Nollywood actress, Yvonne Jegede speaks with Shade Wesely-Metibogun on starting a comedy club, love life and sundry issues. Excerpts
2022 is almost coming to an end, can you make an assessment of how the year has been for you career-wise?
The year has been very productive, stressful and everything positive that you can think of. I can say that it has been a very good year for me, I have seen and experienced a lot of progress. The Nigerian factor will always want to interfere in some of the good things, but we are not giving up, we are still pushing.
Have you been able to achieve most of the goals you had at the beginning of the year?
I can’t say I have been able to achieve all, maybe 60%, but like I said earlier, it has been an awesome year for me.
You recently started a collaboration with Wave Beach. What is it all about?
I run a comedy club at Wave Beach on the island. I am a lover of life, I also love to laugh and I have been thinking about the problem in Nigeria and the fact that it never ends, so I thought of hanging out with my friends one day and forget my sorrows. That was how the idea of setting up a comedy club came to me. I know a lot of people want to laugh. At least they have to forget about the series of problems they are facing and laugh once a while. The best thing is just to have a platform where we all can get together and laugh once a while about some of those things. You might pick a movie and watch it but it might not be as funny as you would want it to be. I guess the club would be able to meet that need.
How has the experience been so far?
It has been a whole different experience so far. It has opened me up to new and different audiences. I might be in the showbiz industry but I am an introvert. That is why people hardly see me on red carpets or at events. I like to be in my house but the comedy club has kind of brought me out. I meet people every day and it is a good platform for me because I am getting new contacts. I don’t regret it, it will soon be two months and people have heard about it and are positive about it. Some people also call me about it and promise to turn up and they actually do, so, it’s really a good thing.
Comedy is the least thing one would think you will have interest in. What actually spurred it?
A lot of people rate comedy from Tik Tok and Instagram but those people are only repeating what others have done, they mimic voices. I am a humorous person. If you have watched most of my movies, even the ones that I have to put on a very serious character, you will still have a kind of humour in it. Virtually all my films will make you laugh, my humour timing is on point. It’s not about abusing people in a humorous way, or saying things out of context. I don’t think anybody is as humorous as I am in Nollywood. That’s a fact, my mannerism is funny and I love to laugh and relax. I tried to join the Tik Tok thing, repeat what people have done but that is not me. That is not humour for me. Every clown will do the same thing and laugh. If you are an ardent watcher of my work, there is no way you will not laugh when you watch my movies. When you sit down with me personally, if you no piss for body , that be say no be me. I am not good with my phone and the camera when I am having fun, I don’t reach out to my phone. Maybe that is why I don’t have content to post but you cannot categorize anybody to be as funny as I am in Nollywood.
How challenging has it been?
It was challenging at the beginning but right now, I wouldn’t say it is anymore. Then, the people were not aware. Then getting comedians to come on the platform was a lot of work. Some of them would turn me down but now, the story has gone round, people know that is what I do now. People now approach me to ask if they can come on the show.
How have you been juggling the two?
None of them is actually in the way of anyone. I still go for my acting job. I was in Asaba, Delta State for two weeks on location. I have an anchor who takes care of things. I really don’t have to be there if I have to be away. But initially, I had to be there but I have been able to build my team, the manager of the club is hands on, so it doesn’t affect anything for me at all.
What are the things you enjoy most as an actress?
One major thing I enjoy is the favour I get. People want to do certain things for you, which is one of the huge benefits that come with acting. Apart from the fact that it comes with other disadvantages, that is one major thing I enjoy. You work in the bank, you are in the queue and someone walks up to you and decides to help you because you are an actress. It opens doors for you, if your name is out there, a lot of doors will open on their own accord. The negative aspect is the fact that there is no hiding place for you anywhere. Everybody has an opinion about your life, the things that you don’t do will be judged at the comfort of their homes.
You cannot post what every other person is posting, if you do, they will challenge you and remind you that you are a celebrity. There are some things you cannot do, it becomes an abomination once you do it despite the fact that they are all doing it. For instance, if you go for a divorce, they crucify you and troll you because of it. And this is something people in their homes, churches and streets do too. But they make it sound as if it is an abomination. They go on the internet and abuse you for it. A celebrity bleaches and trolls go on the internet to abuse them, meanwhile that is what their mothers did in the 80’s. That is just the society that we are in, everybody has an opinion about your life.
You are one of the few who has maintained her dark skin colour over the years. Have you ever been tempted to tone your colour?
It is not something I will do. I am not interested in changing my skin colour. I am comfortable with my colour. Some people believe changing their skin colour will make them more beautiful, some even go for plastic surgery. Some will change their skin colour and tell you they can never go for plastic surgery. Everyone has their own desire and what they would want to do to look beautiful.
I just think we shouldn’t judge them because each and every one of us has something we are into. Some people might never want to change their skin or do plastic surgery but they are busy buying ridiculous things. Some people are doing drugs with their money. Not changing my skin colour does not mean anything to me to be honest. If you want to change your skin, go ahead and do it if it makes you happy.
Marrying Campbell, a movie you co-produced last year clinched nine awards at once. How were you able to do it?
It was a team work though the story is mine, the script was mine. When I shared the idea, my producer jumped on it and said he liked the story. We got some people from America to come on board. I was surprised how the people were pulled on board. The movie was done, it had the touch of a director and it was re-edited again. I will say it was proper teamwork.
What does it take to produce an award-winning movie?
First of all, you have to come up with a good story. What kind of story do you want to sell? What kind of movies would you want to go to the cinema to watch? Once you have that and you have a good story that would give them what you want, then you put your money and good cast to interpret your idea together as well. That’s it.
How have you been coping taking care of your son alone?
We are doing well, I cannot complain at all.
What are the challenges of being a single mother and the fact that you have to juggle your career with it?
I don’t have any challenges. I have my family with me, my parents live with me so it is easy to get up and go to work without having to worry about my son. He is always in good hands.
You hardly talk about your growing-up years. How was the experience?
There is really nothing to talk about my childhood, it is just like every other child out there. I think every parent must have had a blueprint. When I was young, I would go and hide when my father came back from work or I would run and pretend that I had been reading my book. So, there is nothing wow to share apart from the fact that I got everything that I wanted from my parents. I was not a spoiled child. I went to good schools and I got all that I needed. I had my meals, I had my siblings around me. I was beaten when I needed it, just the regular things. In those days, they would beat you as if you burnt down the house if you committed any offense, there was nothing special about it. That’s just it.
Are you looking at giving love a second chance?
I am not looking but if it comes, I will enjoy it. I am not looking to be honest. I am not sitting down and wishing or hoping that a man will come and sweep me off my foot, no, I am not. If he comes, why not, I will be glad and accept him, who doesn’t want to be serenaded or pampered. It is even the last thing on my mind to be honest. If he comes, fine but I am not thinking in that direction at all. I am not bothered, I am not looking.
I have people who are making advances, I am a beautiful woman, you should know that such will happen every now and then. I am very busy, I have my hands full. I have projects that I am working on. Anybody that you will bring into your life now is either that they are coming to add to you or to take away from you. They will either solve your problem but I don’t think anybody in Nigeria is in a position to solve anybody’s problem right now. This Buhari’s Nigeria is not smiling. Adding to the problem on ground is not what I want at all.
