When it comes to mentioning the hottest Nollywood Faces whose beauty and artistic prowess have immensely contributed to the growth of the industry, Oge Okoye, the ravishingly beautiful mother of one will take a lead. Oge Okoye, who has acted in over 300 movies, recently welcomed ALONGE MICHAELof http://nollywoodgists.com in her palatial home where she opened up on her career, husband and future. Enjoy your reading

Why do people think you are a snub?
I really don't know why they think I'm a snub, what I only know is that everybody has his or her own opinion about people and if someone now thinks I'm a snub then that person must really be one. My friends know that I'm a very jovial person, a down to earth fellow. Though, sometimes, some nutty fans would want to pry into my privacy, at this juncture, I may need to be a snub because my private life is solely my private business. So, if you are trying to deep your neck into my private life, I could not be very comfortable with that, for that, I am a very friendly and pleasant person to be with.

I understand that even a mad man in the street has something he's keeping from the public, so, what is that thing you are keeping from the public that makes you uncomfortable?
I don't know. You know I'm a married woman and I have my own family, my own life, so, I think it's not every thing the public must know about me as per my family. My family is private to me and I wouldn't want that to be in the public like me. Fine, I am a public figure; everybody wants to know about me but not about my son or my husband.

I think they are concerned about you and want to know what is happening to your love life…
Yes, I appreciate that but I'm just telling you about me, what I like and how I want my thing to be done. I just don't want my family to be in the public eye, everything should be me and me alone.

What are those things that have changed about you now that you are a married woman?
Nothing really much, nothing, it's just that my husband is someone who is very accommodating. To him, I have my life to live he has his so, nothing has really changed about me. The only thing now is that I have a little bit of sense of responsibility now unlike before. Even, if I am out there working, I try to call and ask about the welfare of my family at home. You know, no matter how you want to look at it, it's the woman that takes care of the house, so I am doing everything to keep up to expectation to make it work.

Talking about making a marriage work, a lot of celebrity's marriages hardly work, what is that magic wand that has made yours work?
It's whoever that wears the shoe that knows where it hurts, I may not be able to talk about other broken marriages because I don't live with them and I don't know how they have made their marriage not to stand the test of time. But, marriage is all about sacrifice, if you don't sacrifice I don't think you will make anything out of it so you have to put in your best, the both parties must be responsible for the growth of it not just a one sided thing, it should be balanced. It's all about love, tolerance, perseverance etc not because I am a screen goddess and I have to dominate my hubby, whatever position you are as a woman, once you are in the domain of your house you must be submissive to your husband because the man is the head of the house and not woman.

The Oge I used to know is a party freak, a good dancer and a high flying person, has marriage takes all this from you?
Laughter, marriage has not really taking all that from me o.

Really! You still club?
Yes I do o, I still go to club with my friends and he understands though I try to minimize things so has not to blow it out of proportion.

You club without your husband around you, how does he feel about this?
He doesn't feel irrational about it, it's not something I do all the time, I have my life to live and he allows me to have my freedom no matter how. The little time I have I try to spend it with a few friends I have who hardly see me and my husband understands this.

Sure you have your life to live and he equally has his too, maybe this has confirm the rumour in town that he has a Dutch in Amsterdam who has a baby for him; how true is this?
What a rumour! Laughter… not at all, there is nothing like that. I just came back from Holland and I quite spent sometimes there how come I didn't see this woman or doesn't she want to claim her husband back? I wish you could come with us to Amsterdam to see things yourself Michael.

That would be nice at least to set the record straight, when is the next time?
(Laughter) Soon, very soon, you will go and see things yourself.

Really, Oge, the report has it that your husband has a woman outside Holland and once in a while he sneaks to the place to see his family and all that…
Spear me all that, nothing like that, you are hearing the truth from me

Are you sure he has told you the truth?
My husband is a straight forward person, if he has a Dutch he would tell me, it's a mere rumour Michael, believe me.

Ok, how do you handle some fans who wouldn't want to take no for an answer?
Honestly, it's a really hard one, in as much as we appreciate our fans; one should not indulge them when they try to go extra miles. Speaking in generality now, we get mad at this set of fans that are so stubborn and wont take no for an answer. Even if you tell them you are married, they would insist that they still want to be with you, we face all sort of embarrassment on a daily basis, though, it's expected, it's a price to pay for stardom.

Would you share your most embarrassing moment with us?
My most embarrassing moment was when I traveled to a town somewhere in the west and there was this woman that sighted me and started shouting atop her voice that Ashewo bla bla bla, she said she saw me in a movie and that that's who am truly was and that I should change my lifestyle or else God will punish you… I now remembered I the movie, Face of Africa I shot and I was so embarrassed that this woman actually misjudged my role from my real life even the people around were trying to make her reason with me but alas she never agreed to that. It's really an embarrassing moment.

