NIPR & Public Relations in Nigeria

            There is a purpose for the emergence of every profession in any given society and environment. So also is the public relations practice in Nigeria, which started before the country’s independence. According to Fassy Yusuf, (2000) public relations practice commenced in the country in the early 1940s as a result of World War II. The country, which was then under the British colony, participated in the execution of the war. Knowing the importance of information to Nigerians on happenings in the war front, the government created a Special Information Centre for that purpose. With this, there was better understanding between the colonialists and the colonised Nigerians, especially, when the citizenry realised the necessity of their independence. The centre later metamorphosed into the Public Relations Department in 1944, when Nigerians were employed to manage it for better and further information dissemination.

             In the private sector, the first company to establish a public relations department was the United African Company, popularly known as UAC. The unit was known in 1949 as Information Department. The Nigerian Railways Corporation, a government parastatal, also established its own unit in 1956 where Dr. Sam Opelle served as the first public relations officer. The Shell Petroleum Development Company, then BP, created its own outfit in 1969.

            It was the effort of people like Sam Opelle, Chief Olu Holloway, Alhaji Ade Thani, Adewale Fashanu and Mr. Malafa that the first umbrella organisation of public relations practitioners was established in1963, known as Public Relations Association of   Nigeria (PRAN). The association was renamed Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in 1969. It was later legally empowered by the Decree 16 of 1990. The decree made NIPR a chartered body and empowered to determine what standards of knowledge and skills are to be attained by all persons seeking to become registered members of the PR profession. The decree was signed through the efforts of past presidents of the institute, which  include Chief Alex Akinyele, Chief Bob Ogbuagu, Mr. Mike Okereke and Alhaji Sabo Mohammed.

CONSULTANCY AFFILIATE

The first known affiliate of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations is the Public Relations Consultancy Association (PRCAN), which according to Cajetan Otuekere-Ubani, was established and inaugurated in 1984 by Major General Tunde Idiagbon, the then Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters in General Buhari’s administration. Mr. Toye Ogunmorin was its first president with four consultancy firms as its pioneer members. They are Bloomel Public Relations Practitioners, Progan Promotions, Good Contact Public Relations Services and Philips, Johnson and Associates.

             Some of its aims and objectives are to raise and maintain standards in the practice of the profession; and to provide facilities for government, public bodies, professional associations, industrial concerns, financial institutions, social, cultural and religious organisations. It also aims to improve the relationship of public relations professionals with employers and clients, with government and its agencies, with communications media and their agencies.

             Some names have been mentioned of those personalities who are the doyens of public relations consultancy in Nigeria. Festus Akande confirmed that consultancy commenced in the late sixties and early seventies with the late Ebun Adesioye, Dr. Clarkson Majomi, Chief Dotun Okubajo, Mr. Olu Ademulegu, Otunba Kunle Ojora and Peter Hospdales as the doyens in the practice. He added that all these practitioners were practising their consultancy service individually with no merger between them.
  

FINANCE AFFILIATES                                                                                             

It is said that as the human society becomes more complex and diversified, the professions of man become more specialised. In most developed societies, there are alliances of people of specialised occupation and professions coming together to form associations for the protection of such concerns. Some emerge from already existing unions as affiliates.  For instance the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) is another compartmentalisation with other affiliates like Correspondents Chapel, Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), etc. In fact, a further scrutiny reveals that the NUJ itself, according to some quarters, is just one of those organisations under the umbrella of Nigeria Press Organisation which includes the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria. The same thing applies to advertising where the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) regulates the practice of the profession with bodies like Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN) and Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) carrying out their activities under the umbrella of APCON.

             The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations too witnessed the same situation where affiliates like the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), and Association of Corporate Affairs Managers in Banks (ACAMB), emerged in 1996 and as the case with the latter has the objective of evolving and implementing strategies to improve and sustain a good image for the nation’s banking industry.

             One notable researcher who has successfully identified the problems of financial public relations in reference to the distress in the banking sector is Abubakar Alhassan who states that the idea behind the emergence of ACAMB was first mooted by the corporate affairs managers at the 1992 Bank Directors Seminar organised by Financial Institute Training Center in Abuja. Subsequently, discussions were made informally among some of the Banks’ Public Relations managers in Lagos. He continued that the machinery for formal discussion of the idea was set in motion after a media management seminar held at Badagry also in Lagos in 1996 at which suggestion for the formation of the   body was extensively discussed. Subsequently, a series of meeting were held at Eko Hotel, Lagos, during which the PR managers of banks agreed to have an association. They set out the association’s aims and objectives and also laid conditions for membership.

             Membership of the association is open to all Heads of PR in the banking sub-sector. In addition, all members of the association must have been duly registered with the NIPR as required by decree 16 of 1990. A member who ceases to be a PR manager in the banking industry, has automatically relinquishes the right to membership but may be considered for Associate membership. There is also the Code of Conduct for membership, which states, among others, that erring members whose acts contravene any rule or regulation of the association will be reprimanded.

             The first Annual General Assembly of ACAMB was held in September 1996, during which elections were held into offices of the association’s Executive Committee. The Executives were sworn in during the Committee’s inauguration on 3rd December, 1996. Those sworn in were Kabir Dangogo,as President; Tunde Thomas, Vice President; Waheed Olagunju, Secretary General; Aduke Gomez (Ms), Financial Secretary; Steve Osuji, Publicity Secretary; and Emeka Adio,as Assistant Secretary General; and five EX-officio members are Abubakar Minjibir, Tony Ede, Toyin Abayomi-Banjo, Gbade A. Zanda and Ogie Eboigbe.

             Since every serious body must have a legal framework, which is to guide it in its operation, ACAMB has its constitution and Code of Conduct. As a non-profit making body established to foster interaction among PR managers of the banking sub-sector and advise the leadership of the sub-sector on the PR implications of policies and development, the association is registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Decree of 1990.

             Some of the objectives of the association include to evolve and implement strategies to improve and sustain a good image for the nation’s banking industry; educate the public on relevant banking laws and policies; represent the industry as a group on public relations matters; promote and protect the interest of the banking industry as well as carrying out public enlightenment campaigns on behalf of the industry. It is also intended to promote continuous public confidence and trust in the nation’s banking industry and to promote facilities for training the members of the association on banking practice and other related matters.
 

