Don’t blame me if my clothes do not cover my boobs — Yvonne Jegede

Yvonne Jegede, one of the girls that featured in
Tuface Idibia’s “African Queen” video made a
stunning comeback to acting after several years
of being away from the industry.
Since her return two years, she has been
inundated with movie scripts that have kept her
very busy. In this interview, she recounts the
story of her journey into Nollywood and her
personal life.
By ANOZIE EGOLE
Since you came back to acting after years of
being away, how many films have you featured
in so far?
You know I have been away for five years. I
returned to the country in 2012, after my studies
abroad. From 2012 till date, I have featured in
about eight to ten films.
I travelled to America for further studies
immediately after featuring in 2face’s “African
Queen” video. I studied International Relations
in a University in Cyprus.
Why didn’t you study Theater Arts?
A lot of people have asked this question. But I
think I just wanted to study something outside
of what I am used to, so that, I can broaden my
mind.
Your name has become a household name in
Nigeria. What would you say is the secret?
I cannot tell you what the secret is. But I am
just doing what I know  how to do best. I leave
the rest to God. He has been the one who has
lifted me up and I am very grateful to Him.
Aside, acting, what else do you think you can do
better?
I am solely into acting for now, trying to reach a
level where I can now live and divert into so
many other things.
At the moment, I am trying to stablise myself in
the industry having been away for a long time. I
want to get used to the new Nollywood that is
quite different from the one I left behind
several years ago.
You said, new Nollywood? What’s new about the
industry?
Before I left the country for America, there were
certain set of practitioners in the industry. But
today, the story has change. We now have new
faces, who have genuine love for the industry.
People who have so much talents that they want
to explore. It is very interesting to have such
people in the industry. It more challenging now
because, everybody is bringing something new in
the industry. The stories are changing and they
are becoming more diversified.
So, how do you intend to find your place again
in the industry?
The people are not my business. I am just here
to work. I just want to put heads together with
whoever I come across. Give me what you have,
and I bring what I have on the table.
What can you not do without as a very pretty
girl?
My eye pack because I love my eyes. I always
like to make my lips look good. For the
accessories, I can not do without my golden
wrist watch. I wear it anywhere I go every day
because it gives me good luck. I like big things
and that’s why I have to get a big wrist watch.
What does love mean to you?
I am a lover of love. I love to love. I love to be
emotional.Love is something that I appreciate a
lot. Trust me, I am a good lover. I love my fans,
my folks, I love the people that matters to me. I
love to have people around me.
What is an ideal man to you?
I don’t even know what it is any more. But I
think people at different ages have different
perspection in respect of what an ideal man is.
He should be more intelligent than myself.
I need somebody I can learn from him. He
should also be able to take care of himself.
That’s an ideal man for me. He should not be
ugly.
Which part of you body do you think is your
selling point?
I think it is my brain. Talking about the physical
things that attracts men to me, it depends.
Some people say, it’s my eyes, others prefer my
lips and my boobs. So, I do not know. When I
love into the mirror, I love everything about
myself.
How was your growing up like?
While growing up, I wanted to be a beauty
queen. I just like getting attention. I was the
first child. For the first five years of my life, I
have the whole attention in the world. I am so
used to people coming around me. As a child, I
got everything I needed.
Tell us about your evolution into Nollywood?
As a child, I never dreamed of going into
acting.  I loved modeling, and how paparazzis
run after models. I never had acting in mind
until I met Charles Novia.
When I saw him somewhere in Surulere, I was
like; is this Charles Novia! And he turned around
and looked at me and said, do I know you? I
replied him, saying I saw you on the television
yesterday .
He quickly asked me if I wanted to become an
actress? I replied in the affirmative. He later
gave me his call card  and invited me for an
audition the following day.
That was it. While I was still working on the set
with Charles Novia, Uzodimma saw me and
insisted taht he would feature me in his music
video. The next day, I featured in the African
queen video. That was how I started my acting
career.
Who are the actresses you look up to?
I love Genevieve Nnaji. I am also a fan of Omoni
Oboli, and many others.
Recently you featured in the music video of
Sound Sutan. Do you have passion for dancing?
Sound Sultan is  a big brother. He called me
and said, I am shooting my music video. Can you
come around and give me your support. When I
got there, I ended up featuring in the video.
