By Christian Agadibe
Popular actress and star of Sakara Babe, Chinenye Uyanna, needs no introduction. Ever since she hit the industry, her career has been on an upward trajectory.
However, despite her success and having a throng of adulating male fans, she is yet to tie the nuptial knot.
In this chat with her recently, she opened up on her career and why she is cautious about jumping into the institution of holy matrimony.
Hear her: “Like I have always said, I don’t have to rush into anything. Marriage is not a journey of one or two days. It is for a life time. I am not planning to get married and then divorce. I don’t want to make the wrong choices. I want to get married with my head down. If I see the right person, trust me, I can get married today!”
Acting is her first love, would she quit acting if her future husband insists? “I can’t do that for any man,” she said, adding that “the man that brought me into this world is my father, and my whole family including my father supports me. Consequently, any man that is coming is an addition to my family so he has to support me. Like I said earlier, I am focusing on my family and if they can support me, any other additional person should support me.”
However, she gave a peep into what she desires most in a man as she said: “What I desire is a God-fearing man. I am looking for a husband in a decent man. And he should not just be someone decent, but one who respects God. A man that has the fear of God will always respect his wife and so will not be philandering. He has to be very truthful no matter how bad the story is, just tell me. Don’t let me find out myself because I am an open book, you can ask all my friends that you know. So, if I am open to you I need you to be open to me.”
Will her being a celebrity define who she will settle down with? “It cannot define who I settle down with. All I need is true love and happiness; that is all. You know some people out there believe that these people are not getting married because they are looking for a wealthy man. No, that is not true. I just need a God-fearing person that can take care of me; that is all,” she said.
Today this native of Anambra State actress who came into acting at age 16 has starred in over 50 movies, including Akwa Ndu, Ada, My Neighbour’s Wives, Catherine. Secret Desires, Rachael and Slay Queens, among others.
Recalling the perks of stardom she said: “Movie has done wonderful things for me, like on Instagram, some people say I want to gift you something and they buy stuff and send. Some will send perfumes, others will send hair products while some will send make up kits. Some will even ask for account number without even asking for your phone number and send money!
During my birthday I got almost N1 million from fans dashing me money because I did a live video and I categorically said ‘give me my gift.’ Before I could say Jackie Robinson some said ‘drop your account number.’ I did and bingo! Money was just coming in. I was shocked because I never expected it.
“Even this Christmas a lot of people dashed me things on Instagram. If I was not doing well I won’t be getting all that. Even though movie can bring you out, it some times can bring out fake news about you. Was it March or May, there was a blogger, I’m not going to mention names because I’m not here to make anybody look popular. The blogger published a rumour stating that I am a home wrecker. I was so happy because when I went to her page, a lot of people supported me; even people that didn’t know me were fighting for me. I wanted to reply her, but when I saw the comments I said there was no need, I had a whole army fighting for me. Trust me, movies have done more good than bad because that is the only scandal I have seen so far. So far so good, I am enjoying it.”
Her fans were puzzled recently when she displayed a baby bump sparking rumours that she was pregnant. Reacting to the incident she said: “It was for a movie entitled Bring Back My Wife. It is on Youtube. It is an Uche Eze production. It is about a man that wanted a wife, but didn’t want the wife to add weight. He was so obsessed with the weight thing that even when she was pregnant he didn’t want her to add weight. Imagine being seven months pregnant and your husband is insisting you wear waist trainer because your belly is too big! It is a very interesting story and I will like people to see it.”
Despite the craze about body reconstruction surgery among young Nigerians today, Chinenye Uyanna is not excited. She says she has no need for it.
Hear her: “You have met me. What do you think I am lacking? Am I lacking anything? Is it facelift I want to do? Everything about my anatomy is on point. I don’t intend to do anything; I am very comfortable with my body. Yes, a lot of people are doing it. However, if it is what makes them happy, fine. Some people would say ‘I don’t have flat belly, I want to suck out fat, or I don’t have a big behind, I want to add.’ But as for me, I am okay with the way I am. Maybe, when I give birth I might do tummy tuck, but that is in the future. For now, I am good.”
Secret to success
“My staying power is doing what I know how to do best and that is doing good stories and interpreting my character well. For me, success is when you are happy doing what makes you happy. When you are okay, your family is okay. I just want my family to be happy. Whatever I am doing today I am doing for them because they have been there for me. So as long as they are happy, I am successful.”
Regrets?
“I don’t regret anything in Nollywood; I have never regretted. There’s nothing to regret, it has all been about my work and it is something I do for a living. You call me, I come to work and I go back home. I have nothing to regret in Nollywood so far and I know I will never regret anything because this is what I have always wanted to do.”
