Ini Edo

Ini Edo, second from a family of 4 (three girls and a boy) hailed from Akwa Ibom State from a mother who is a teacher and a father who is an elder in the church. She graduated from University of Calabar after a secondary school education at New Era International Nursery School. World Apart (which is the title of the movie she felt is really challenging to her) aptly described this pictorial glance of this talented actress as this blog feature your darling INIEBONG EDOEBONG of Nollywood. Come along!!!

Here is a recent interview she granted Punch Newspaper in January this year. Please read on.

Akwa Ibom State-born Ini Edo started her acting in 2000 while studying for a diploma in Theatre Arts at the University of Uyo. The Nollywood actress tells ADAEZE AMOS about her real self Do you wear those skimpy dresses you wear in your movies in real life?

I don’t wear skimpy dresses when I’m going out, even if it’s a party. I prefer trousers. I can’t remember the last time I wore a skimpy skirt to a party. I would rather wear a pair of jeans trousers. I’m not very good at wearing short skirts and being conscious of the way I sit, I prefer to wear something that I would feel comfortable in. Yes I wear skimpy skirts in movies, but it’s only because of the characters that I play. I hardly wear skimpy skirts in real life.

Who do you want to be like in the movie world?

I see myself as Ini Edo. Everyone can only be themselves. I intend to create my own pattern and be myself.

Was the ban placed on some top actresses responsible for your quick rise in the industry?

Before the ban, I was already shooting movies. In fact, I had the opportunity of working with most of the banned actresses. And during the ban, I had already started doing movies. People were already calling me to do movies for them. When you stay where you are and people start looking for you to come and do movies for them, that means that you have been accepted. What I’m saying is that Ini Edo had already started making her name before the ban.

You are dating Mike Ezuruonye...

No, I’m not dating Mike Ezuruonye. I think the rumour came about because Mike and I were doing too many movies together at some point. How can I be dating him when I have a relationship already? It’s absurd.

What does your dream man look like?

My dream man must be comfortable and God fearing.

How did you discover your acting talent?

As a child, I always knew I had this talent in me. This was why I always grabbed the opportunity to act in church drama. While in school, someone invited me for an audition. I went there, performed well and later got the role. But my parents did not really like it. They insisted I complete my education before going into acting. I had to beg and convince them before they allowed me to feature in my first movie called Thick Madam in 2003.

What determines the roles you play?

This depends on a lot of things – the story, remuneration and the people I am going to work with. I do not act for the fun of it, but because I love it and I enjoy it. The storyline must be very strong. It must not be just any kind of story. I do not like everyday stories with flat characters.

Who inspires you?

I get inspired when I watch young girls like me making it in the industry. If I have a good story to work on, it gives me a lot of inspiration. God and my love for acting also inspire me.

What was it like on your first time out?

I was not nervous because I started with stage performance. It was not really a new thing to me. At first, I felt a little bit intimidated by the presence of known stars, but, as time went on, I got used to it.

Who and who contributed to your growth in the industry?

A lot of people contributed to my growth in the industry. Ikenna Igwe encouraged me to take up a career in acting. There was a movie they produced sometime ago. My course mates invited him over, and he gave me a role.

Which is your most challenging role so far?

The most challenging role for me so far was played in a movie entitled Worlds Apart. That was the first time I was given such a lead role. I really had to come out of my own character to learn a new language, putting up an attitude that was out of my own lifestyle.

Have you been sexually harassed for roles before?

I have not been harassed by anybody, though people talk about harassment. I have never experienced it. It might be because I never came into the industry through the back door. I have overheard people talking about sexual harassment but, truly speaking, I have never experienced it. Besides, I believe that anything that you don’t get through the right source can never last for you. I worked hard to get to where I am today.

How do you feel when you act roles where you are kissed and fondled?

If you decide to take it, then you must act it. There are certain scenes that you may not like, but because it is your job, you have to do them. But honestly, no personal feelings are attached to the job. It is just pure professionalism.

How has acting affected your life?

Acting has affected my life positively and negatively. The negative aspect is that it does not give me room to attend to my family and friends. It takes a lot of my time. The positive aspect is the fame I have.

Will it hinder you from getting married at when due?

Acting will never be a hindrance to me. I will get married the moment I am ready for it. I am a woman and when I find the right man, I will marry him.

What do you think of Nollywood?

In Nollywood, there is too much of envy, but I guess it is everywhere in the showbiz world.

What is your educational background?

I graduated last year from University of Uyo. I now have a degree in Theatre Arts.

Scandal in Nollywood
Philip disvirgined me, Ini Edo snatched him from me –Ruth Okoro
Sunday, March 23, 2008

Though the gladiators are artistes, what is currently playing out in Nollywood is by no means a movie. So, it is no make-believe. It is a scandal of worrisome dimension and it is real life.

The dramatise personae include Ini Edo, Ruth Okoro, Emeka Ike, Jim Iyke and a US-based Philip Ehiagwina.

Ruth is based in the United States of America and was once married to Philip Ehiagwina.

She alleges that Philip married her in order to secure America Green Card. According to her, Philip abandoned her even when she was just recovering from cancer of the blood and started dating other girls in Houston, Texas, where he now stays.

Like a chicken that just arrived a new environment, Philip reportedly stood on one leg until he got what he wanted – Residency (Green Card) before he started playing big boy. Now able to shuttle to Nigeria, Philip allegedly dumped her for Ini Edo.