CODE OF ETHICS OF NIPR

Professionals in Nigeria belong not only to some international professional bodies optionally, they also belong compulsorily to the local professional body known as the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), one of the few in the world backed by a state statutory instrument in Decree 16 of 1990. The institute’s codes of practice has 12 articles which include the following:

Every member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations shall:

a. respect the moral principles of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and the freedoms entrenched in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the performance of his/her own duties;

b. recognise that each person has the right to reach his own judgement by himself;

c. respect the right of parties in a dispute to explain their respective points of view;

d. encourage the free circulation of public information and preserve the integrity of channels of communication;

e. put trust and honesty of purpose before all other considerations;

f. safeguard the confidences of his present/previous employers or clients;

g. represent interests which are not in conflict;

h. refuse to enter into any agreement which requires the attainment of certain results before the payment of professional fees;

i. protect the professional reputation or practice of another member, but make it his duty to report unethical behaviour on the part of any member of the institute;

j. not seek to displace any other member with his employer or client, except with the mutual agreement of all the parties concerned;

k. Not operate any front organisation;

l. Co-operate with any other members in upholding and enforcing this code.

These articles are a superb adaptation of some international codes and the British codes of ethics to suit the Nigerian institution. The extra-ordinary general meeting of the institute held at the Bristol Hotel in Lagos on January 30, 1981 approved the Nigerian codes.

N5,000 Naira Notes causes controversy in Nigeria

N5,000 Naira Notes causes controversy in Nigeria

The new N5,000 note just approved by President Goodluck Jonathan will end the use of $100 notes now in vogue among looters, industrialist-businessman Atedo Peterside told journalists yesterday while supporting the introduction of the new currency.

The Central Bank's proposal to launch the new note has met with widespread criticism from the general public as many feared inflation and corruption as likely consequences. The president's approval announced yesterday by minister of national planning Shamsudeen Usman in Abuja at the end of a meeting of the Economic Management Team (EMT) put paid to the controversy.

Mr Peterside, a member of the team, rose in defence of the introduction of the new currency by giving it a bizarre twist.

"Money is a store of value. All these thieves, rogues and vagabonds running around various states and all over the country when they steal money will want to keep it outside the banking system, so they need higher denomination notes," he said.

"Right now they are using $100 notes all over Nigeria because they are the best store of value for them. If you give them a better store of value in Nigeria, they will move away from those dollars and move into our own currency as opposed to the use of $100 to hide their loot," the businessman added.

Mr Atedo Peterside said if he were the CBN governor he would have preferred to introduce a N10,000 note instead of N5,000 "Right now the country is losing by importing massive US dollars to finance the activities of all these rogues because the US dollars offer the higher store of value for them and also by squandering resources to print large volumes of worthless notes."

In another twist to the issue, however national planning minister Shamsudeen Usman, who claimed to know nothing about the link between the new note and corruption, declared: "I think people alleged that part of that corruption is being done in dollars but a $100 is N16,000 and N5,000 will be $30; so which one is bigger to carry if you are doing corruption?"

He argued that the new note will not necessarily increase the level of corruption as "those doing corruption will probably find it too small".

Business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote argued that the introduction of the N5000 note had nothing to do with inflation. He told State House correspondents after the Economic Management Team meeting, "I think it is even to protect the economy. The cost of printing is not anything different from the amount they are using in printing any other note. It is the same cost."

The only difference is the design and the figure printed on them. Sometimes, minting the coins can even help. If I have a product which I am selling for N5 and I want to raise the price to N6, I won't be able to do that. It is either I swallow the bullet and take it to N10 or I don't increase it at all. "A lot of companies have not been able to increase their prices even though they are losing money."

On the cost of printing the new note said to be at a cost of N40 billion, Dangote said last year the CBN spent N47billion to print currencies, it is not different at all," he said.

Managing director of Access Bank Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede Aigbojie, who also lent his support, said the reactions by Nigerians were rather unfortunate.

He said, "I have tried to analyse the cause for these reactions. Legal tender and restructuring of currency are normal parts of the Central Bank's functions. It is very rare for you to have a central bank that does not look at the issue of currency management and issue new notes from time to time based on the reality of the economy.

"In the case of Nigeria, our economy is such that a N5,000 note, which is in effect a $30 note, is not strange. The greatest argument I have heard about is causing of inflation; the other argument is that it will cost money to introduce the new note. There is no relationship between the issuance of higher legal tender and inflation. It is unfortunate that some have misled people into thinking that it will lead into higher inflation."

He also explained: You are introducing the N5000 note, you print less of N1000 and N500 notes. It is not going to add to the cost of printing. It is going to basically fall into your normal annual budget for printing. What you should also understand is that, with less notes in circulation, it is cheaper in the long run based on quantities ordered to print N5000 denomination than lower denominations."

Peterside continued: "Right now, the country is losing in two ways: one, we are importing massive US dollars to finance the activities of all these rogues, because the US dollars offered the higher store of value for them and, two, we squander our resources printing large volumes of worthless notes.

"There is no inflationary impact that is voodoo economics. Let me tell you one thing: if you know that printing N5000 notes will create more inflation, why don't you reduce the value of your notes and see whether you will not experience inflation in the process. This is simple logic."

National Planning, Dr. Usman disclosed to State House correspondents after a meeting of the Economic Management Team (EMT) that the endorsement of the N5000 note by the team followed approval by President Goodluck Jonathan.

"Obviously, the discussion today was basically to endorse. The president had already approved; that is the only requirement by law. The CBN is to propose and Mr. President is to approve. And since Mr. President has approved, really what is important is to just explain. I personally had some concerns about the coins but, since some discussions with the CBN governor, he has actually clarified that even the media didn't get it," the minister said.

Arguing that the N5,000 note, contrary to public perception was not going to lead to higher inflation, Shamsudeen hinted that CBN was going to explain to Nigerians that the coins will run concurrently with the naira notes they are replacing as a test-run for Nigerians to accept them first.

He said, "There is absolutely no link. I am an economist. I have been deputy governor, operations, of the Central Bank. In the last review of the introduction of N1000 note and the various coins I was deeply involved, it was my responsibility at the Central Bank. There is absolutely no link between inflation and the currency denomination.

On whether the N5000 note was at variance with the cashless policy, the minister explained: "It is not at variance. In most of the economies you look at, the Euro has the €500 note. If you go to the countries where Euro is in use, you will not get the €500 note in normal circulation. But it is used by the banks and a few other heavy cash users to store higher value. I have been in parts of the United States where you draw the $100 bill and give it to somebody and they start looking at it as if it is something strange. They probably have not seen it before." He said that higher denominations are there to create higher value and will not be in the widest of circulation.

A civil society organisation, the Anti-Corruption Network, yesterday stormed the CBN head office in Abuja, protesting the proposed restructuring exercise, particularly the introduction of the N5,000 notes, and asked the Federal Government and the regulatory banking institution to stop forthwith arrangements on the exercise in view of what it termed the likely negative socio-economic impact on ordinary Nigerians.

