I GET WOOED EVERY WEEK DESPITE SCANDALS ...EMPRESS NJAMAH

Source: nigeriafilms.com

Empress Njamah, a sensational Nollywood actress, is haunted by enough scandals to last a lifetime.
But do the scandals bother her? Have they cost her anything? Empress spoke on this and other issues concerning her to Spectacles, this week.

Born to a Nigerian father and a Cameroonian mother, Empress exploded into the showbiz industry way back in the mid 90's. Since then, she has remained relevant, holding her turf, scandals or not.

She comes from a family of artistes. Her elder brothers, John and Aquila, have made a mark in the industry as well. Currently, Empress is on set with John for the soap, Bachelors.

She spoke with Spectacles on what it feels like working together with her brother on the same set.

“Being on set with him is fine. I know I can be a pain in a very uncomfortable place to him while on set, it is fun though. We work together; we help each other with the lines and expression. By the time we get on set, we wouldn't need much rehearsals any more. He is really nice to work with aside from being a pain some times.” Empress said she was not inclined to marry an actor, no matter what.

“I don't think ... In short, I know I will not marry an actor. My brothers are there because they have love for it. I also have love for it. I think it will be boring doing the same thing my husband is doing.

I do not see myself marrying an actor.” Empress enjoys acting, but she knows her time would come to an end one day. How does she look forward to it?

“Every actor has his time. We should not fool ourselves. There would be a time when you would not be needed again, others would come and take your place. It is a common thing,” she said.

Having that at the back of her mind, the actress dabbles in bridal make-ups and interior décor whenever the opportunity presents itself.

“I have always had a flair for colours and I love playing with them. I love furniture, I love to lay my hands on things and create something entirely different. I do make-up and interior décor. It was not that I had it at the back of my mind that I would get into those areas. It was just that I did something for somebody and another person asked her who did it, and she mentioned my name. Like that, I started doing those things.

“A friend of mine came to my house, saw my room and asked if I could re-do her interior décor just as mine. I came out with something entirely more beautiful and like that, jobs started coming.” For the while she has been in the showbiz industry, Empress said it had been very challenging; but what really puts her off is the clique syndrome that she said existed in the industry.

“The truth of the matter is that the clique thing is affecting a lot of people. There are different camps everywhere and if you don't belong to one, you may likely find it difficult getting jobs,” she explained.

But even at that, Empress said she was not ready to join any camp. She would rather stay without a job.

“I do not see myself joining any clique. I do not see myself hanging out at the theatre with some others, discussing everything about nothing. If anybody needs me, if you have a job for me, just call me.

There is nothing that will make me lobby for a job, nothing.” For somebody who sounds so principled, it is curious that so many scandals trail her around.

Reports had in the past circulated that Empress was a kleptomaniac; busybodies also said she had turned into a cheap beggar, begging for recharge cards as low as 400 Naira.

Empress derisively laughed off the allegations, saying, “Me, Empress, beg for recharge cards? The whole issue started when one boy in my house stole my phones and money and ran away. Before I could block the lines, he was posing as my personal assistant. He was calling all the numbers on my phone, telling people I was engaged in an accident and I needed help and money. Many people wanted to help out. Somehow when I got to know about it, I quickly blocked the line. I do not beg for recharge cards.” As if the recharge cards issue was not enough for the rumour mongers, they came up with the allegation that Empress was a lesbian.

“I am not a 'licky', licky o. Lesbianism is one terrible thing in the Bible that God does not like. I am somebody who is close to God. I don't joke with my Sundays and Wednesdays. The rumour is the product of people with warped minds.” Guys should rejoice that Empress said she is not a lesbian. She is blessed with a figure that men would drool to have.

Incidentally, when Empress came out with a boyfriend for all to see, the rumour mongers changed the story line, saying Empress is a multiple-men babe. On this the actress was exasperated, saying, “How can I be a lesbian and also be a babe who dates many men at the same time? I don't know what else to do that will please the world, I don't know again.” The kleptomania issue has been on for a long time, Empress still recalls how it started.

“It happened when I went with a friend of mine to the airport and he gave his jacket to the security man to hold for him. He later retrieved it bofore jetting out to the United Kingdom. When he got there, he said some money got missing from the jacket and he was asked whom he gave his jacket to; and because I was with him, his secretary who never liked me and thought it was the best time to really blackmail me said I was the one he gave the jacket, and that I took the money. Before I knew what was happening, the news was all over town.” Indeed, the news spread big time. Many swore party. I was on my own o. I didn't sit with anybody o, the next thing I heard was that a girl said I stole her make-up bag. She claimed she was one actor's girlfriend. But that is a lie because the actor is my cousin and I know his girlfriend. I learnt that the girl said she was going to deal with me. I guess the best she could do was go to the papers and say I stole her make up way to my destiny.” She further told Spectacles that the rumours nearly cost her the relationship she was in at the time.

“At one point, it nearly cost me my relationship.

After I explained everything, he understood and we continued. Though we are not together anymore, it wasn't the scandals that made us to break up. My family and friends have always stood by me. I don't really have any cause to be unhappy.” Even the most hard-hearted babe might have gon e under with the quantum negative things being said about her. Not Empress, nobody, nothing would make her go under, no way! She said, “I am not going to run away. All over the world, it is a common thing that actors have one scandal or the other written about them.

Come to think of it, nobody likes reading positive thing. Nobody wants to read that somebody is doing well. Because of that, people will continue writing negative stuff so that they will be read.” Even with all the negative stuff, Empress said she had many admirers.

“Come on girl! The guys still keep pouring in. I have loads of admirers. I don't think there is a week I don't get a 'toaster.' I am not lacking in that department. Oohh, it is so nice to be 'toasted.' I am a woman and I feel happy each time a guy admires me. It makes me feel good and it makes me feel I am on track.” With the loads of admirers, is it not high time she chose one and settled down with him, Spectacles asked.

“I will get married when I see the guy, fall in love with him and get to understand him and he begins that they saw the lovely actress being beaten black and blue by his brothers for dragging their family name in the mud. Others said that since she couldn't stop this terrible habit which they said is in-born, her family took her to a church so that she could be delivered 'by fire, by force.' But Empress denied all the accusations.

“We laugh about it at home now. You can imagine me, going to a church so that I would be delivered!” But it seems the light finger issue keeps coming on and on. Recently, another babe accused Empress of stealing her make-up bag. Haba! She said, “See me see wahala o! I was invited to a until I die.

They want to destroy me. They want to destroy my future. It can never work for them. If they apologise to me publicly, I will probably forgive them but I will never forget, never.” Naturally, Empress said the scandals got her sad and depressed, but “I have learnt to live my life. I will not allow such to mar my happiness or get on my bag.” As much as she claims she is close to God, Empress does not see herself forgiving all the architects of the rumour.

“I will never forgive them. I am stamping my feet on the ground as I am saying this. I will never forgive them. I will keep cursing them.