September 26, (THEWILL) – The showbiz industry is exactly as the name depicts. Without any written code of conduct, industry players knowingly or unknowingly share most aspects of their lives publicly. It is this showoff that inadvertently makes the industry thrive and, by extension, the players themselves. Little wonder, players seize every opportunity to show off their assets and acquisitions. The bigger and more expensive these acquisitions are, the better. Their private lives are also never off-limit, baring their innermost secrets to the public through various gimmicks. However, there is a very minute percentage of industry players who actually thrive away from the spotlight. Two of these are actresses in the Nollywood industry: Genevieve Nnaji and Rachael Okonkwo. The duo are not only famous, they are in a class of their own, having learned how to make news-worthy moves without fanfare. They have also managed to remain scandal-free for most their careers. But more important is their huge investments which they have jealously guarded from public knowledge. Long before endorsement deals between celebrities and corporate organizations became a thing, Genevieve was already cashing out with mouth-watering million-dollar deals from Nigerian Breweries, Unilever, Etisalat, Citron Energy Drink, fashion brands etc. She was at some point the Nigerian celebrity with the highest number of endorsement deals. She also seamlessly added movie producer and director to her resume, with her debut effort, Lion Heart, which earned her millions of naira after selling it to Netflix. But beyond acting and directing, 42-year-old Genevieve capitalized on her fame by investing heavily in the real estate business with her best friend and business partner, Chinny Onwuegbu, one of the daughters of Igbo billionaire businessman, Louis Carter. They operate their business under the business name, The Entertainment Network (TEN) and Stick and Stone Homes. Their portfolio includes property in Lagos, Abuja and Ghana.
Rachael Okonkwo joined the movie industry 13 years ago. She is as discreet as Genevieve, who she refers to as her mentor. The 34-year-old thespian is one of the biggest influencers out of Nollywood with endorsement deals from some of the biggest corporate enterprises in Nigeria. With several properties acquired in her name in Lagos and Enugu where she comes from, Rachael is also a lover of choice automobiles that she has managed to keep off social media. Despite their successes, these two have remained level-headed, stayed off needless drama, and allowed their works to speak for them.
Ivory Ukonu is a versatile journalist with many years of experience, with entertainment and society reporting as her area of core competence.
