Nollywood veteran, Chiwetalu Agu finally opens up: Why I play wicked roles in movies...I can act nude

Chiwetalu Agu

Legendary Nollywood star, Chiwetalu Agu, has opened up like never before in this riveting interview that was conducted on a movie location in Asaba, Delta State.

Enjoy the zany thespian as he takes us through his public and private lives. 

It seems you are a very busy actor here in the east?

 Yes, I am quite very busy. From records, I have over 585 productions after Things Fall Apart. I keep records of all the movies I feature in. The person second to me is still in the region of 200 plus. The gap between us is still very far. By God’s grace, I get jobs every week. But very soon I will take a break.

 

Do you take all the scripts that come your way?

The high demand of my face in movies is not far-fetched. It is simply because of my style of acting and my unique way of interpreting roles. I am quite selective with the scripts I accept. If it is not up to standard, I either help the producer to boost it or I reject it out rightly.

Even when I am playing wicked roles; you will still need to laugh. Every producer or marketer wants my face on the jacket of their movies. I am a hot cake.

However, I have found myself rejecting jobs in Lagos state because of the traffic congestion and fear of area boys. It takes more than six hours to get to your destination and even more on your way back. The area boys in Lagos want everything either by hook or crook.

 

Was that why you relocated to the East?

Nigerian movie industry which is now globally known as Nollywood kicked off in Lagos. But it got to a point because of the high cost of life in Lagos and the dangers therein; we relocated to the South- East. I could recall that there was a time I occupied ‘Room 2’ of a very popular hotel in Enugu for two years. I was having jobs within the East on weekly basis. South East has gradually turned to a very wonderful home for Nollywood practitioners.  I don’t see why I should go to Lagos for anything, life there is too stressful. I keep wondering how working parents who live in Lagos take care of their children welfare.

 

How do you get to create those words, proverbs and cliché you are fond of using in most of your movies?

Well to be honest with you, I travel far to get those words. When I say far I mean, spiritually far.

God has also been on my side. He has used my acting career to bless me.

I’m not bragging but if you make enough enquiries nobody dead or alive do what I do. Based on my wonderful interpretation of roles and the constant use of different words in movies, I got the best actor award in the year 2002, and then I got another one from Christian Movies Association of Nigeria, 2009 for best actor of the year.

Each time people see any of my new movies, they rush to watch it because of their eagerness to find out my latest discovery. They know quite well that I don’t repeat cliché; it is totally something different in all my movies.

That is why I can proudly tell you that I meet with my ancestors to get all those words. Besides, you all know that with the unique nature of what I am doing, you would quite agree that you can’t get it from an ordinary human being. Things like atamu nshi kporonku (I have eaten dried faeces), Nshi ato na’ike (faeces stuck in the anus), Etimu aka na’nsi Aboki (I have hit my hands on Aboki’s faeces), Mmiri ama efi na’anya (It rained in the cow’s eyes), Mu na nwunye mu agba oto na abali (I am going to be naked with my wife at night) and several others.

 It is the kind of weird and funny words you would associate with our ancient gods but they are not living with us currently. So, I have to visit them to get inspirations. Each new one I get, I put down in my record book. When I use any I cancel to avoid a repeat. That’s how I make sure each movie comes out with its own unique cliché.

But aside that, I also commit every movie I want to do unto the hands of God. I could remember vividly, a movie I did with Ngozi Ezeonu where she acted as my wife. In the movie, she had six girls for me. At a point she insisted we try again to see if we will get a boy. I was just wondering the cliché to use, suddenly this one just clicked. ‘Uwa kpuru ekpu ka ina acho ikpu ozor’. Literally meaning, what is the essence of trying again after six trials gave us same thing.

 

You often the roles of a wicked or deceitful man in movies, do you sometimes exhibit such traits in real life?

After I acted in Living in Bondage, then did Taboo, I perfected the role of a wicked man in those two movies. Since then, instead of the producers to find another person to play such roles, they keep insisting that I am the one they want.

 

 

What are the challenges you face in interpreting such roles?

God has so blessed me that I have never found any character challenging. I interpret the roles wonderfully and make use of my lines effectively. Even the things I say, nobody writes it, so the producers believe I can go the extra mile to give them the best and I do just that. That’s same reason they always come back for me.

I am also grateful to God that most elderly people are using my movies to calm their blood pressures. A doctor based in Abuja once confided in me that they use my movies to cure and calm their patients High Blood Pressures, (HBP). They slot in the movies and allow them laugh away their sorrows only to recover after few weeks with little or no drugs.

 

Is it true that you hardly act with scripts?

Well the scripts I get acts as a guide, but the rest of the assignment is left for me. I try as much as I can to assist the producers and directors because their work is not easy at all. And most of them are amateurs, so I do most of my assignments well in delivering the best I can with or without their guidance.

 

The standards of Nigerian movies are becoming so poor and most Nigerians now opt for Ghollywood movies, what do you think is the way forward?

