A few minutes after receiving the Vanguard readers choice promo as the Sexiest in Nollywood, star actress Genevieve Nnaji spoke with Saturday Vanguard on how she felt about the development.
How do feel about being voted as the Sexiest in Nollywood by Vanguard readers?
It’s funny. I am flattered considering my opinion, everybody in Nollywood is sexy in their own way but I want to say thank you to my lovely fans for voting for me.
What do you think about the award?
…Well, we are in the entertainment industry. It’s all part of show business. You got the fans involved. It’s fun. So, good job to you guys at Vanguard.
Do you think it would help Nollywood and if yes in what way?
…Well, not every award must have an altruistic aim. It’s show business. We do many things to help Nollywood. This one is for fun and quite frankly there’s nothing wrong with it. I can assure you just because it’s fun doesn’t mean it’s any less appreciated.
Are you friends with Ini Edo and Mercy Johnson?
….we are certainly not enemies. I’ve worked with Mercy a few times and I think she’s great.
Are you satisfied with the quality of stuff that come out of Nollywood now?
…..No….but we shall keep on going. Some never believed we will get this far and are still critical but then again, the secret of success is to offend the greatest number of people So, those of us who can, will keep on doing and God willing, one day we will get to a certain acceptable international standard.
Even Hollywood is not without criticism so you can never be perfect. The beauty of life is in the striving to be.
Can you act nude if the fee is huge?
Actually, the fee is only part of the issue. If I were required to act nude scenes, It would have to be relevant to the story and more importantly typical of the character I am portraying. I have no reason to offer gratuitous nudity.
In life we don’t wander around naked for no reason. Our movies are supposed to be a representation of life. Sometimes in life, people are nude. So, I have no objection to nudity on screen per se, it just shouldn’t be done for the sake of it. Then of course, the fee, but that is a matter for when the offer comes. I am waiting
Short takes
Alincology spreads humour
Fast rising electrical engineer cum comedian Alincology was at his best at the Nollywood sexiest event. With fresh ideas and jokes the audience could not but laugh and laugh and project that the young man from Edo State is set to go places. Opa Williams did you read this?
What they said
Genevieve Nnaji
Every woman in Nollywood is sexy. But to be chosen as the sexiest, it is humbling.
Ejike Asiegbu
This is a commendable idea whose time has come. And for a very credible newspaper like Vanguard to run that kind of promo means that it has Nollywood at heart. I wish you keep it up and continue to support us as we forge a new
Gabosky Okoye
Vanguard has been in the fore front of building Nollywood and I am happy that they have continued to help us build a very big industry. I recall those days when we started and Vanguard was there and has sustained the momentum of the promotion of the fast growing movie industry And for Vanguard to let its readers vote their best is a novel idea which must be sustained in other facets of promotion. It is the building of Nollywood that matters to us film makers because when we started it several thought we did not know where to put our money but film making is a passion to me. That is why the New Distribution Framework was set up to make it more organised. I commend Vanguard for this.
Basil Akukwe of D Jamz Base
This is a great closed door event, very tight and well intended. You didn’t invite the crowd and it was good. However, I envisage that you might want to make it very big next year and I dare say that D Jamz Base will be there for you to use if you so wish. I commend Vanguard for being at the forefront of entertainment promotion in Nigeria. It was great I must say.
Sam Anwuzia of ZAFAA
What I saw today was a pleasant surprise to me as I never knew that the promo was running until some one called my attention to it. As a Nigerian living overseas, we make Vanguard our daily reading because of the info that it carries about Nigeria as a whole. In fact the way the editorial is organised helps for better coverage of the entire nation and it has a liberal attitude. Now we are organising ZAFAA 2008,which is there to honor film makers all over Africa, I pray that we get enough coverage of this for the masses of Nigeria.
