Why I’ve always played the chief’s wife

Oby Kate Okafor is a woman whose passion for politics and undying love for acting is something that would amaze anyone who knows her or comes face to face with her.

Popularly known as Lolo because of the kind of roles she plays in movies and especially as a welfarist, Oby disclosed how her career and journey into acting started coupled with how she became the national treasurer of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN).

Background
I hail from Anambra State and I attended Lagos Institute of Management, Lagos State. I am an actress, a businesswoman and also a member of the All Nigeria People's Party. I was in NDP before but I left for ANPP and became their National women leader.
I've always loved to act and when I was in school, I used to act. It was Dan Oligbo who invited me for a role in Living In Bondage. At first, they did not know the role to give me but later they suggested that I should play the Chief's wife and that was how it all started. Since then, I have been acting.

Roles
I always play the role of a Chief's wife. In Living in Bondage, I was the wife of a Chief, in Taboo, I played Igwe's wife and that is why they call me Lolo. I have played the same role in most of the movies like Red Candle, Supreme Lady, Angel of Destiny, among others.

Political ambition
I contested for the post of Treasurer because other people who have handled the positions in the past have not performed up to expectation. I am a leader. I believe I am very much qualified for this position. I have not had any problem in this industry with anybody as far as money is concerned.

Recycling artistes
Many artistes are being recycled because the marketers always look for faces that can sell their movies. Again, it's not true that you as a female artist or actress must sleep with a producer or director before getting a role. Girls of nowadays will do everything to get a role and they want to be like Genevieve, but most of them can't do it. They can't even act. The best thing for them is to go and start training, reading books like novels so as to improve their skills.

Satisfaction
I 'm satisfied with this job although I left it for a season to take care of my business. At that period too, acting jobs weren't coming as expected. So I used that time to run and improve my own business and to solve other family problems. My return to acting was not because I wanted to make money; but because I love the industry so much.

Inspiration
I loved watching Village Headmaster then and other films on TV and I told myself that I'd love be an actress. I've always had that zeal in me to act even from when I was in school. Because of my love for drama, I had to sponsor the writing of Taboo to demonstrate my love for the story.
Upcoming artistes
They have to be really patient. Genevieve did not just do it in one day and likewise anyone who is a star today. There were times when everyone suffered but because they were patient, they are where they are today.

Film industry
This industry is still growing and now that I've been elected Treasurer, with the support of the AGN president, we are going to make this industry work like Hollywood. We have not been travelling outside this country and going for film festivals and I know that Federal government is trying to invest in this industry. So with that, we can travel and make contacts and later return to make investments.

Winnies
Winnies is just a place where actors/actress go to relax. We were not asked to leave Winnies because of the rumours of our girls prostituting. The people who own the street only claimed that we are disturbing them, but we only make use of the beer parlours on that street for relaxation. And this is because the National Theatre annex where our Guild secretariat is located is not safe at night.