Well Ghanaians are very desperate; they can act nude because they don’t see anything wrong in it. And with that they are really trying to push our Nigerian actress out of the scene. An instance is the recent poster of a movie I saw posted in Asaba where the so-called very good girl; Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha was semi-nude. To my greatest shock she was wearing only pant and bra in the poster, Chioma really went bizarre I must admit. I don’t know if her husband actually approved of that posture. So you see Nigerian actresses are trying to do what Ghanaians are addicted to in order to bounce back to the screen.

That notwithstanding, I give kudos to her because if one wants to remain relevant in Nollywood, you have to stand on two feet and do whatsoever it takes to put you in place.

 I am also advising husbands of our actresses to be very understanding and allow their wives express themselves.

 

So are you saying that you don’t see anything wrong in Nigerian actresses acting nude, including the married ones among them?

Well, I wouldn’t say I support acting nude for nudity sake, but if the character you are meant to play has something to do with being naked, then go ahead and show the world how good you are in interpreting the character. For example, can one play a real market mad woman without pulling off her clothes?

I have seen a mad woman who was taking her bath in a gutter in an Express way, as she bent to scoop water with her hands from the gutter, she didn’t really care if her anus was facing the North or South. And when she was washing her breast with same dirty water, she didn’t care if the breast was standing erect or surrendered in defeat. She was just doing her thing.

So if you have to do all that in the course of acting, it is fine, so long as you are heavily paid for the role.

 

Are you saying you can act nude?

Yeah, why not as long as the pay is right. I would give in whatever it takes to interpret whatever role I am given.

Yes tongues would wag but before a week or two everybody would have forgotten what happened and your money would be smiling in your account. That means that our profession is paying fine. If I act nude today, I have a very understanding family, kindred, community and friends; they all know what it takes to be a versatile actor. As a result of my numerous achievements in Nollywood, I was conferred with

 a chieftaincy title by my community, so I am now addressed as Chief Chiwetalu Agu, The Oke mmiri na ezoluoha of Amokwe Town, Enugu State, based on my numerous achievements.

 

 

You are one of the pioneers of the movie industry; but the quality of our movies has dropped drastically, what would you say is the problem?

Well, as you know everyone wants to make money. Everybody wants to be producers and directors. Since then, the qualities of our movies have dropped. We have really lost track. That is why you see movies having part three and part four with different titles. People are really getting tired of same story line prolonged and sequenced into parts. They are using bad English in the movies, they garbage all sorts of wrong grammar and the producers won’t notice because they are not professionals.

Once I come to a set and meet any nonsense, I make sure I correct everything to the perfect position. Ranging from the make-up, props, camera man and costumes. I make sure everything is done right.

In my movies, nothing of such would happen. I now have a production called; Chiwetalu Agu Movies. We are working on different movies. We have eight ideas, which we will soon convert into good quality movies.  Children movies are part of our project, documentary, comedy, epic, tragic-comedy among others.

 

You have spent a better part of your life acting, now you want to diversify into movie productions; do you have any formal education in this new area?

 I have spent 32 years as an actor. I started in 1981 shortly after my return from West Germany. Then started off with one of NTA Enugu’s programmes; Ikoro. I co-produced the TV serials. Then I wrote another one entitled ‘Baby come na’. It was a story that centred on how the society treats widows and their children. I played the role of a deceiver who deceived a widow’s daughter to the beer parlour and exploited her. I was always saying the word ‘Baby come na’. So you see, this my way of repeating words so you can see that these my slogan did not start today.

After my stint with NTA, I did some other jobs before we did Things Fall Apart where I played the role of Anukwu.

I later wrote another script I entitled, The Advocate. But it couldn’t fly in NTA Enugu because of legal issues but I was advised to try NTA Lagos. So that was how I landed in Lagos.

But due to some unforeseen circumstances beyond my control, the script was killed. But as God may have it, he opened my eyes to see that Lagos is the place to be as far as Arts and Entertainment are involved. So you see, I have always been a producer, it didn’t just start today. But I am still working on my own productions.

 

So how did you see life in Lagos then?

Shortly after I arrived Lagos, I met Zeb Ejiro and I featured in his TV programme, Ripples, because mine was being delayed with protocols. He gave me the role of Chief Abunna. The character is a very successful Igbo business man who throws money around to get any girl of his choice. He battled with English language so he often uses Igbo interjections as a cover up.

It was this Igbo speaking aspect that made Chief Kenneth Nnebue of Nek Video Links to believe I would know how to produce Igbo movies and also know people who would be good in it. He called me and few others and told us all the story of Living in Bondage. It had no title at the time he narrated the story. He beckoned on me to get other Igbo speaking actors to star in the movie. I called Kenneth Okonkwo (Andy). Then he was still living with his elder brother at No 49, Emordi Street, Olodi- Apapa.  He was in Ripples too. I went to Mafoluku, Oshodi to look for Kanayo. O. Kanayo. They all came for the audition. The rest is now history.

Today I am a role model and the father of Nollywood. I always make my viewers laugh. I am a living legend in the entertainment industry.

That notwithstanding, I am planning to do something big in Nollywood very soon.

 

You seem so excited about this your forthcoming project, what is it all about?