Organised private sector said the introduction of N5, 000 notes in the planned restructuring of the nation's currency, saying it will aid corruption. Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muda Yusuf in his comment said although the idea of restructuring the currency is a welcome development, "there is a flip side to the policy."

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also described as unfortunate the fact the President Goodluck Jonathan would approve the proposed N5,000 note despite intervention by the House of Representatives to halt the process.

Mr. Bayo Babatunde, Managing Director, Avscon Nigeria Ltd said, " I think it is an improvised vessel for corruption and goes counter to the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It will facilitate easier exchange of bribes and reduce the quantity of Ghana must go bags required" he said.

On its part, the Director General of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Mr John Isemede, said he was more concerned about what the project would cost the Nigeria economy.

According to him "we want to know what the printing would cost the taxpayers." He also raised concerns on what benefit the currency restructuring would have for Nigerians stressing that there is a need to improve on the export capacity of the country.

He also noted that NACCIMA is watching the moves of the CBN as well as the stand of the lawmakers on the issue, stating that it is would be on the look-out for the process of the award of the contract.

Managing Director and Chief Executive of APT Securities and Funds Limited Mallam Garba Kurfi on the other hand said he is not as bothered about the introduction of the N5000 note as that of the conversion of the N20, N10 and N5 notes to coins.

In his reaction, Mr Lanre Ajayi, President of Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) said "It doesn't look consistent with the cashless policy. My own understanding is that cashless policy is meant to reduce cash in circulation. I am not an economist but from the layman's perspective it doesn't augur well, while Mr Tim Akano, vice chairman, Wini Group, an IT security company said the introduction of the N5000 note will definitely have a negative impact on the economy. "The concept of cashless is to take cash away from people.

"Increasing currency to N5000 note is an indirect way of CBN telling people to dump cashless policy. To every discerning analyst, it is more political than economic. It is going to drive inflation up and support corruption. The money being used to print the N5000 notes could have been deployed to improve the standard of education", said Ajayi.

Leading about 300 hundred youths on the protest which was being closely monitored by the security agencies in the front of the CBN Headquarters, Abuja, a former Legislator and Executive Secretary of the Network, Otunba Dino Melaye, described the proposed measure which, he said, his group was prepared to mobilise millions of ordinary Nigerians to frustrate the plans as a proof of government's insensitivity to the plight of millions of poor Nigerians who, he said, were already over-burdened economically as a result of the partial withdrawal of fuel subsidy in January this year.

Also, President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Dr. Wole Adetimehin, said the introduction of N5, 000 note by the CBN would adversely affect insurance business in the country.

Melaye, who spoke with the media on why the protest was organised said it was to show to the CBN authorities and government that sovereignty resides with the people and that it was regrettable that despite the National Assembly's directive that the apex bank should suspend the plan, the Governor of the CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was hell-bent at carrying out the plan in furtherance of his Islamisation agenda for the country.

According to him, the planned introduction of the N5,000 clearly contradicted the policy stance of the apex bank on cashless and electronic banking, pointing out that it would further devaluate the national currency with the attendant negative implications on efforts to make the economy's growth more inclusive and globally competitive.

He explained: "We want to say that the CBN Governor and indeed the Federal Government had proven that they are not a responsible and responsive government. This government is not equally sick but also suffering from what I call a dreadful continental abnormality. We suffered during the fuel subsidy and we are yet to recover form that pain. We have long discovered that N277 billion was budgeted for subsidy in 2011 budget and government went ahead to spend N2.3 trillion. "For now, I believe the idea should give room to other major issues that are paramount to our country's growth, " he said.

"Our points is, instead of the government to attack this key issue and fight, arrest and prosecute those who are stealing our commonwealth, they want to inflict further pains and injury on Nigerians that are already suffering from perilous and times of opprobrium. What I am saying in essence is that the Anti-Corruption Network is mobilising Nigerians to say No to this N5,000 haram. We are still praying to God to conquer Boko Haram but Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is introducing N5,000 haram. We will reject, we will renounce, we will rebuke, we will pray it out of order", Melaye said.

CBN deputy governor Mr Tunde Lemo, who received the protest letter from the group on behalf of CBN management, however reassured Nigerians that the currency restructuring exercise would not worsen the socio-economic hardship of ordinary Nigerians as being speculated by a broad section of the public.

Meanwhile, CIIN boss Adetimehin said yesterday in Lagos that the currency reform would cause huge claim costs to insurance companies.

He said the proposal had the prospects of raising the amount of money in circulation at a given time.

"The N5,000 note will aggravate the quantum of costs to be incurred by the industry on money insurance policy management.

"What this means is that people will indulge in carrying huge amount of money that may run into millions without anyone noticing.

"Meaning that any loss of a bundle of N5,000 notes will amount to huge claim costs and compensation on the insurance company in a given money insurance policy," he said.

The CIIN president advised that the proposal should be suspended by the apex bank for now.

While describing the restructuring agenda as satanic in intents and purposes, he advised Nigerians to join forces with the group in its ongoing war against the measure, querying that "we graduated from N20 to N50, from N50 to N100, from N100 to N200, from N200 to N500 and from N500 to N1,000. What has that done to inflation? What has that done to the economy? What has that done to unemployment? What has that done to the provision of pipe borne water? What has that done to the provision of electricity? Has that one given us good roads or good hospitals?

On the current procedures being adopted by government to recover money in the fuel subsidy payments from indicted marketers, he pointed out that the entire process was too secretive since government had failed to let Nigerians know who is making refunds and of what amount and denominations such refunds are being made, adding that his group is already warming up to lead another national protest to the National Assembly as soon as it reconvened with a view to demanding for publication of recoveries made so far on the fuel subsidy scam.

Viewers at Ground zero digital amusement Center, cemetary street, Ebute Metta, Lagos

Photo Speaks

Chika with Yemi Olakitan at Ground Zero Digital Entertainment Center in Lagos

Desmond Eliot speaks on Acting and Nollywood by Adunola Oladapo

Desmond Elliot may need no introduction as he is a household name in Nollywood, but there are some things that may be new to his fans. In this interview with ADUNOLA OLADAPO, he speaks on such issues. Excerpts

How long have you been planning the movie directing career you are into right now?

A couple of years before I started in 2008. I decided to go fully into it when I started co-producing in 2007 and then I just thought I should just go into directing. It happened while I was acting and Lancelot inspired me a lot because at some point, we were mostly working with him. I liked the way he was driving the stories, I just reckoned that it was something I would love to do.

Did you go for any professional training?

Not at the beginning but yes, eventually. It is just like my life in the industry, at first, I just started and after some time, I went for training. I took courses in directing and read lots of books on directing, just to improve on what I am doing.

Which institutions did you take courses at?

