Yes, I play witchcraft roles, but I’m not a witch –Patience Oseni, actress

Patience Oseni has been in Nollywood for about 19 years. She has bagged so many awards to show for it. She is fondly known as End Of The Wicked mama as that was the movie that brought her into the limelight. In this interview with Adaeze Amos, she speaks about what she does to look healthy and keep at bay early wrinkles

You are a Nollywood actress?

I’m a Nollywood actress. From my look, I have a dual parentage. That is why some people used to wonder where I come from. My father is from Ogun State and my mother is from Calabar in Cross River State. That is how I came about this body frame I have. I’m a versatile artiste. I do bill board modeling.

When did you start acting?

I started acting since 1995. The first movie I did was titled ‘Deadly Passion’ for Opal Williams. I was young then. I acted as a pregnant girl in that movie. Emeka Ike was dating the mother in the movie and she didn’t know.

Was that the movie that brought you into the limelight?

No, the movie that brought me into the limelight was shot in 1999. It was entitled ‘End Of The Wicked’. I had a dual role. I acted as a wicked mother and as sweet mother tormenting her children. That movie was expository and until date, it is still relevant. The movie won four awards, including international prize. That even earned me a name from my fans. Some used to call me ‘End Of The Wicked’. Even after telling them that I was only acting, the name stuck like a leach. I never knew it was going to be so hot that even my fans still remember it. It was very popular in Europe; and was number one on African list of movies. It took so long before the movie waned; almost one year. It was so high in demand it sold well. I was even given extra money by the producer afterwards. That was how I was thrust into the limelight.

Do you enjoy acting as a career?

Right from my youth, I have been what I am. I love acting. It’s my passion, my talent; anything you want me to do, I do it for you, except for the fact that I don’t go naked on set or in movies.

Apart from going naked, is there any other roleyou won’t accept?

There is a way some weird roles can be interpreted. If you want romance scene, there is a way I do it without even being touched. I can stroke your nose and talk to you in a low, sexy bedroom voice. That is just it and I would go and collect my money and take a walk. Romance roles are not necessarily when you touch and smooch the person.

How do you cope with fame?

It is very simple. I respect myself a lot. Anyway I go, I ensure I don’t drag my dignity in the mud. I don’t insult people. If I like you, I play with you, if I don’t like you, I stay on my own. You can’t force me to come close to you.

Who are those you admire in Nollywood?

I admire everybody; we all have our roles to play. For instance, I can play the role of an old woman and of a witch. There was one I played and people were calling me witch. I hushed and reminded them that it was only an interpretation of a role. I’m not a witch; do I look like one? I interpret any role that has to do witchcraft very well but I’m not a witch.

How do you get inspired?

I get inspired by watching cartoons. I watch them a lot. In cartoon films, you will see old women at times screaming, that thrills me. That was how I got addicted to cartoons. Can you define your style? My style is simple. I’m not too much into heavy things because I have a very sensitive skin. I wear necklace depending on where I’m going. For instance, if I want to wear iro and buba, I would put on necklace as complement.

What are your aspirations for this year?

I was begging God to see 2014 because I know what it has got in stock for me. This year is going to be good for me, watch and see. It is going to overflow. A lot of goodies will come.

What new positive changes are you expecting in Nollywood?

This year, there would be no death in Nollywood. But let me also say that working from January to another January without good rest is not the best. Some of us don’t take care of their health. You would see someone today and you greet him/her very well, but the next thing you would hear the next day is that the person is gone. It is shocking. It got to the extent that I was now asking what was killing my colleagues like that. Let us learn to take care of our health. For instance, I cleanse my colon. In Cross River State, we douche. My grandmother used to do it and she taught me how to do it. In Calarbar, it is called ‘ukebe’. Herbs are used. It is pounded and filtered before it is used. As I was saying, I cleanse my colon, check my blood pressure, go for health check every six months because you may think you are healthy, not knowing you are not. In my mother’s place, we don’t overcook our food. Ten/fifteen minutes, is enough. You can see how smooth my skin is and how full and silky my hair is. It is because of good, natural food which is cooked half done. You know in Cross River, we have lots of food. We add vegetables to everything we cook. Let us watch what we eat this year. Let’s stop or reduce our intake of junk foods and eat more of vegetables and sea foods. As you age, you stop eating beef. Some sit and eat ‘nkwobi’, ‘isi ewu’ and gulp it down with beer as if tomorrow won’t come; please let’s watch it. I don’t smoke or drink. This reminds me of one movie I featured in. It is entitled ‘Street Kids’. I played the role of a prostitute and I smoked. If you watch it, you may think I’m a smoker, whereas it was what someone taught me so as to interpret my role well. The movie was shot at one prostitutes’ hostel and when the real prostitutes there saw us, they said they wanted to follow us.

Have you ever been embarrassed or intimidated by some of your fans?

I have never been embarrassed or intimidated to give fans money. I was born and bred in Lagos. If I want to behave like a tout, when you demand for some money like a tout, I would do so. You can’t intimidate me. I don’t fear touts. There is a way I would react and they would know that this is a crazy woman. With that, I have been scaling through. I know the body language they speak and their slangs. It is when you give them room that they would insult you and start demanding unnecessary money. There was a day we went to shoot somewhere, Bimbo Akintola and I. Some touts saw us and they were threatening us. They said they were going to pursue us into the river that was close there. I turned to them and asked them why they want to do so, whether we are fishes. Immediately, I changed my voice to the voice of a street urchin and started speaking their slangs. They just hailed me and said Mama, your eyes are too wide and hot, please you people can go.

Is there anything about Nollwood that puts you off?

At times, they would call and give me script. When I’m ready and waiting to go on set, I would be told that it has been taken away from me to another person. That is what I don’t like in Nollywood; it is common. But it also makes the world to go round.

What do you do to unwind when you are not at work?

I love reading magazines, watching movies, rearranging things just to keep myself busy. I don’t like thinking or brooding so that I don’t grow old. I don’t want to have early wrinkles.