For anyone familiar with United Bank for Africa (UBA) sponsored Red TV web series, particularly The Men’s Club, Nengi Adoki needs no introduction. She has earned lead roles in movies, which has drawn attention to her. In this interview with eelive.ng, she discusses how she started out with the challenges she has faced and what she would love to change in Nollywood industry, amongst other things.
How best can you describe what your brand represents?
Well for me, I would say authenticity, edginess, and freshness. I will also say my brand is an extension of who I am. By that, you know a lot of people in the entertainment industry separate their brands from their true identities, but that is not the case for me. My brand is just an extension of myself.
The reason why I said that is because my life and the way that I have lived has been unique. What I mean by that is that I am a Nigerian-born actress who was raised in Toronto, Canada. I have moved to different parts of the world, spending a lot of time in the United States, likewise Cuba. All these things have defined who I’ve become and what I represent.
Unavoidably, as individuals we tend to see our lives through different spectrums and personally, that has helped my commitment in creating contents that are relevant in Nigeria, as well as the rest of the world and that’s where I’d say uniqueness comes from.
Due to the experiences I have garnered in different places I’ve been to or lived in, people often say “you are not completely this thing, and you are not completely that thing.” I think that’s probably what informs a lot of my works and how they show up.
Basically, when you ask me about my brand as an actress, you should think of authenticity, uniqueness and being edgy because I am not afraid to push boundaries.
When did you start your acting career and how?
Professionally, I started acting in 2013, and the reason why I mentioned that year was because that was when I officially graduated from acting school. I went to a performing act college, Sheridan College located in Oakville in Ontario, Canada. I finished there and ultimately became one of the first few students that got an agency in Toronto. So, with my agency, I was able to book my first official television acting role in a Canadian TV series, Lust Girl. That was my debut, and at that time, I started doing things professionally.
Unofficially or unprofessionally, I will say I have been acting before 2013, but I have considered myself a performer to be honest. My parents always knew I love to dance, and I love to sing. As a matter of fact, I thought I would end up as a dancer because that was how I started, but something happened when I was in the university in 2009, at the University of Toronto, where I was taking my first degree, and things changed. I started directing theatre shows which I wrote. So, while I was directing and telling people what I needed from them, I discovered that I was doing well as an actor. So, when I finished my first degree in Information Technology, I went back to school for acting.
Is acting something you have always wanted to do?
I discovered my love for acting and directing in 2009 when I started directing my small theatre shows at the university. I used to do dance a lot, which was a form of acting for me. So, from the moment that I knew that I would be a dancer, that was when I guess in my mind the acting side of me was awaken. But if I was very aware of it, I’d say, at the time when I went back to school, to go and study acting was when I knew for sure that acting was the way for me.
However, it is something that I really love doing ever since I made the decision. And it has been interesting because realizing that I don’t have to be just one thing makes it fun. I don’t have to be just an actor, I can also write, I can also produce, I can also direct, and I can also continue to dance, continue to sing which is why I love theatre. You know I am able to do all of these at once.
Were your parents in support of your choice of career?
Now they have been in support so much that it is hard for me to even recall whether they were not. Between my mom and dad, I’d say it was my mom that keyed in to what I was trying to do very early. When I started directing shows at the age of 19, you know, there were African shows and I was living all the way in Toronto. I would ask my mom to send some of the beads and headgears, and head ties, materials, clothes that we needed, and honestly this woman would make everything that I needed available in boxes and literally send them over no matter how much money they cost. She has really been the real OG. It took my dad some time to come around, but he did. Right now, he is so amazing, they are both so amazing. They completely support what I am doing and are constantly curious and eager to hear about my new work.
Is it right to say The Men’s club shot you into thin?
That is a tricky one, because we are fans of the show, I’m sure you must have noticed I was there in season one, and then I wasn’t in season two, and then I was back in season three. It’s really hard to tell because I think the one thing, I really enjoy about my acting career so far is the slow, yet steady progression of the recognition of my works and the kind of things that I am doing. In the season three of The Men’s Club, there are more eyes and ears, I mean a lot of people have started paying attention to me. I respect the love that people have for the show and I know that the love also rub off on my brand as an actor. But aside from The Men’s Club, when I did the first season, I was on Bovi’s Back to School. I was also doing a lot of skits with Elozonam. Truly, after The Men’s Club, I experienced the growth breadth in my followership, which was great especially after season three.
How did you secure your role in the series?
Well, I auditioned for it. They put out a casting call, I reached out to one of the producers who had put it on her page. She told me the time, the location and told me to come with a monologue. So, I went there with the monologue, I prepared, I got a call back and I was cast -we read and bang! I was in the series [Laughs].
To what extent has been part of the cast members helped you?