Usually, when I go to the United States of America, like I have done twice. In The New York Film Academy, I have taken three-month courses, one month course on it. They are crash programmes basically and directing is something one can do if you put your mind to it. Everybody in the world can try and direct, but its knowing the principles, fundamentals, standards of directing that is the most important and those are things I have tried to learn.

Do you think the trainings will help improve the standard of movies that will be coming out of the industry?

It’s not so much as in the training. Training helps you understand the rudiments but what would make you create an impact is relating that to your society. Once you can relate what you have learnt to your society, then you have created an impact. So yes, I want to believe that with what I am doing that I am changing mindsets, changing minds, I am impacting on young and up-coming ones and also it can be an improvement on film production generally and to story lines that change societal values which is basically my aim.

Are you enjoying directing more than acting?

I will say yes, but not the money. The money is not as good as when you are acting in terms of financial gains.

Would you say directing is more emotionally stressful than acting, because we have seen some of the behind the scenes of some movies you have directed and witnessed the way you scream at actors?

I am what you call a screamer. I scream a lot on set when I am directing. One of the traits I took from my mum. I really don’t like indiscipline. Once you are not disciplined as an actor, I get really pissed off and my other side comes out. But the good thing about me is that when I scream that is where it stops. I don’t take it to heart.

It’s like you took a break from acting, are you back into it now?

Yes I took a break from acting in 2008 to 2010. I came back into acting last year. I didn’t act for three years.

Seems the movies you act in right now are mostly movies you direct or co-produce?

Yes, sometimes it’s because, maybe the character we invited to play the role didn’t appear at that moment or is not ready. Something usually happens and reluctantly I do those roles but now I have psychologically spoken to myself to come back into it. I used to be over weight and I am really trimming down now, trying to make sure that I get to size.

So, you are saying directing makes you lazy?

Somehow, directing makes you lazy because you just sit behind the camera, no one sees you and so you don’t pay attention to your weight. Behind the scene makes you very lazy because you do not care what people think of you behind the camera.

So, acting is more stressful?

Not really but as an actor, you make sure that you are fit. You have to stay in shape, if not you’ll bore your fans. And we all know that Nigerian fans do not advice, they abuse. They will say ‘look at this man, see how fat he is.
Can’t you see how your mates are looking?’

If you are to compare the emotional and physical stress of acting and directing, which would you say is more tasking?

You can never compare. There is no comparison between life as an actor and life as a director. It’s totally different. Directing is all encompassing. You take the pain, the stress, the headache. Its so stressful. As a director, I go home with headaches, Power Horse is my best friend, it’s crazy and it goes into post production because you have to see the end of the work. So, it’s so stressful.

How many movies have you done so far since your debut in the industry in 1999?

I like breaking it down into two. From 1999 to 2007, I would say I was doing an average of two films or three films a month but from 2008 till now, I will say I have probably done maybe six or seven films in all.

You must be well-loaded then?

It’s not like that.

Is it that you have gotten enough money from acting or are you taking your time to select scripts?

At some point you will realise that what matters is not money but bringing out good productions. You get to that point in your career; money is not the issue anymore. You don’t just take any role. Like now, I cannot take normal roles. I have to take something that would make me want to loose so much weight or put on so much weight or talk in a certain way. It has to be something that will be different.

You mostly co-produce movies, is there a reason you avoid producing personally?

I have co-produced about five or six movies, Guilty Pleasures, Holding Hope, Reloaded and some others. I have not single-handedly produced any except the movie I am going to Sierra Leone to shoot for one month. Its called Reflections. The one I am releasing in the cinemas, I co-produced with Caroline Danjuma. I prefer co-producing because one, you share risks, which is the idea people need to come together to form a body, not everybody doing individual stuff. So, if I bring my strong point, you bring your strong point and we build it together. It makes the production a lot easier than if one person risks it all. Producing is more tasking than acting because as an actor, you just act and you take your money and you are off till premiere day. But in producing and directing, it doesn’t end at just production, You take it up to post production.

There is a rumour that you are a United Nations ambassador, is it true?

I would not say I am a UN ambassador but I work closely with them.

Is it lucrative to work with them?

It’s a voluntary thing.

What exactly do you do for them?

They solicited our help into talking to government on certain programmes. For instance, planting flowers. I run an NGO called Desmond Elliot Foundation. They wanted to know how that relates to the environment and how they can support. not financially, that I will emphasise. But how they can support in giving other forms of help, may be humanly or technical in any sense. You can never get money from the UN. If it’s for money, don’t go to UN but they can train. Even when you are flying, they wont give you business class, it’s economy. Because these are part of their laid-down rule, It’s charity.

Tell us about the Desmond Elliot Foundation, how come no one has heard of it?

It’s a foundation that is sadly not too efficient right now because of funding. Before then, it was solely funded by me and I was thinking of how I can bring in other people into believing in that vision. There is very little you can do with just one person. Bringing money out of just one source but if you have different people contributing, it makes it easier. What we do in the foundation is to sensitise people on water, sanitation and hygiene and we have been doing that for almost four years now.

But you can partner government?

It’s not that easy

How can someone like you complain of finance, but you are a Glo ambassador?

It is still my money we are talking about. For three years plus, I have used my money to fund these projects that I am into. Foundations are supposed to generate money, for instance other bigger organisations or individuals are supposed to now contribute and say ‘do this for this course’ but at the end of the day, it’s difficult to get anyone to contribute.

Running the project on my own is somehow tasking because each programme you go for run into millions and it will run me out of the market. But we are picking up gradually. We partner with different NGOs as well to see what we can accomplish.

While starting your acting career what was your mother’s reaction when she saw you on screen?

She was exicted. She complained when she had not seen any of the movies I have done and I always went out in the morning and come back at night. She has not seen money and she has not seen any film. The first time she saw me on screen was in a movie, Suitors, where I played an extra role. While watching, we waited and waited for my part to come so she could see me. She almost gave up. After a while, she will say ‘Shola where are you?’ and I will tell her to wait that they will soon show it.

Your name is also shola?

Yes, they call me Shola at home. I am a Lagosian, so when they finally showed my part, I had to rewind and show her, ‘Mum look at me’. She was very proud and the first day I brought money home, I became her favourite son.

Were you a rebellious son while growing up?

I had a very strict mother. The slightest thing, she can take you to police station.

Has she done that to you before?

Oh! Yes, she held me by my hand to the police station. She told the officer on duty to help discipline and beat me. People will beg on the way but she will drag me. She will hold my short and drag me to the station. She did that twice when we were still living in Jos.

What about dad, you speak more of your mum?

I think I am.

About your twins, you have two sets. Is there any kind of food you eat or does twins run in the family?