The population of Nigeria has advanced to 170 million by the records. It used to be 162 million. It was also recorded that our population is growing at the rate of 3.2 yearly. That is why all these telecommunication companies are defrauding Nigerians. I think it is high time we use same measures to market our movies.

However, in the course of my survey, I discovered that up to 50million people buy my movies. More than 100 million watch the movies. If the minimum of 50 million people buy my movies, why can’t I get up to 50 million Naira per movie? That’s my conclusion.

I am going to explore that opportunity to produce, market and distribute my own movies.  I would through the internet let my fans know that my movies are out. I would also advise them to pay into a designated bank account. Then my distribution vehicle would take the movies to their door steps, be it at home or office. With that pirates won’t have access to my movies because it has been delivered to the different homes of my fans. I have many sponsors already, banks and other companies would be able to donate buses.

 

At your age, you are still planning big and tedious projects; don’t you think it is time for you to be resting?

I have been keeping records of what happened since 1981. All the movies I did, the character I played, what I used there as a slogan, the amount I was paid, the month it was shot, for my kids. When they are of age, they won’t have to look for a place to learn the act. I have many files at home. Just everything they need.

I believe I will live up to 200 years, my fans have been wishing me long life.  I am not going to die in the next 50 years. The man that gave me the name Chiwetalu Agu lived for 120 years and he trekked very far to give me the name. In fact, he trekked 18 miles. He was my grandfather. He gave me Chiwetalu Job Agu. Since he lived 120, I believe I will supersede him.  I am not scared; I am just 57 years old.

 

 The late Sam Loco Efe was one of your inseparable acting colleagues, what do you miss most about him?

Loco left a vacuum nobody else can fill; he was a very intelligent man. I have seen the way he helped those who forget their lines during production to remember it and continue, even when the tape is still rolling. There will never be a Sam Loco in our circle again. He was a very strong man. I remember the time he was struck by his enemies when he got a role during Festac 77. They didn’t want him to take the role, so they used charms to make his legs swell. Sam pulled through and performed well beyond expectations. We pray to God to give us somebody like him because we can never get anybody like him again.

 

How about Justice Esiri and Enebeli Elebuwa?

They were wonderful actors. I remember that even as a colleague, I used to buy their movies because I love their acting styles and uniqueness.  They were very diplomatic men. Master actors and role interpreters. They would have played a very vital role in the academy we are trying to set up for up and coming actors to learn from us. But they have gone, so sad.

 

What has life taught you?

I am a very religious person.  What you see on the screen is the direct opposite of my real person. I am a wonderful, well devoted child of God. By the grace of God, I don’t lack, Instead I give people. My philosophy of life is that givers never lack. I will make sure I imbibe it into the lives of all my children. They are going to do more than I did or that I am doing.

 

It has been alleged that you are an unrepentant womanizer and drunk, how true is it?

 I don’t drink. I even hate drinking.  People often assume that because of the roles I played wonderfully well. Roles like chasing a widow, I do it wonderfully well. You can see that in the role I played in the movie entitled ‘ Oke-Mkpi’. Because of the way a particular widow turned her waist while stirring her soup, I was sexually aroused and mounted on her. She fought me and chased me away. All that were in the movies, you don’t expect me to mount widows in real life situation.

 

Aside the tricky and wicked womanizer we often see in movies, who is the real Chiwetalu Agu?

I am the direct opposite of what I do in the movies. I am a good hearted man. Lover of humanity. I am a kind of person who always wants to help people in need.

 

As a very busy man; shooting movies every week, how then do you have time for your family?

Well, like I told you, it has gotten to a point I tell the producers to give me a break to rest and attend to my family. I have this tradition of taking my family to fine places to look around, whenever I am around. Since I married my wife, I told her not to work or sell anything. Her job is just to be my wife and wonderful mother to my kids. She plays a dual role of father and mother whenever I am out for a job. I made sure I provide all they need to be happy and fulfilled. I have five children; two girls and three boys.

 

How grown are your children?

My first son just got into secondary school. My second son will soon join his brother, while the rest are still in primary school.

 

Obviously, you must have married very late, why?

There is this thing with the Igbo men. They just don’t go ahead and marry like the typical Yorubas or Hausas. A typical Igbo man would want to build houses and live comfortably before bringing a woman into his life. We prepare the ground for the coming of our wives and children.

By the grace of God I built a very mighty house before proceeding to marry. Since then, we have been bearing children almost every year.

 

Could you still recall what first attracted you to your wife?

Honestly, the process was not there. Seeing, falling in love and all that.  A relative of mine actually found a wife for me. He was a police officer who had a problem and was later dismissed. He went to church to seek the face of God for the possible solution to his problem. There he met a woman he thought would suit my kind of person. He told me about her and the next day, I went to same church to meet her. Like a fruit that was very ripe and ready for consumption, I proposed to her immediately.

The first day she visited me from her Ikotun home, we made love and she took in immediately. Then we proceeded with the marital rites. I was almost over ripe for marriage, so after we got married, I continued pounding and pounding and we got four more kids.

 

By RITA OKOYE