It was once rumoured that Benita Nzeribe the Nollywood actress was bleaching her skin and that her knuckles were totally burnt due to corrosive cream she used. She dismissed this as a rumour in a dialogue with Adaeze Amos.
There was a time it was rumoured that you were using bleaching cream and your knuckles were burnt. Can I see your knuckles?
Ada, see my knuckles now, as you can see they are same colour. Check my knuckles now, see them, nothing! There is no bleach burns. That rumour came up because I used a cream that was wrong for my skin and I corrected it and as you can see I’m natural. I’m light, my mum is light and we are light in my family. So, I don’t know where that gist came from but it was funny. They actually said it was me and Nkiru Silvanus, that both of us were bleaching
(laughs).
How do you cope with scandals? Someone said you have developed thick skin to scandals and gossips?
Yes it is true but my thick skin is getting into my bedroom and talking to my God. I’m very close to God. Honesty, I love God passionately and I think He loves me just as much too. So, when they write something that is negative and I know truly that it’s not true, I can’t fight the person but I would tell God in prayer. Somehow God has a way of fighting it for me and when you check, I really don’t have so many of it. God has found a way to really keep me from scandals.
Talking about prayers, what’s your most striking prayer point?
I thank him regularly.
Really?
Yeah, because in giving Him thanks, he does things that you don’t even know you need. So, I thank Him a lot and that is my secret of getting things from God. I just keep thanking Him and He keeps doing more. That is why when people see me they are like what is happening to this chic and they don’t know it’s just God. That is simple but it works.
How come you are looking younger?
Yeah, because I hit stardom at 18. So then as a little girl I really didn’t know one or two things. I didn’t know how to take care of myself. Apparently, people were looking at me as if I was old. One thing about age is that when it comes it comes and you can’t hide it. This is me, this is my age, it’s not like I’m looking younger, I’m looking my age.
Are you up to 32?
No, I’m not.
But you are in your 30s?
Maybe I’m just 30
People think you are close to 40, do you know that?
Yes, that’s what people think but I tell them that at the end of the day the truth comes out. Age is something you can’t hide. When it comes, it announces itself. Again, I started off quite early. At 18, I was already a star. So, people tend to look at me and say 12 years ago she was already reigning thus they think ‘oh no she is 35, she is 40 and all that’.
How do you cope with stardom?
It’s learning how to appreciate what God has done for you. When people appreciate me, when they cluster all over me in appreciation, I say God thank you. I do ask Him whether all these appreciation are for me? I mean you can’t see me trying to segregate and all that. Everybody is equal even if you are dirty and you want to hug me, I will still hug you. You know, somehow you make someone’s day and at the end of the day that person says a silent prayer for you asking God to bless you the more. That’s what I do and I don’t touch people’s ego especially men. A man would always like to woo you, make passes at you but then you say no but don’t touch his ego because he is an African man. If you touch his ego he would tell you he is a man. I know I’m an African woman and I know how to handle such situations.
How come you are not flaunting cleavages? That’s in vogue, you know? But yours are hidden, why?
(Giggles)
Okay let’s say I don’t want to flaunt cleavages. I don’t want to.
But you are a showbiz person, common?
Hmm, just look at me, I’m wearing a short dress, I think I’m decent enough. Sometimes you flaunt cleavages, it works, sometimes it doesn’t work, it depends on what you are wearing. What I’m wearing now doesn’t allow it.
How about ladies that flaunt even the ones (cleavages) that are flabby and worn out?
Oh my God Ada this is too direct now. That’s their style, I can’t criticise them, that’s one thing I don’t do.
But is there anything wrong in advising?
I think we should flaunt the good part of us, and conceal the bad parts because nobody is perfect except God. I’m not perfect, I have some bad sides but the good ones I would flaunt. So, let’s try and flaunt the good ones so that it doesn’t look disgusting.
What makes you cry?
I’m a very emotional person o! I can even watch emotional movies and cry. But seeing someone maltreat someone because the person feels she is bigger or has more money.
How come you are good in playing bitchy roles?
I play bitchy roles because that was what launched me. People tend to see me in that light but after that, Benita is a totally hundred per cent different person from what you see on the TV, and except you come closer that’s when you would know this.