Twins run in my wife’s family. The first set of twins, I was grateful and happy. The second one I was not in the country when she called me and told me about it and I didn’t believe it . I was just saying no, she asked why I was saying no, I told her I was not expecting it.

Originally, how many kids do you want to have?

I am still hoping to have three more eventually. I am not kid. I want seven children.

What if she has triplet this time?

It’s okay. Let God just give us the ability to take care of them and give them good education.

So, you love children this much?

I am in love with children. I bathe my kids. I bathe the four of them whenever I am around. I wake them up and bathe them.

How many boys and girls?

Three boys and a girl.

Sure the girl is your favourite?

She is an exciting person to be around. She is the tiniest of them all, she is the third and she is very impressionable. She leaves you with an impression. People say she is like me.

Do you see any of your kids going into acting?

One actually did once, Denzel. He is one of the first.

So, we should watch out for Denzel Elliot this time not, Washington?

I am hoping. They are Desmond, Denzel, Donald and Donna.

How many years ago did you get married?

This is my ninth year. I didn’t have kids for four years.

Was it intentional?

It was not intentional. It was just a delay and it affected me then.

How did you take it then?

For me, I have always loved kids. I have always wanted kids. It didn’t come and I was wondering what was happening. Of course I was disturbed but we trusted in God.

Was there pressure from home?

Our parents didn’t pressure us. My wife panicked and you know we had to go for tests like two years later and it was just a question of being patient. She did IVF a couple of times as well with the hope that a miracle will happen. It was just me and the fact that I have always wanted to be a father. I love the feel and it’s even more lovelier when the kids are growing and it’s fun.

During the four years of waiting, was there a time you thought of that the problem came from you?

Of course. We went to hospitals both at home and abroad. Of course, you get worried and unsettled. It’s the the kind of problem especially when you know you are not the kind that did all those rascally stuff.

So, you were never a playboy?

No, I was not. I didn’t deal with women.

Are you sure?

I promise you I didn’t and that is the truth. That was why I felt bad when the babies were not coming.

But people see you as one?

It’s okay to see me as one. I have a very bad mouth.

How many are you in the family?

From my dad, I am the sixth out of eleven children, from my mum, I am the first.

Tell us how you met your wife?

I met her in school, University of Jos. We were in the same church. We are church people.

Are you saying you are a born-again Christian?

I am very close to God and yes you can say I am born-again. We met and one thing let to another and we started becoming close. I fell in love and I asked the woman if she would be my girlfriend and she said no.

She bounced you with all your fine boy?

Yes oh, but I don’t see myself as a fine boy. She wanted to hear from God.

What struck you about her?

First, it was her beauty. She wasn’t the flashy, let me put it in your face kind of person and she loved God so much, not in my own sense. Like you have to talk to the holy spirit before you do certain things.

I wasn’t thinking ‘wife’ then because we dated like eight years before coming into marriage. As we became closer, I just fell in love and when it comes to love, you do not tell your heart who to love, so it was the fact that I love her and it’s even sweeter now because we have grown better and we understand each other. Only that she likes money a lot more than I used to think she liked money.

She has four children and she shops for the home and kid?

Thank you women. When I tell her that she likes money she will say, ‘its not fair, these things you say’

What does she do?

She used to work in a bank but right now I run a distribution company for films so she handles that part.

You met your wife before acting came in, did you expect that you could take roles of where you could kiss?

I never thought about taking such roles and she did not want me to take such roles either but it was just the Idea of doing something good. Just the feel of wanting to act. As I grew in the industry, I kept refusing the bedroom scenes because they were against my Christian faith but as time went on, I discovered that I was not matured enough to handle such roles then. As growth came into the industry and I became more experienced on the field, I now understood how it was done so I learned.

So now, it does not affect your Christian faith?

No, because I am just in the bedroom with the person and I am not doing anything. I am not nude and I cannot do nudity. Now I have the maturity to do it without any emotions erupting.

But you could kiss?

Yes, I can kiss, the way they do it film wise. I have never done that on set before.

Tell us how they do the kissing in the movie that is different from the real thing?

It’s a secret, if I tell you our secret, will you tell me the secret of how you people make money in your newspaper company?

What was your wife’s reaction when you first took the kissing role?

Every reaction is not nice. Few days ago, they were showing one of my old films on African Magic, I was in the studio attending to a serious editing work and she called me to tell me she saw me kissing somebody. Can you imagine even years after, with four lovely kids oh, she is still jealous?. But she knows it’s nothing, just a make-believe.

Are you working on any movie now?

I will be bringing out my new movie ‘In the Cupboard’ soon. It’s a movie about a family with different secrets.

Halima Abubakar speaks with Femi Salawu

Halima Abubakar is angry and she makes no pretence about it! The diminutive Nollywood actress is upset with a lot of things. Hear the Ebira, Kogi State-born thespian: “I have really gone through many things in my life. It has not been an easy journey, but I thank God I was not broken. Sometimes people make you lose confidence in yourself and you just want to give up. So I am really happy for my strength and God.

“People are annoying and suddenly they are saying things about me, but it is okay, it means I’m doing something great, because if you are not doing anything great, they won’t talk about you,” she adds.

Asked to comment on her once robust relationship with Nollywood pal, Tonto Dikeh, Miss Abubakar waxes philosophical. “Ok, after a while some people just grow apart in life,” she begins.

“That was the only problem we had, there was never any verbal exchange between us. Don’t forget that between us, there were too many friends. Now, I don’t even have time for friendship, which is the truth because I have grown wiser now. At a point in life, people just need to go achieve something and come back. I didn’t want to feel awkward in any relationship that is why I decided to do my own thing. Tonto is an amazing person.”

Halima Abububakar, in this touching interview opens up on her love life, business, upbringing and many other issues.

So what are the current projects taking your time?

I have been shooting movies in Owerri and Awka but I have not been to any location in Asaba this year. I have been to Enugu three times and now I am shooting in Lagos. I am doing a documentary about bullying. You can call it my pet project. It won’t be more than 40 minutes because we don’t intend to waste anyone’s time.

Of all charitable causes, why bullying?

Because I have been bullied for most part of my childhood and adolescent years. I want to focus on this because a lot of people are scared to speak-up maybe because of threats. These things are serious, parents need to talk to their kids to find out about this especially kids in boarding schools. It is not as rosy as it seems. I am inspired by things that has happened to me in my life to put them in writing and pictures. It is just a subject that I like. We don’t always have to do romance all the time. And whether we admit it or not, bullying is one of the reasons so many people do what they are not supposed to do. Some go into smoking weed just for self-worth among peers especially to prove a point to bullies.

Bullying must have been a traumatic experience for you to decide to make a movie out of it. Could you share some of the experience with us?

