Got hooked into Nollywood after featuring in Arrested by Love with Jim Iyke few years ago, Ebube Nwagbo tells CHINYERE OKOYE about her fast rising profile as an actress in Nollywood and the challenges

“The first movie I did was with Jim and since then we have been working together as colleagues. Since 'Arrested by Love', we have been working together, but there has never been anything like romance between us. We have a very good working relationship and as good friends we have come a long way in the industry but not as lovers.” This is how Oluebube Nwagbo dismissed the rumour and gossip about her romance with actor Jim Iyke circulating within the Nollywood.

Oluebube Nwagbo, a fair and beautiful young dazzling lady with a fresh wave of youthful innocence, professionalism and quality acting who instantly became a household name actress that Nollywood producers brought to the limelight. According to Ebube as she's fondly called by friends and close associates, “I am not just your ordinary girl that seems to be laid back, though a good girl every mother dreams of and a wife many husband would wish to have. “When I started as an actress, I thought I would start up with some thing small but my director and producer gave me the lead role that I did not expect. I tried to bring out the little I had in me and it came out and people like it,” she said about her humble beginning.

She said that an old school friend of mine”told me about the audition, I started up from the East and there is a great difference between Lagos and Eastern States. I had to break that jinx and prove that if I could do it there I have to do it in Lagos. It was not easy, but I was able to prove people wrong. Though, I didn't make much sacrifice. It is God and hard works.”

Ebube attended Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State where she obtained both her National and Higher National Diplomas (ND and HND). She later went to Nnamdi Azikiwe University where she read Mass Communication. She also had a stint at the University of Benin, where she did a diploma programme in law because “I had always wanted to be a lawyer.” While growing up, she “loved watching television, but I never wanted to be an actress though I wanted to appear on television maybe as a lawyer or a broadcaster. It did not come out that way so one day, I made up my mind to act because I believed I could do what those people on television were doing. That was how I moved with acting.”

Of course, she had her fears. At first, she could not believe she could do it, but her director, producer and crew believed in her. “Again, I have not dated anybody. I have not dated any movie producer to get jobs. I worked with them did not mean there was romantic attachment. It was the platform I used to get recognised. The producers and directors believe gave me the opportunity to do it. “Everybody felt for the producers to use me frequently, they must have been dating me. No, they were not. Few weeks ago, Ebube in a cell phone conversation with THISDAY denied a romance between her and Jim Iyke. “I don't have anything with hip-hop singer, Kingsley Okonkwo (KC Presh) or Jim Iyke, I have my own boyfriend. I think God used them to bring me to limelight, and I made good use of that opportunity,” she said.

Male fans have not been easy for me to handle, but the only thing they can do is to call me on phone and I will just tell them that I am married. Many of them tell me they want to be my friend and they talk to me on phone, even if I am married for real they will still be pestering my life, she told THISDAY recently. “Honestly, I love my admirers talking to me because marriage is what every girl dreams of and I told God that I want to get married at this point in time of my life and I believe he will do it soon. Nevertheless, looking at what is going on in the life of some actresses that have tasted marriage, it scares Ebube even though she believes it is an individual thing. “I believe those of my colleagues never wanted their marriage to collapse. But it still does not matter who is involved because there are some good ones among them and I say if theirs could collapse what would happen to mine. I pray that I don't fall into that category.

“Looking back to my achievements, I am very happy with myself, being alive is something that I have to be very happy about. I am still very relevant in the industry, and it makes me happy too. I am not saying that everything is working out fine, but I thank God for who I am today. “Knowing that I am a very young girl at my age, I know that I still have a long way to go and I am very happy about that and I thank God for making me Oluebube, (God's work) because that is my name. I am very proud of my success so far,” she said smiling.