All through childhood, I wanted to be a super star –Sonia Ogiri, actress

Ogiri is a Nollywood actress who has gained reputation. The strikingly beautiful super star known for her lead roles on the screen recently survived a crash and her car was condemned beyond repair. Back to acting after spending some time in hospital, she tells Adaeze Amosabout her near death, lifestyle and motivation in the movie world.

Who actually inspired you to come to the movie world?

Movie stars such as Liz Benson, Joke Silver and Genevieve Nnaji inspired me to take to acting. They actually made me sit down and watch their movies. Each time I watched them, I would want to be known and showcased like them. Liz Benson’s beauty, for instance, used to throw me off balance. Each time I watched her movies, I felt like wanting to see her beautiful face all the time; I will just go off my own track. I remember telling myself times without number that she is beautiful. She is a fantastic actress.

Another thing that inspired me is the passion I have for acting. Right from childhood, I had longed to be known. I didn’t want to be a silent citizen that nobody would know, hear or talk about.

 What is your philosophy of life?

My philosophy of life revolves on my axiom, ‘what will be will be’. This is the cliché I have always held on to. What would come to pass will always come to pass. It might tarry, but it would still come to pass. This has been my key in life and it has been guiding me in everything I do, and in whatever I’m being faced with. For instance, if I’m facing any challenge, I console myself by remembering this philosophy. This gives me the strength to do that which I can do and leave the one I can’t do to God. Because I know that in all things, God is God and man is just man.

Of all the movies you have starred, which brought you into the limelight?

I would say it is Daniella. It was a movie that looked very much like ‘Palace of Sorrow’, another movie I starred in. In Daniella, Ini Edo and the host of others starred in it.

 Can we know a little about your fashion sense?

Fashion to me is anything that looks good. Something with good finishing and fits my body size. I don’t go for what is trendy or in vogue. I go for what suits me. I don’t believe fashion is all about unnecessary exposure. You can dress simply yet classy. You can look casual but sexy. It all depends on your poise or carriage. It’s all about how you flaunt it.

I have a good body but I don’t because of this, flaunt it anyhow. Therefore, I like fashion that is daring. That is why I love Rita Dominic. I don’t like to wear things that are rampant or common. I like to be creative with my styles. When you see Rita Dominic, she is always daring in her styles and creations. She wears things that are okay with her heart and go down well with her. It might not go down well with the next person. For me, I would go for Rita Dominic-kind of fashion. I even see myself being more creative in my own kind of fashion. I don’t do the trendy things people do, no matter the class of people that wear it. I could go for designer labels but I don’t follow vogue sheepishly.

What about this new movie you featured in where it looked as if you bared your whole breasts? Can you tell us about it?

That movie is a new project that we are doing. It’s a native movie where I played the role of a maiden in the palace. I was betrothed to a prince and right there in the palace, we felt we could express our love to each other. While doing it, we were caught pants down by a jealous maid who ran straight, reported and exposed us. They were angry because what we were caught doing was an abomination in the land. To cleanse the land, we were mandated to dance naked. My costumes and make-up made it look as if I was naked. It looked very real. The make-up artiste tried.

After surviving a terrible motor accident where you almost lost your life, you have got for yourself another Sport Utility vehicle, can you tell us about the auto crash?

It is only God that makes things work because with such an accident, one will just want to change his or her mind about driving. I was speeding at 120km per hour. I was within that range. Still my car somersaulted. You know it was just one of those days that the devil tried to do his work, but God intervened.

Since after the accident, how many movies have you featured in?

I have featured in  movies such as ‘To the grace of God’, ‘Okon’s Wedding’ alongside Funke Akindele, ‘Bishop Okon’, ‘Cry with Me’ and ‘When Tears Can’t Help’; where I acted as a young lady and later as an old woman in the same movie.

What were the thoughts in your mind while your car was somersaulting?

Actually, when the car was tumbling, all that came to my mind was God, blood of Jesus because it all happened in a split second. I knew in my mind I had a covenant with God that I will not die by accident. As I was somersaulting with the car, I was calling the name of the only one that saves. And indeed He never fails; he rescued me.