Oh yes! While I was in primary and secondary schools and all the way to my career in Nollywood, most of my friends have exploited my being quiet in a very disrespectful manner. Perhaps, because one is not a star or don’t have what they possess and because of this, they don’t think you belong to whatever class they have. I have been through this from fellow actors especially the female ones. When I look back, I can’t fathom what I have put up with in the name of friendships. But seriously shame on them for making another human being like them feel worthless.

I am surprised that you are bringing up something that happens among celebrities, which many don’t like to admit

I have no fear about saying this, will they come and beat me for this? I am sure some of them will think that I am mentioning names but I am not here to do that. I am sure when they see the movie I am doing now, everybody will know their characters. People will never come out and say this but when I come out to talk, they would say whatever. Bullying can come in different forms.

Can you tell us what kind of bullying exists among celebrities?

For instance, some people just don’t think that you belong to their clique or class. Once a friend invited me to be a member of celebrity group on Blackberry Messenger and I accepted. Not long after, my friend told me that a certain star just queried my invitation to the group because I am a friend with people they are not friends with. I was like are they sharing money for being a member of this group? I am so ashamed of the person. Interestingly, this is a person that calls me on the phone often. So obviously, the so called stars or whatever have their own clique and they oppress one another and I don’t want to belong to anyone.

But has this kind of rivalry ever degenerated to physical assault?

Yes once or twice, it got physical with people whom I call friends. You know, I just got tired of the shouting matches and the disrespect. I realized that such friendship is not adding anything positive to my life and they are not feeding me. In fact, one of those actresses told me that I have been in this industry for long enough and that I should try to find something else because obviously acting is not working for me. You can imagine an actress say these to my face and we are on the same set. Everybody’s destiny can never be the same. I cannot be a star the same time as you. I hear people say stuff like you have been there before her, yet, you are playing a supporting role. For goodness sake, I don’t care so long as I am working, besides I don’t need to appear in every movie to become a star. In other climes, you don’t have to feature in 100 movies to become a star, just a movie is enough to set one apart for life. Let them not forget that I left the Nollywood scene for five years yet I am back and still doing what I know how to do best. I think this is no mean feat. Anybody who is unhappy with that should go question God.

Lately, it was reported in the papers that you had a quarrel with actress Tonto Dikeh. What is the true picture?

Oh no, we never quarreled. I only read it in the papers just like everyone else did. We never had any verbal quarrel.

So what is your current relationship with her?

She is just my friend and colleague that is all.

But it is believed that both of you used to be very close friend

(Cuts in) Ok, after a while in life some people just grow apart. That was the only problem we had, there was never any verbal exchange between us. Don’t forget that between us, there were too many friends. Now, I don’t even have time for friendship, which is the truth because I have grown wiser . At a point in life, people just need to go achieve something and come back. I didn’t want to feel awkward in any relationship that is why I decided to do my own thing. Tonto is an amazing person. I don’t think that I have had any verbal quarrel with anybody. I am that kind of person who would not confront you but give you space.

What does friendship mean to you or who are your friends?

Hmm! The people I have known for over 10 years or people who I grew up with. Some of them are people who helped me as a young girl. I believe those are the people who can be real to me because they are only here because we have been friends for long. I prefer it that way, they are not in Nollywood because friends in Nollywood usually become jealous after a while.

Does it mean that you don’t have friends in Nollywood?

(Laughs) I do have friends but everybody knows that I don’t attach anything to that friendship thing because it will not change anything about my life. So, what I have are colleagues not friends.

Your frankness is amazing, where did you get this boldness from?

Well there is no need to pretend now. I know that the almighty Internet bullies will still criticize me anyway. However, it doesn’t matter because I can’t be living my life for them. Whether many will like to agree with this or not, I just want them to know that these things happen. People need to hear it. I am actually very frank and that has cost me a lot because people can’t stand my frankness and bluntness; instead they take it for arrogance. If I am upset with you, I’ll tell you instead of avoiding you and you start asking questions. It is good to know what you have done to me so that you can apologize, I will wait for your apology and if I don’t get it, I’ll move on.

Is it difficult to strike a friendship with you?

It is not difficult, only when I see the things that don’t suit me, and if you cannot contribute to anything in my life. When you find out that you keep advising people and they don’t advise you, you keep watching out for people and they don’t watch out for you and they don’t care what happen to you, back out. Over the years, I have learnt to keep my mouth shut where I am not being questioned. I might look very reserved, but the truth is if you have gone through what I have gone through in life, you will not want to have anything to do with a friend.

What are these things you have gone through in life?

I have really gone through many things in my life, it has not been an easy journey, but I thank God I was not broken. Sometimes people make you lose confidence in your self and you just want to give up. So I am really happy for my strength and God. People are annoying and suddenly they are saying things about me, but it is okay, it means I’m doing something great, because if you are not doing anything great, they won’t talk about you. I am okay now; I am now overlooking things that are not important. My mother for example has not had a close friend for the last 20 years, and she tells me it is the best thing for me, but then I didn’t listen, but now I know better.

So what happens after these things?

Well, I forgive but I can’t forget their faces. So there are still people that I see. People that have framed me up severally for things that I have not done, and I didn’t get to hear, and I just noticed that certain people started behaving funny to me, and they didn’t ask me. Eventually after having in mind that Halima is this and that, they will later discover I’m not that kind of person.

There was a girl that was duping people; I didn’t even know the girl, she was on my BBM at a point, only for me to start hearing this person is your friend, she is always using your picture as her Display Picture and I am like, this girl is a fan, I have never met her before. People would just commit crime and drop their names as your friend. But now things are falling in place, which is vindicating me. Now people are now calling me, Halima I am so sorry for all those times. But when they were attacking me, it was so painful. It has made me realize that people are not what they seem. Maybe because I have a good and clean mind that is why these things are happening to me.

You talked like you have been hurt a lot because of friendship, what is the biggest price you have had to pay for friendship?

I don’t even know right now I just want to be sincere and honest. People will be surprise that Halima is opening up a lot now that is because I am beginning to get a lot comfortable with my self. The truth is that I am not going to take any insult from anyone, so it is better for me not to start something that I won’t finish. My best friend, my family and the one that I love are the only people close to me now. Friendship these days depends on what people can get from you, I have met people that have told me, please introduce me to this person, and that is just because of what they want to gain from that person and I am like are you here to meet these people or for me? People these days don’t have genuine love for one another, they just want opportunity to mess things up for you or get something they want. So I have been used severally, either by a friend or a contact. I have had enough of that.

Has this new approach to life that you just adopted influence your interactions with guys too?