This is the third time, I would be featuring in a
music video. I featured in African Queen video,
Ego and now, Sound Sutan’s video.
Does that mean you are a dancer?
I am not a dancer. I am not a video vixien. I
can go and sit down and have a class cup and
champagne. That is different from dancing. I am
not a dancer.
What will you say fame has robbed you of?
The good and the bad. Good, in the sense that I
can walk into anywhere and get favour ,especially
in the banking hall. Sometimes, I would be
standing in the quene and somebody would walk
up to me and asked me how much do you want?
And the person would help me to make it faster.
But the ugly thing is that, you will not live your
life the way you would want to.
You attacked Ghanaian actress, Yvonne Nelson
on your twitter handle last year. What triggered
off the attack?
I am not going to comment on it. Everybody took
side with Yvonne Nelson, including my friends.
So, I am not going to say anything about it.
The whole world was against me. I read the
negative reactions of Nigerians online. I was not
expecting anything less. Even my own friends
who never had any encounter with Yvonne
Nelson took side with her.
You have a penchant for revealing some part of
your body, may be your boobs. What happened
today?
Well, it depends on the clothes. I have big
boobs, so, if the clothes are not big enough to
cover my boobs you would not blame me for
that. I am not the person who made my
clothes . I just put the clothes on.
You have passion for revealing some part of your
body?
It depends on my mood. If I want to expose my
back, I will do that. It goes with my mood.
Is it true that you dated 2face?
I didn’t date 2face. I only featured in his
“African Queen” video. I have never kissed him
before.
Are you not planning to get married?
When the time comes, I will get married. I have
never given it a thought.
It’s not about thinking, it is about the right
person coming my way. Many ladies have been
thinking about settling down for years now, but
Mr. right has not come their way.
You are saying that Mr. right has not come your
way?
Let’s take it like that. I don’t even have any
relationship right now.
Why is it that most actresses do not want to get
married?
How do you mean? Do you think that a lady
would decide to remain single. As a woman, she
still needs a man. If you do not have a man in
your life, it is so bad. She can never be a
happy woman.
Among the actors in the industry, who do you
have crush on ?
Someone asked me this question recently. But,
even if I have anybody in mind, do you think I
would disclose the person to you.  It is a secret
that I keep to myself. I am not going to
elaborate on that.
What is your take on the same-sex law in
Nigeria?
The answer to the gay law is that, we got some
group of people. If you support it, you will have
some people that will support you.
But if you are against it, you will also, have
some group of people who will also support you.
So, I am sitting on the fence. I do not want to
be on anybody’s bad record. But sincerely
speaking, I think for the federal government to
pass the bill into law, it must be a very serious
matter.
Can you play the role of a lesbian in a movie?
I can play the role but depending on the script.
If the script is conveying a moral lesson, yes, I
can do it.
So, it has to do with what message you are
conveying to the people.  Secondly,
notwithstanding, as an actress, I should be able
to play any role. But, I will gladly play the role
as long as I’m not going to kiss a fellow girl on
set.
What of acting nude?
No, I cannot for no reason. I have people I am
answerable to.
Have you been sexually harassed before now?
Sexual harassment in the industry have to do
with what you want. If you want to be sexually
harassed, you will be. I am saying that because,
even when I am walking on the road, or in the
banking hall, I usually get passes.
But it depends on what you want. I do not think
every  director would want to sleep with every
girl he comes across. Maybe, I am wrong but, I
don’t think it is possible. I have had the
experience where a produced would refused to
feature me in his movie because I did not sleep
with him. They might make their advances to
me.
Having featured in many movies, which of them
would you say challenged you most?
The more challenging movie I have done since
my return is James Town by Ifeanyi Onyeabor.
In the movie, I played a role that I have never
done before. Most of roles have always been
someone who is going to cry, or who has been
abandoned and so on.
But in the movie, I played the role of a drug
seller. I sold all sorts of drugs. I was meant to
move about with a guitar all the time. In this
guitar, I concealed all the drugs that I was
selling. But when nemesis caught up with me, I
got bruised. I was busy hurting myself and I
enjoyed every bit of the movie.
Would you say that the role interpreted your real
person?
My real person is funny and loving. I have got a
very good sense of humor that my friends can’t
even contend with, when I start making them
laugh. But, the roles I have gotten have nothing
to do with my real self. All the roles I have
played, none have really shown my real self.