Emem Isong is a Nigerian screenwriter, film producer, and director. She has become known primarily for films in the English language, and is a dominant figure in that industry.
The producer has given her reasons on why she loves to be behind the cameras rather than being in front even after she is a graduate of Theater Arts.
When asked by an interviewer why she preferred to build her career behind the cameras, she said;
“When I finished at the university, there was not much to be done with the course at the time, at least, that was what I thought. So I had my National Youth Service Corps at the National Theatre. I majored in Choreography and I thought about joining the national troupe at the time because I was exposed to its activities. I went for about two auditions but I was not chosen, probably because I could not dance. I noticed that I loved to write and organize, but since there was not really much to be done in that area, I went to work for a bank briefly after taking some courses to enable me to get a job.
Then, when I saw the movie, ‘Living in bondage’, and how popular it was, I knew I belonged to that environment. So I quit my job at the bank and decided to join the movie industry. I came in as a producer because I liked to write. I have never thought about being an actress because I don’t think it is my calling. Acting is not something that I have interest in; I just like to make things happen behind the scene.”
Emem Isong, who is the first child in her family of 4 children, was born on 5 September and is from Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts from the University of Calabar. Isong obtained a diploma in computer science from the Computer Science Institute (NCR).