Guys are amazing, they don’t have time for silly gossips, and women do that. The only men that do that are petty men; I don’t expect men to do that. I have a lot of male friends in the past that people will say, I am dating them and I will be like how many men am I even dating? Can’t I just have them as friends? Men are very encouraging, and some I didn’t give any chance because I just felt they just wanted sex, but the ones I have had as friends have been wonderful.

How lucky have you been with your relationships?

I have had very few relationships; I had a boyfriend that died in 2003, and after that I think I have been in two solid relationships, people might say that it is a lie, but if anybody knows of any other one, he or she should come out and say it. I have had only two relationships, and I realize that these days people are getting headaches over when I will marry and all that, are they going to live with me, when I get married? Are they going to put food on my table when I get married? Will they come and live with us, so I won’t get married because of what people are saying. Some of them don’t even have a relationship. They just hate us because we are actresses, is it our fault? So you don’t bring your frustrations into my own name. Most of the rumours on the Internet are all lies. Some don’t even read the interviews before they comment, when they just see someone’s name, they just scroll down to the comment, and they don’t even know what you are saying on the Internet.

Do these things get to you?

No, there are things that I do that I would appreciate a commendation, but people don’t do that. You find out that the good things you do, people don’t read about it, what they want to read about is, an actress dating this and that, an actress smoking. When you say this person is doing charity, they don’t get to highlight that. They highlight the rumours they hear, and not what they see or know. If they don’t see pictures, they complain; when they see, they say you are advertising what you are doing. So I have given up on trying to convince people, I’ll keep on doing what I want to do and forget about what people think. I see a lot of people fighting over my age, and it is silly, because at this time people don’t lie about age. How old was I, when I came in, how old am I now? People say Halima should keep quiet; she is older than she is claiming.

I am sure you have read recently that an oil baron dumped you?

Yes, I have read about it, which is what people love reading about. Somebody sent a link and that day I just wanted to laugh, I read a comment where somebody said stuffs, the person is a sad person I think. The person keeps commenting with a name Lalaland. The person is a hater, always commenting badly about me, the person is so hateful, I don’t even understand why that person is still allowed to comment.

You think there should be a regulation on online journalism?

There should be. Why must a person have so much hate, I don’t know. You see one person commenting severally with different names. On this particular, day, the person said that I was a dwarf. It was so funny, because I don’t even know that person. If you don’t like me, why click on my article, why say things you don’t know about me?

Halima Abubakar speaks with Femi Salawu

Halima Abubakar is angry and she makes no pretence about it! The diminutive Nollywood actress is upset with a lot of things. Hear the Ebira, Kogi State-born thespian: “I have really gone through many things in my life. It has not been an easy journey, but I thank God I was not broken. Sometimes people make you lose confidence in yourself and you just want to give up. So I am really happy for my strength and God.

“People are annoying and suddenly they are saying things about me, but it is okay, it means I’m doing something great, because if you are not doing anything great, they won’t talk about you,” she adds.

Asked to comment on her once robust relationship with Nollywood pal, Tonto Dikeh, Miss Abubakar waxes philosophical. “Ok, after a while some people just grow apart in life,” she begins.

“That was the only problem we had, there was never any verbal exchange between us. Don’t forget that between us, there were too many friends. Now, I don’t even have time for friendship, which is the truth because I have grown wiser now. At a point in life, people just need to go achieve something and come back. I didn’t want to feel awkward in any relationship that is why I decided to do my own thing. Tonto is an amazing person.”

Halima Abububakar, in this touching interview opens up on her love life, business, upbringing and many other issues.

So what are the current projects taking your time?

I have been shooting movies in Owerri and Awka but I have not been to any location in Asaba this year. I have been to Enugu three times and now I am shooting in Lagos. I am doing a documentary about bullying. You can call it my pet project. It won’t be more than 40 minutes because we don’t intend to waste anyone’s time.

Of all charitable causes, why bullying?

Because I have been bullied for most part of my childhood and adolescent years. I want to focus on this because a lot of people are scared to speak-up maybe because of threats. These things are serious, parents need to talk to their kids to find out about this especially kids in boarding schools. It is not as rosy as it seems. I am inspired by things that has happened to me in my life to put them in writing and pictures. It is just a subject that I like. We don’t always have to do romance all the time. And whether we admit it or not, bullying is one of the reasons so many people do what they are not supposed to do. Some go into smoking weed just for self-worth among peers especially to prove a point to bullies.

Bullying must have been a traumatic experience for you to decide to make a movie out of it. Could you share some of the experience with us?

Oh yes! While I was in primary and secondary schools and all the way to my career in Nollywood, most of my friends have exploited my being quiet in a very disrespectful manner. Perhaps, because one is not a star or don’t have what they possess and because of this, they don’t think you belong to whatever class they have. I have been through this from fellow actors especially the female ones. When I look back, I can’t fathom what I have put up with in the name of friendships. But seriously shame on them for making another human being like them feel worthless.

I am surprised that you are bringing up something that happens among celebrities, which many don’t like to admit

I have no fear about saying this, will they come and beat me for this? I am sure some of them will think that I am mentioning names but I am not here to do that. I am sure when they see the movie I am doing now, everybody will know their characters. People will never come out and say this but when I come out to talk, they would say whatever. Bullying can come in different forms.

Can you tell us what kind of bullying exists among celebrities?

For instance, some people just don’t think that you belong to their clique or class. Once a friend invited me to be a member of celebrity group on Blackberry Messenger and I accepted. Not long after, my friend told me that a certain star just queried my invitation to the group because I am a friend with people they are not friends with. I was like are they sharing money for being a member of this group? I am so ashamed of the person. Interestingly, this is a person that calls me on the phone often. So obviously, the so called stars or whatever have their own clique and they oppress one another and I don’t want to belong to anyone.

But has this kind of rivalry ever degenerated to physical assault?

Yes once or twice, it got physical with people whom I call friends. You know, I just got tired of the shouting matches and the disrespect. I realized that such friendship is not adding anything positive to my life and they are not feeding me. In fact, one of those actresses told me that I have been in this industry for long enough and that I should try to find something else because obviously acting is not working for me. You can imagine an actress say these to my face and we are on the same set. Everybody’s destiny can never be the same. I cannot be a star the same time as you. I hear people say stuff like you have been there before her, yet, you are playing a supporting role. For goodness sake, I don’t care so long as I am working, besides I don’t need to appear in every movie to become a star. In other climes, you don’t have to feature in 100 movies to become a star, just a movie is enough to set one apart for life. Let them not forget that I left the Nollywood scene for five years yet I am back and still doing what I know how to do best. I think this is no mean feat. Anybody who is unhappy with that should go question God.

Lately, it was reported in the papers that you had a quarrel with actress Tonto Dikeh. What is the true picture?