At a point, he was said to confessed to family members that he had to sleep with Ini to prove a point.

An infuriated wife, Ruth reportedly wrote Ini, pleading with her to “leave my husband for me”. Not only that, she reportedly warned Ini that Philip isn’t the kind of guy any girl could put her trust on. Ini allegedly forwarded Ruth’s letter to Philip, who accused Ruth of being unnecessarily bitter. That was the beginning of war among the trio.

Now the die seem cast, as the Ini Edo/Philip relationship has gone beyond bedmatics. Already, Ini, according to industry sources, might have accepted the proposal to marry Philip.

Nick-named Nollywood’s bad boy, Jim Iyke’ s alleged role in the current love war seems to portray him thus.

According to Ruth, she had always known Emeka long before her marriage to Philip. “He and Philip were friends,” she says. The duo of Emeka Ike and Jim Iyke were on the same location to shoot a movie, “The Preacher man”, in America. Ruth was later brought in by the producer and Jim Iyke who had been asking to date her despite the fact that Philip was his friend, put more pressure on her. It was there that she ran to Emeka for shelter.

According to Ruth, “I have always seen Emeka Ike as a big brother. Even till tomorrow I call him ‘Big bros.’

But Jim Iyke, obviously cashing in on her predicament, allegely made the moves to date her. Ruth claims that he once called her to report her husband to her, that he was sleeping with girls and frolicking with them at a club they were together. From one issue to another, both Ruth and Jim Iyke fell out, but the movie mended the gap. As a regular boy, Jim was said to have rekindled his request and kept asking until Ruth had to shout him down. He shifted his attention to Ruth’s friend, Jamaican lady. And pronto, he swept her off her feet.

At some point hence, it appeared that everyone had in fact abandoned Ruth. It was then that Emeka who was shooting another movie resumed location. It was a relieved and an excited Ruth that welcomed him. She reported what happened to him and expectedly, he offered to play the role of big brother. That decision was later to become Emeka’s albatross. And to make matters worse, Ruth played the role of his mistress in the movie.

Out of jealousy, according to Ruth, Jim Iyke called Philip and lied to him that she had been sleeping with Emeka.

Philip who had not seen his wife for more than two years hopped on a plane and headed straight to Maryland, the movie location. He was said to have gone to Ruth’s room and knocked three time but got no response.

In an earlier interview with a news magazine, Philip had alleged that Emeka Ike was actually in bed with Ruth, the reason they did not open the door.

She specifically denied, saying: “Emeka was not with me on that day. What happened that day was, we had gotten back to the hotel around past eleven. When they brought food, Emeka called me to come and take because they took the food to his room. When I got back to my room, I went to the bathroom. I was already in the shower when my room phone rang. I couldn’t take it and said whoever was calling me would call back. When I got out, my cell phone rang, and it was Philip my husband. He hadn’t called me for God knows how long.

He asked how I was, and I replied why he cares since he had not called me for years. He said Jim Iyke told him I was shooting a movie in Maryland and since I had told him earlier that Jim was asking me out, he said he would ask Emeka to keep an eye on me. I said you’ve been out of my life for so long and I’ve been fine, anyway thank you. Shortly after that he said he wanted to say goodnight that he was about to sleep and was in the kitchen.

Before I knew it, I heard a hard knock on my door but I did not answer because nobody has ever knocked my door like that. I called the reception and nobody picked up the phone. I also called Emeka’s room but he didn’t pick up. Later, a call came into my room and the receptionist said policemen wanted to talk to me. The policeman said a guy was disturbing them at the lobby, and asked that I come down. I informed him that somebody just knocked at my door three times so I can’t come out on my own but I would if they come to walk me out. Police came and peeped into my room and walked me out. Behold, the person I saw was my husband who just told me he was fixing his food. The police asked if I knew him, I said yes and no. Yes, because I got married to him five years ago and no, because exactly a week he got his Green Card, this would be the first time I’m seeing him. The police asked him the last time he saw me and he said it’s been a few years. The police asked him what he was doing there, he said one of his friends by name Jim Iyke called him that his other friend was taking advantage of his wife. The policemen said they don’t have the right to judge but if he abandoned his wife for so long and anything like that happens he has no right to blame anyone. He was told to leave the hotel immediately, he left in shame.

Emeka had no idea what was going on, it was in the morning that he was told. I’ve never dated Emeka before. I have never slept with him. We’ve known each other for a long time.

But Ruth, in her letter, is cursing the hell that her virginity, spirit of her unborn baby (she said she suffered a miscarriage due to shock of discovering that her then husband impreginated a girl in Houston, Texas), her money and fame you are trying to work for now will unite and fight you. Philip, according to Ruth, was responsible for her miscarriage because of the trauma associated with the discovery of his philadering.

Ruth is a runway model who has done a couple of works with Beyonce. She is now venturing into acting. She met Philip when her parents sent her to Nigeria to acquire some ‘Nigeria ness’.

Today, Emeka Ike is angry, as he alleges that Philip goes about scandalising his name; that he now reports regularly at Zone 2 Police station.

But I don’t even know where Zone 2 is. I was not invited by the police neither have I been there in relation to Philip’s case.

When we called Ini Edo’s number, the person that picked the phone said she had stopped using the number for over a year despite the fact that we spoke with her on that same number less than three months ago. Besides, the voice at the other end sounded unmistakably Ini’s. Jim Iyke who keeps changing his number was unreachable.