t continue the way I thought.  My husband and I left the country for a while.  It took 10 years for me to find my way back into the industry and coming back was not easy.  10 years is a long time.  It was like starting all over again.
How do you manage family life and career?
I have got to do what I have to do.  I am a film maker, a wife and a mother.  I look at these roles and decide which is the most important, so I give those ones more attention and more of my time.  When I am away, I am working.  And when I am back, my family know I am back.  That is why my favourite hangout is my house.  Right from time, I have always loved to be in my room. I am not a night club person.  I was at a night club with friends because they dragged me there and in one hour I was tired. I’d rather stay in bed with good books or movie or on my iPad writing a script.

–               FOLUSO SAMUEL

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