Oh no, we never quarreled. I only read it in the papers just like everyone else did. We never had any verbal quarrel.

So what is your current relationship with her?

She is just my friend and colleague that is all.

But it is believed that both of you used to be very close friend

(Cuts in) Ok, after a while in life some people just grow apart. That was the only problem we had, there was never any verbal exchange between us. Don’t forget that between us, there were too many friends. Now, I don’t even have time for friendship, which is the truth because I have grown wiser . At a point in life, people just need to go achieve something and come back. I didn’t want to feel awkward in any relationship that is why I decided to do my own thing. Tonto is an amazing person. I don’t think that I have had any verbal quarrel with anybody. I am that kind of person who would not confront you but give you space.

What does friendship mean to you or who are your friends?

Hmm! The people I have known for over 10 years or people who I grew up with. Some of them are people who helped me as a young girl. I believe those are the people who can be real to me because they are only here because we have been friends for long. I prefer it that way, they are not in Nollywood because friends in Nollywood usually become jealous after a while.

Does it mean that you don’t have friends in Nollywood?

(Laughs) I do have friends but everybody knows that I don’t attach anything to that friendship thing because it will not change anything about my life. So, what I have are colleagues not friends.

Your frankness is amazing, where did you get this boldness from?

Well there is no need to pretend now. I know that the almighty Internet bullies will still criticize me anyway. However, it doesn’t matter because I can’t be living my life for them. Whether many will like to agree with this or not, I just want them to know that these things happen. People need to hear it. I am actually very frank and that has cost me a lot because people can’t stand my frankness and bluntness; instead they take it for arrogance. If I am upset with you, I’ll tell you instead of avoiding you and you start asking questions. It is good to know what you have done to me so that you can apologize, I will wait for your apology and if I don’t get it, I’ll move on.

Is it difficult to strike a friendship with you?

It is not difficult, only when I see the things that don’t suit me, and if you cannot contribute to anything in my life. When you find out that you keep advising people and they don’t advise you, you keep watching out for people and they don’t watch out for you and they don’t care what happen to you, back out. Over the years, I have learnt to keep my mouth shut where I am not being questioned. I might look very reserved, but the truth is if you have gone through what I have gone through in life, you will not want to have anything to do with a friend.

What are these things you have gone through in life?

I have really gone through many things in my life, it has not been an easy journey, but I thank God I was not broken. Sometimes people make you lose confidence in your self and you just want to give up. So I am really happy for my strength and God. People are annoying and suddenly they are saying things about me, but it is okay, it means I’m doing something great, because if you are not doing anything great, they won’t talk about you. I am okay now; I am now overlooking things that are not important. My mother for example has not had a close friend for the last 20 years, and she tells me it is the best thing for me, but then I didn’t listen, but now I know better.

So what happens after these things?

Well, I forgive but I can’t forget their faces. So there are still people that I see. People that have framed me up severally for things that I have not done, and I didn’t get to hear, and I just noticed that certain people started behaving funny to me, and they didn’t ask me. Eventually after having in mind that Halima is this and that, they will later discover I’m not that kind of person.

There was a girl that was duping people; I didn’t even know the girl, she was on my BBM at a point, only for me to start hearing this person is your friend, she is always using your picture as her Display Picture and I am like, this girl is a fan, I have never met her before. People would just commit crime and drop their names as your friend. But now things are falling in place, which is vindicating me. Now people are now calling me, Halima I am so sorry for all those times. But when they were attacking me, it was so painful. It has made me realize that people are not what they seem. Maybe because I have a good and clean mind that is why these things are happening to me.

You talked like you have been hurt a lot because of friendship, what is the biggest price you have had to pay for friendship?

I don’t even know right now I just want to be sincere and honest. People will be surprise that Halima is opening up a lot now that is because I am beginning to get a lot comfortable with my self. The truth is that I am not going to take any insult from anyone, so it is better for me not to start something that I won’t finish. My best friend, my family and the one that I love are the only people close to me now. Friendship these days depends on what people can get from you, I have met people that have told me, please introduce me to this person, and that is just because of what they want to gain from that person and I am like are you here to meet these people or for me? People these days don’t have genuine love for one another, they just want opportunity to mess things up for you or get something they want. So I have been used severally, either by a friend or a contact. I have had enough of that.

Has this new approach to life that you just adopted influence your interactions with guys too?

Guys are amazing, they don’t have time for silly gossips, and women do that. The only men that do that are petty men; I don’t expect men to do that. I have a lot of male friends in the past that people will say, I am dating them and I will be like how many men am I even dating? Can’t I just have them as friends? Men are very encouraging, and some I didn’t give any chance because I just felt they just wanted sex, but the ones I have had as friends have been wonderful.

How lucky have you been with your relationships?

I have had very few relationships; I had a boyfriend that died in 2003, and after that I think I have been in two solid relationships, people might say that it is a lie, but if anybody knows of any other one, he or she should come out and say it. I have had only two relationships, and I realize that these days people are getting headaches over when I will marry and all that, are they going to live with me, when I get married? Are they going to put food on my table when I get married? Will they come and live with us, so I won’t get married because of what people are saying. Some of them don’t even have a relationship. They just hate us because we are actresses, is it our fault? So you don’t bring your frustrations into my own name. Most of the rumours on the Internet are all lies. Some don’t even read the interviews before they comment, when they just see someone’s name, they just scroll down to the comment, and they don’t even know what you are saying on the Internet.

Do these things get to you?

No, there are things that I do that I would appreciate a commendation, but people don’t do that. You find out that the good things you do, people don’t read about it, what they want to read about is, an actress dating this and that, an actress smoking. When you say this person is doing charity, they don’t get to highlight that. They highlight the rumours they hear, and not what they see or know. If they don’t see pictures, they complain; when they see, they say you are advertising what you are doing. So I have given up on trying to convince people, I’ll keep on doing what I want to do and forget about what people think. I see a lot of people fighting over my age, and it is silly, because at this time people don’t lie about age. How old was I, when I came in, how old am I now? People say Halima should keep quiet; she is older than she is claiming.

I am sure you have read recently that an oil baron dumped you?

Yes, I have read about it, which is what people love reading about. Somebody sent a link and that day I just wanted to laugh, I read a comment where somebody said stuffs, the person is a sad person I think. The person keeps commenting with a name Lalaland. The person is a hater, always commenting badly about me, the person is so hateful, I don’t even understand why that person is still allowed to comment.

You think there should be a regulation on online journalism?

There should be. Why must a person have so much hate, I don’t know. You see one person commenting severally with different names. On this particular, day, the person said that I was a dwarf. It was so funny, because I don’t even know that person. If you don’t like me, why click on my article, why say things you don’t know about me?