I don’t need a man now – Actress Steph-Nora Okereke

Veteran actress, Steph Nora-Okereke is back with a bang as she is currently on set working on a couple of new projects…

In a recent chat with Entertain­er (Sun), the actress opens up on her new look and projects.

Read Excerpts:

You have been in Nollywood for 21 years, how has the journey been for you?

I have grown from strength to strength, from trials to tribula­tions and then to victories. The industry like I told you has metamorphosed into a grown baby and now we are where we are. Back then, we probably were taking a shot in the dark but now we know what we are doing and where we are headed. We have enough technical expertise and whatever. We can achieve anything now. We have the right platform because people are now investing.

21 years after, what is your most chal­lenging experience in Nollywood?

That is transcending from an actress to a producer. It was not easy. I started aspiring to be a producer very early. I had to deny myself a lot of things. My first attempt at shooting a movie was in 1995 and I only came into the industry in 1994. That tells you how long ago I have been working. To shoot a cinema film is a challenge I am fac­ing now because the picture is different and requires more funds.

What project are you working on cur­rently?

I always tell people that I am a dynamic artiste. I have my finger in many pies in the industry. Professionally, I am filmmaker, actress and scriptwriter. I have various projects I am working on right now. Talk­ing about acting, I am on set doing Family Ties. I am also on set shooting a movie with my friend entitled, Go Getters,and we are still shooting. Talking produc­tion, I am working on my first feature film entitled, Robata.

What has been the secret to your suc­cess?

Perseverance, I must confess. I am just one person who has not been lucky. I couldn’t scale the fence or come in through the window. I had to do the do and go through the rudiments. I had to do all the auditions and all the lobbying and had to work without getting paid. As a writer, I have written and written but the challenge I have as a writer which actually is my primary profession was that I was writing closet drama. Getting someone to tell your story the way you have written it was a big issue for me. Once I sold my script and by the time I watched the movie it wasn’t my story. I was so disappointed. Ever since, I have been producing my scripts myself.

Do you want to grow locks?

No, it is just natural. Also I don’t eat artificial food, I eat only organic food. I eat natural. I don’t do tinned and frozen foods.

Who is the man in your life?

God, what do you mean the man in your life?

I mean your guy

Oh!

You are young and beautiful, how could you say there is no man in your life?

(Laughter) Don’t you think I am looking this way because there is no man in my life?

But like they say, every woman needs a man

That is what they say, it is not what I know.

Tell me what you know?

Probably, what I know is that every man needs God but this is my private life, let’s talk about something else.