How many movies have you shot since you started out?
I have lost count. I can't even remember, more than 300 movies

You must be very buoyant financially considering that figure?
Well, it's worthwhile, it's good, it's really something you will sit down and smile, you know, (laughter) to God be the glory.

What movie shot you into limelight?
Sister Mary. It was my second movie and it really did the magic

You're very comfortable owing to what I see around; you ride exotic cars, live in a duplex, eat well, laugh well, drink well etc, on the turn of event, God forbid bad thing, what would be your next line of action?
How do you mean?

If the table turns round what would you do?
In my marriage or what?

In the generality!
That will never be my portion.

That's why I said God forbid but what if unexpected happens, even the Bible says we should be prepared for the perilous times…
Honestly this is a very hard one o, Alonge, well; if I have to answer that question I think I will say I will live the rest to God. No matter how much a man falls, how much he has been able to stand up is the ultimate. So, there is always a light at the end of every tunnel and as long as there is life there is hope.

What is your most valuable possession at the moment?
My Son is my most valuable possession

Any regrets in Life?
Yes, I regret I have no father, I lost him.

When was this?
Year 2000

I learnt you're planning a white wedding; do you want to talk about it?
Em em not yet. I will let you know as soon as we're done with the preparations.

What do you want to tell you fans about yourself, I'm giving you free space to do that?
I just want to tell my fans that I'm married and I have a son and I want them to see me as a human being like them, as human beings we are bound to make mistakes, so, since no man can claim to rise above infallibility, it's expected of me to make mistakes, so they shouldn't see me as a snub but as part o them. I'm not a super human.

Have you been sexually harassed by any movie producer or marketer in your rise to stardom?
Not for once! I have never faced any harassment from any quarters. Those who are harassed are those who don't know what they want out of life. I know myself, I read Theater Arts in school and I believe I have something to offer and what I've got to offer is to act the character I have been characterized to be, so I don't give room for such indecent act.

What is your advice on the series of scandals rocking the industry?
Life itself is a scandal, so it's not as if it's only this industry that is full of scandals. Go to other institutions today and see master of all scandals rocking them so it's expected in any fast-growing business like our Nollywood to have scandal. Scandals will make us correct our wrong doings. But my advice is just that no matter how much we detest each other, how much we hate each other we shouldn't be diabolic about it, if that is out, there is room for everybody to operate without steeping on each other's toes.

If today is declared the World Stealing Day; what would you steal?
Oh Jesus what would I steal!

You can steal Jesus.
I don't know what to steal really but I think I will steal Jesus because I know if I have him with me I have everything.

Talking about Jesus, how religious are you?
I'm very religious. I go to church often and if I am in town worship at the Daystar Christian Assembly.

Your husband is not in town most of the time; how do you cope as a woman?
I cope o I manage to cope.

And when nature calls how do you answer it?
I told you earlier on that I just came back so whenever nature calls I packed my bags and off I go.

So, we should be expecting another baby soon?
Well, I am not God; anytime He blesses me with one again I wouldn't say know.

What if it's a set of twins?
It will be the best, I will take them.

For those who want to be like you; what advice would you give?
I actually don't like that statement, I don't want anybody to be like me, in fact, you cant ever be like me because there is just one Oge Okoye but if you be yourself, you will discover yourself and carve out a niche for yourself so that you can be recognized as you and not Oge Okoye.

What is next for Oge Okoye now?
I am thinking of how to delve into fashion, I have the creative/designing aspect of fashion and I am trying to exploit new grounds on that aspect. I am still on the planning stage anyway.

May we know who your husband is?
No!
So, how do you want us to address you Mrs. What?
Michael!

Oh! Mrs. Michael?
Oh my God! Oge Okoye is ok.

Let's have a brief insight into your family and educational life?
Well, there is nothing much to know about me except that I'm Oge Okoye, an actress, the only child of her parent, born in London grew up in Nigeria in the eastern part of the country, primary/Secondary schools in Enugu State, went to Nnamdi Azikwe University, Oka for my first degree, I read Theater Arts and graduated in 2004. What else? My dad is late my mother is still very much alive, she resides in Spain but she's very much with me now in Nigeria because of the business she does here she's going back soon.

And your husband, where is he?
My husband is not around, he lives in Holland and he comes home once in a while.

What is he into?
Don't worry about that!

What are hiding; aren't you proud to be an actress?
I am

Then you should be proud of what he does for a living when it's not armed robbery
He's into cars he's … that's my private life.