THERE are only very few actors of the Nigerian acting skies that are at ease on stage, television and on radio. The humble, talented and versatile actress Ijeoma Grace Agu is one of them. An alumnus of the prestigious Royal Arts Academy a 30Nigeria Award recipient from the Theatre Royal Stratford East in the UK, talk of an actress of immense range, a core professional and one thespian who always tries to put a stamp of quality on her performance and fingers will point to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka graduate of Biochemistry whose acting career started in 2007 with a feature in Fidelis Duker’s rested television soap Eldorado. Reputed as one of the few female actresses in Nigeria to have successfully staged her own one-woman show titled ‘A Chronicle of Heroines’ funded by the Bank of Industry and where she played 8 different female characters, Ijeoma has been having a good run in the motion picture industry since she took the decision to venture into acting full time. With a pouch filled with acting credits including being a part of the ensemble cast that performed three Nigerian Plays at the London Olympics in 2012, Ijay as friends chose to simply call Ijeoma has featured in productions like ‘Finding Diamond Jo’, the musical ‘Hood Rush’, Michelle Bello’s Flower Girl, the horror flick KPIANS and the psychological thriller ‘Misfit’. On television and on stage, Ijay is hot. She has featured in a number of television soaps and stage productions like ‘David’s fall’, ‘Catwalq’ ‘About to Wed’ and Fred Agbeyegbe’s ‘The King Must Dance Naked’. Nominated severally as best new actress, Ijeoma made her directorial debut in the short film ‘Bi-Umbilical’, a story set in 1888 on the killing of twins. Described by close friends as a very adventurous but simple lady, Ijay disclosed in this interview that her mantra remains that ‘A man’s talent makes a way for him’.
ACTING comes naturally to you. Did you study acting or train as an actor?
Yes I did a certificate course in acting and had over three years stage acting experience with Wole Oguntokun at the Renegade Theatre. However I still yearn for more training in film and acting for the screen. I am passionate about acting. It has always been something I was passionate about from a young age. I love creating my own make believe world.
So at what point did you realize that you could actually do acting professionally and what was the motivation?
Having read a lot of interviews of actors and watched numerous films, I knew this was something I wanted to do with my life. Prior to entering the university I had made up my mind to become a professional actor. As for the inspiration, I would say that I am usually very self motivated, so I didn’t need anyone to prod me. I was inspired by the fact that it is a God given talent that had to be put to good use.
What are you originally from and what were your parents’ dispositions when you decided on acting as a career?
I am from Ntueke in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State. I grew up partly in Benin and Lagos. I attended Franej International Schools for my primary and secondary education. Then did my Bachelors degree in Applied Biochemistry at Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Then I did a certification course in screen acting at the Royal Arts Academy.
Growing up was memorable for me. My sisters and I would sing, act, dance, play games, and participate in sports. In fact we were our own entertainment. I am lucky to have really cool parents. They have been supportive from day one.
Can you recall your first day on set as a professional actor?
Yes it was on the set of a television series ‘Eldorado’. We had filmed far into the night and when we were done I didn’t know how to get home, as I was not mobile. Luckily a fellow actor gave me a lift.
How many movies would you have taken part in and which of them would you consider your most memorable?
I have not done a lot of movies, yet, like I would really want to do. But I have done a couple including ‘Kiss and Tell’, ‘The Choice of Aina’ and ‘Misfit’ for which I had a starring role. The movie recently screened in France as part of the Nollywoodweek Paris Film Festival and the reception for the film was very humbling and the interactive sessions encouraged me to associate myself with daring stories and directors who really think about the kind of stories they want to tell. As for most memorable work, I think every role I have played has been memorable in a way or the other. Although ‘Misfit’ stands out for the simple fact that it was the first time I was headlining a film and it earned me invitation to film festivals abroad.
Has it been rewarding for you as an actress or you are thinking of quitting for something more rewarding?
It is rewarding for me in that I am doing what I love and get paid to do it. Quitting? No. This actor is going to be here for a long while. And in terms of the pains of the profession, well loss of privacy is something that comes naturally with the job so its something you have to get used to whether or not you like it. Luckily for me, I look quite different on screen, so I am able to move around unrecognized.
I hear you are married to Daniel Oriahi who directed ‘Misfit’. Was it on his set that Daniel and you found love?
Daniel and I had known each other just professionally since 2010 and there was no physical attraction whatsoever. However during the course of shoot, I discovered what a respectable and honest person he was and after the movie things just happened really quickly for us. And I am grateful that things are also working well for us and I will say it is because Daniel and I are very passionate about what we do but equally we have deep respect for family and personal life. We are working on balancing our roles.
What do you do when you are not on set or when you don’t have any wifey duty to perform?
love to swim, dance with Daniel in the privacy of our home and sing out loud! I also love going to Karaoke. As for my favourites, I love Afang soup and anything to swallow with it will do. My favorite color is Cream
What aspects of the challenges facing Nollywood do you want speedily addressed?
I feel the industry needs more talented and disciplined professionals handling every aspect of the film process. From better scriptwriters to financiers, productions to distribution you can’t overlook one aspect over the other. Let everyone occupy their own niche.
So what does the future hold for you?
Well I am a blooming actor and that is what I really want to be remembered for besides being a good wife and mother. As for the future I would be where God has destined for me to be.