I will say more visibility, in addition to what I was already doing, I think the series is such a huge platform. It so successful right now, so it would be pretentious to say The Men’s Club has not helped me. I think the show is probably one of the top five web series to have come out of Nigeria. So, being a cast member has been helpful. I think my brand has gained more recognition and I am enjoying it.
For instance, everyone wants to know about the nature of my relationship with Baaj Adebule aside from our roles together in the movie; it is so hilarious. Baaj is an amazing actor as you all know, and obviously an amazing person, I like hanging out with him on set, offset and right now in case you didn’t t know, we are planning our honey moon, yeah, so please get on board; Lola and Louis forever, L&L forever (chuckles).
But really, you guys don’t have anything going on?
Wow! I am so close to giving you guys the honeymoon location for Lola and Louis. I am really trying, but I might just give you all the location so that you can come as we holiday away from all the stress, and Nigeria. But seriously, if you want to come, let me know and maybe I will share the location with you.
What are the challenges you have encountered in the course of your exploits in Nollywood?
The biggest challenge for me has been to consistently do and put out great work. As an actor, many people don’t realise that we spend a lot of time unemployed. It’s like you are one day working on a series or movie and however long it takes (maybe you are doing 260 episode thing, where you are needed on set every day for a year and maybe you are employed for a year or you are doing a film that will shoot for five days or two weeks, the contracts get done, and other times, you are less busy. It’s like everyone is shooting something but how do you consistently make sure that you are positioning yourself to get on a lot of great shows and great TV series that are telling the best stories both in Nollywood and beyond. I think that’s the challenge. Its more challenging when you are operating from Nigeria because it’s no secret that as far as Nollywood is concerned, we are still building, it’s still an infant industry, even though it’s been around in a long time at least in terms of structure.
So as an actor, especially an actor working in this space, it can be very challenging navigating the structure -just consistently getting good work, and figuring out how to sort of makeup in between gigs when you are not working, because you definitely have to keep the light on.
At the moment, I am striving to figure out how I’ll consistently get in front of more eyes, do the right projects, and collaborate with the right people. Also, as an actor you want to do these things and still have time to own your craft because it is one thing to move from one project to another. I think that is the other thing I face as an actor, finding the time where I can improve on what it is that I already know as an actor.
If you were presented the opportunity to influence a change in the Nigerian film industry, what would it be?
Hmm, this is interesting… To be honest, it’s really hard to tell, because there’s so much more to do. There has always been an issue with distribution, and I would like to make sure everyone is getting paid appropriately, with their royalties. Aside from this, I would also like to address the issue of finding quality talents and owning quality talents. For me, this means supporting institutions that are sort of turning out quality people and quality talents. When I mean quality talents, I don’t mean just for Nollywood, I meant on a global stage -so that there is a high demand for actors, producers, writers, and crew from this side of the world. So, it’s hard to tell, maybe that’s something that I need to think through to figure out.
However, what I am committed to doing is ensuring that as a writer, as an actor or as a producer, when I am making something or creating something, is that I am pushing the edge or the boundaries. This also translates to raising money the right way, hiring the right people. In the industry, there’s a lot of nepotism and favouritism, and I would like to address these problems.
You have also been aggressively active in the protest against police brutality in Nigeria, why? And what do you think about the leading role played by some women?
I am hoping that a lot of people feel as strongly as I am. In Nigeria, there’s already a lot that makes survival hard for people, especially young people. And when we are saying hey! stop killing us, we just really want to stop being killed. There’s a lot more Nigeria citizens can ask for, they could ask for water, electricity, healthcare, education, and for me, putting an end to police brutality is at least removing one of those agents that are obstacles in the part of young people looking to do better and be better as Nigerians in Nigeria.
So, for me, I am passionate about #EndSARS because it means freedom of expression, it means peace, and it means unity. If we can successfully stop police brutality, then that means we can also successfully create better education, better healthcare, a better system that will enable young people thrive. Everywhere I have been to in the world, Nigerians are brilliant, they outperform and a lot of times, are doing way better than a lot of their contemporaries. I don’t mean this in a spiteful way, it’s a fact and for me to come to Nigeria and live here and see that the same is not being replicated, not because the people don’t want to feel that way but because government has not created a supporting environment or thriving environment where a Nigeria citizen can really and truly be the best that they can, is heartbreaking. In my case where you get to see that, would you not be as passionate as I am?
That sums it up. I could go on talking about why this is important to me but another thing I would like to add is that there’s no reason why anyone should lose their lives to police brutality. Absolutely, no reason, there’s a lot already in the word that’s killing people, we don’t need to kill ourselves. I am extremely proud and inspired by all of the young women who step forward demanding for better. And I don’t even think this needs to be a woman century discussion; as the women, every single person should be out there fighting. I have nothing but love, respect, admiration for women, and I am inspired by our collective roles.