Why I don’t KISS in movies–Nollywood actress Ashionye Ugboh-Raccah

Ashionye Ugboh-Raccah is a woman of many parts: producer, director, scriptwriter and musician. Her first feature film, Journey to Self, has put her in the league of producers. She tells OVWE MEDEME about her life as a wife, mother and actress, among other issues. 

HOW have you been faring in the entertainment industry?

It has been amazing. I thank God, first of all, for my life and opportunities. I am an all-round entertainment person because I have moved from music to movies and to television. Presently, I am handling my own production. In all, it has been amazing and challenging.

What then are the challenges?

I have been in the industry for almost 15 years. At the moment, I am concentrating on my TV production company and we all know that the challenges in Nollywood are funding and location. So, those are basically the challenges I am talking about; that is, trying to raise funds for your film or TV productions or whatever production.

It is hard because not everyone outside the industry understands how it works or what it entails to get things done. People just see the end product on television at the end of the day and they criticise without knowing what the people behind the film faced before they got to that end product.

How will you describe the last 15 years?

It has been amazing. I started with radio and music. When I got into the industry, things were a lot easier because there were not so many people in it, as we have today. Back then, a lot of us went to schools. Fresh from schools, we delved into the job.

For some, while we were schooling, we were working. I got my first job opportunity on Cool FM as a teenager then. I actually auditioned for it. It is not like someone gave me the job on a platter. I also started my music simultaneously alongside the radio job. So, it has been amazing and I would say thank God I am still alive.

Was there a point you wanted to give up?

Never! I think I was born to do this. As I said, I am an all-round entertainer. When I am not doing music, I am doing movies or even producing. I just recently became a director. I directed my husband’s TV show. It is something for kids.

I am this kind of person who doesn’t sit put. I like to keep myself busy; there is always something to do. The entertainment industry is a big one. If I am not in your face, I am probably writing my next script to produce. It takes a lot of process. I have never, for once, thought of quitting. I took a two-year break when I got pregnant with my son to raise him and I came back.

More at: thenationonlineng.net