establishing a career in music, she has had good shots at acting
featuring in M-net's produced Doctor's Quaters and Tinsel and later,
Lilian Amah's Jungle Ride which fetched her an AMAA nomination for
Most Promising actress.
Recently, she concluded production of her gender inspired movie titled
Journey to Self, where she is using the medium to denounce the
prevailing ill-treatment that is often meted to the women in the
society. In this interview, Ashionye talks about the project, her
acting career and what binds her together with her oyinbo husband.
When ask ,are you A feminist? She said
I'm not a feminist. If not, I wouldn't have been happily married with
a child. Actually, I believe in female empowerment.
"Journey to Self" is a story that is being relayed through the eyes
of these women because the same issues affect the men as well as the
children in their lives. So, it's a social issue addressed through
the eyes of these women.
How come you branched into producing films after a long absence from the screen?
After I had my son, I decided to take some time off the entertainment
circuit. While I was on vacation, I started writing. I was inspired
to write after reading various stories online, and in the national
dailies about a woman's situation in the society.
You started out with Tinsel, that was where you made your name?
Not really, I started with "Doctor's Quaters"which also was an M-net
production in 2005. That was one of my very first acting on television
and on stage, I did a "V- monolog: Nigerian story" and also, a stage
play titled "Once upon a Mad " produced by Kofi, a comedian.
Thereafter, I did a movie titled "Jungle Ride"which gave me two
nominations; Best Upcoming Actress And Best Actress at AMAA and Naija
Awards. "Doctors Quaters" was my very last television series before I
went into producing my own movie "Journey to Self".
While you lasted on the set of Tinsel, what would you remember as your
greatest undoing?
Tinsel was funny. I didn't have any challenge on the set of Tinsel.
Even the boy, Dozie who played the role of my son, he was equally
amazing. I learnt so much from the people on the set of Tinsel as well
as they learnt from me. May want to ask how I got on the set of
Tinsel, I travelled out of the country for a holiday and when I
returned, I was invited for a reading which I did. That was how I
joined the cast.
It wasn't difficult because their was an existing character and they
needed to introduce another character. I was asked to read for the new
character as well as the existing one. But after the exercise, I was
given the role of Monica Adewale which was the existing character.
Apart from acting , and producing, you also sing?
Like what one Rev. father said , if you have lots of talents ,don't
be shy to express yourself. I believe that I have lots of talents
which I need to showcase to the world; be it radio , television and
the big screen. I read Mass Communication in the university and I
guess, the knowledge I acquired from school was what prompted me to go
into radio and television presenting. The acting is inborn in me. I
will say I started acting at a very young age as well as singing.
What would you say marriage have done for you?
Marriage have matured me. As a single woman, there were certain things
I did that I can' t do now. Marriage and the birth of my child have
made me a lot more patient and matured person. I am a woman now. There
are some things that I look at now as a wife and a mother, and I
ignore. But back then, I wasn't matured enough and I thought I was.
I have been matured for over three years now.
How did you meet your husband?
I met my husband in 2001, we have known each other for over 11years.
We met here, in Lagos.
Is it a new trend where Nollywood stars are falling for the 'Oyinbos'?
This is not about going for the "Oyinbo's" or the 'Oyinbos' coming for
us. It's about the relationship. It' s not a matter of whether your
husband is black or white. It depends on the relationship you have
built over the years with him.
It depends on a lot of of things. And by the way, how many Nollywod
actresses are married to the Oyinbos? I don't see colour as an
individual in marriage. My husband doesn't see colour either. I
believe that the actresses that you are referring to, and their
husbands don't see colour too. That's why they decided to marry. The
world is one colour to me, but don't ask me which colour.
You might see my husband as a white man, but I don't see him that way.
After all, my husband was born in Kano and he speaks Hausa fluently.
He is a Nigerian as much as you are a Nigerian too. So, I don't see
colour in our marriage.
What was the reaction of your parents when you introduced him to you?
There was no opposition. My dad knew I have been in a relationship
with him for awhile. So, there was no reason for him to oppose the
marriage. He was very happy to welcome another son-in-law into our
family. The relationship between my husband and my father was
fantastic.
Now that you are back in Nollywood, have the scripts started flying
into your hands?
I have gotten some offers for movies that will shot early next year.
And I have accepted to star in those movies. They are two movies at
the moment.