Call Chika Ike squeaky clean and you will not be far from the truth. Even when her Nollywood colleagues are swimming in scandals, the evangelist’s daughter somehow maintains a clean profile. But the screen goddess is quite realistic. “Whether you like it or not, it (scandals) will come one day,” she told FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON.

How have you managed to keep your name away from scandals even when your colleagues swim in scandals?

Scandals are an inevitable part of the celebrity way of life. Whether you like it or not, it will come one day. It always comes somehow, even if it has not come, it will come one day, you just cannot escape it…

Are you expecting a scandal?

Not that I am expecting one. I am just saying that something must be said about you, whether true or false. It only makes you know that you are out there and people are judging every move you make and that doesn’t make you a bad person. Most of my colleagues have sandals but it doesn’t make them bad people. Scandals are part of the job. Even if I have escaped it this long and it comes tomorrow, I will not be surprised, because I know it is just the norm.

What has been happening to you in recent times?

It’s a new year; we are trying to settle down to it and think of the future and trying to actualise our dreams for the year and all that. I have just launched my calendar for Year 2011. That is basically one of the things I have done so far and I am looking forward to launching my foundation hopefully before the end of this year.

What is your foundation all about?

You know I have always been very passionate about children and my society has done a lot for me and so it is a way of giving back to the society that has made me what I am today. I have been giving back in my own little way, but now, I want to make it official and make it known that I want to pursue a good cause. So it’s about caring for the less privileged children and those who have been deprived.

Do you intend to abandon your acting career for teaching now that you have your degree in human kinetics and health education?

You know I have always been very passionate about children and my society has done a lot for me and so it is a way of giving back to the society that has made me what I am today. I have been giving back in my own little way, but now, I want to make it official and make it known that I want to pursue a good cause. So it’s about caring for the less privileged children and those who have been deprived.

Coming from a background such as yours, with an evangelist mother, how were you able to win over the support of your parents when you decided to be an actress?

It is true that my mother is an evangelist, but she is someone who believes in talents and in people’s dream. She will not kill your dream because she is an evangelist. Besides, she trusts me as a daughter and she knows I will not rubbish the family name for anything in the world. She believes that whatever happens to me at the end of the day would be something beyond my control not something I did to hurt her ministry deliberately. So she has been extremely supportive of my career and she has been guiding me through. Sometimes when I am about going off course, she will be the one to tell me no, no, no, you have to do it this way, you are going off track and most times I listen to her. She has been a great pillar to my career and I must say that I am very lucky to have a mother like. I am very blessed.

What about your dad?

My dad is quite strict; he is a strict Ibo man. At the initial stage, my father was not supportive at all. He did not like my choice, but my mother influenced him with time. Whatever I am today, my mother had a huge contribution to my career because she was the one who stood her ground fighting for me that this girl has to achieve her dream of being an actress. And today, my father is my greatest fan, he watches all my movies and I think any time he thinks back, he wishes he never said ‘no’ to my career. Anyway people say no and they learn from their mistakes. Now, he is happy and grateful that I have achieved my dream as an actress and he is very proud of me.

What does your husband, even your mom and dad say about your sexy roles?

Acting is a profession; it’s a job. And if I kiss on set, it does not mean I have feelings for that person. I am only trying to play a role and interpret the character I am playing. So whenever you watch me on TV, it’s not the Chika Ike that you know. It is Chika Ike the actress that is portraying that character. So when I am playing a role, I am just doing my job…

Even when it means you have to go nude?

Playing nude is not easy at all. It takes a lot guts and confidence in your body for you to do that. You know there are some roles that you cannot escape going nude. Honestly, I must say that I respect such actress a lot, but on a very personal note, I don’t think I will go nude. I don’t think I can.

Could it be that your background affects the kind of scripts you accept?

Well, I would say that your background, one way or the other, whether you like it or not, influences you. But when you are in my line of profession, you have to understand that whatever you do as an actress, you are doing it to tell a story, you are doing it because it’s your job. It doesn’t have anything to do with your personal life and it’s a job you have to do and the show must go on and the job has to be done somehow. So, if you want to be a successful actress, you cannot afford to be thinking ‘Oh, my background…’ and all that. Yes it will sort of influence you, but sometimes you also have to think about your career. After all my mother is an evangelist but I will not say because of that I will not take kissing roles or I will not act romantic roles or tell a story when I need to. No I have to do my job and she understands that it’s a job I am doing. So it does not totally affect me.

It seems to be a trend among your colleagues to produce movies of their own after a while in the industry. When are we expecting yours?

I am still concentrating on being an actress.

Which of your characters do you find most challenging?

Every role is challenging but there is no doubt that some roles are quite challenging. You have some roles where you will be a physically challenged person or a completely disabled person; may be where you are blind, you are crippled or any form of disability. Such roles can be quite challenging. Because it is not you, but you have to convince your viewers in that film that you are. It takes you out of your comfort zone to do that.