(Video) Geraldine Obi: We Import Kaolin From SA, It Lavish In Nigeria
GUS ‘Context of Champions’ Last Girl Standing
Geraldine Obi, a homely Nigerian poet, actress, qualified engineer, and an entrepreneur who rules the world of modeling cum acting simultaneously, she is one of the most sorts after actresses in the Nigerian movie industry.
The model won the Miss Abia State pageant in 2019, won the Miss Glo Rock and Rule in 2010, made the first 35 at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant, and she was the first runner-up of Miss Nigeria Beauty Pageant, the 5.5 inches tall super actress also clinched the Face of Gaga pageant in 2012 making her a strong brand influencer and a beautiful vixen.
The actress hails from Akpahia Obio-Ohuhu, Umuahia North Local Government in Abia State.
Her turning point in the movie industry came when she debuted in the film titled ‘Circles of Fire’.
The author of ‘Blade of War’, ‘Zaira’ and ‘Eyes of the future’ grew up in an Air force base in Port Harcourt due to her father’s commitment as a NAF officer, she is the second among six children, according to the beautiful actress her parents grilled her and her siblings to fit into the woods, although she is from an average home and has learned how to be independent.
She has acted in over 100 movies and as a producer, she has succeeded with six masters, to her credit are over 10 awards, she is slated for the United Kingdom where she will be recognised by Zafaa Global Award, the award organizing body will use Zaira’s song, ‘Azunma’ globally for the London awards.
The Chemical Engineering graduate of Enugu State University has put in 10 straight years in the movie industry after she finished her mandatory NYSC at the University of Ibadan IRT.
The gap-toothed sparkling actress took a few questions from OLUWADAMILARE DANIELS. Excerpts;
What is in the making?
I did my first job ‘Zaira’ for Netflix the musical is out ‘Azunma’, and the second one I did is ‘Governor’s wife’, but I have done several projects in the past o, but Zaira is a big one for me.
What else do you do, apart from acting?
People don’t know me as a poet, I have doled out some poetry; ‘Love is Sacrifice,’ ‘Beautiful Nigeria’ Lonely Heart, ‘Ten Beautiful Things of Love’ they are all in history kid, I have done a lot of projects this year.
What is the correlation between Chemical Engineering, acting, producing movies and being a poet?
The difference is that Chemical Engineering is a course that I studied, I am an engineer so, I have a whole lot to offer, I have a passion for natural resources, and my area of specialization is Chemical Intermediate.
Yeah, it is based on natural resources, there is a product in Nigeria that people don’t know about and it is just wasting away, it is called China Clay also known as Kaolin.
What is Kaolin been used for?
The drugs you swallow are wrapped with Kaolin, the house paint contains it, the rubbers and ceramics also contain it, the Air conditioner the fan also has it, it is used to mould ceramics, we import it from South Africa because the leaders don’t know we have it, I read about it, and thoroughly studied it. That aside, for the movie I have a passion for it, I started as a model while I was in school, later I discovered my part in literature poetry.
Literature and poetry are still not in line with engineering.
Yeah, they are not, but there is a difference between somebody having talent, and someone with a passion for something who decided to study more within that area. I chose Chemical Engineering because that is the area I want to go in.
You must have had the idea of poetry before you decided to study Chemical Engineering.
Growing up, I did a lot of poetry but just wanted to study something different, poetry is a natural talent to me, so I can’t afford to go and study it for five years.
Have you had any controversy in the media?
Yeah, when I won as Miss Abia, I hammered on the point that models are the least paid in Nigeria.
I have about Seven crowns as a queen, Miss Nigeria first runner-up, Miss Global, Miss Gaga, Miss Glamorous and other pageantries.
When you won Miss Abia, were you cheated?
That’s in the past now, I was, my car wasn’t given to me, then I wasn’t happy with Abia State so, I decided not to do anything with the state again, until lately when Osita came out to vie for politics position. Abia has gone through a lot so when I saw Osita my hope in the state was rekindled, because I want the state to be fine again, so I decided to do poetry for him and tilled it; ‘New Abia.’
Home is home you know? The real reason I forgot my home town was that they abandoned me when I needed them most.
That was when I had an accident and my two legs were broken, it was the Anambra people that helped me so, I prefer them.
My mother is from Anambra though, I belong to the two states.
Can you tell us the unusual part of you that people don’t know?
People don’t that I am a full-packed artist; versatile in stunt making. That I am also a poet, people don’t know, they cast me based on my outward looks, my face reveals calmness, there is no acting talent that I am not loaded with, my capacity is undermined, except for nude, I can’t do that o.
Like diving into the water, coming out and other stunts, I am good.
Does it mean that you have not been approached to take part in nude scenes or you turned them down?
I have been approached several times but, I turned them down because I don’t like it, give me Karate make me fight, and I will do it gladly not me to come and open my breast and bum bum, the world is yet to see me, exposing those private parts are no longer intriguing if you like to go naked, people don’t even care about who the hell you are.
Does that also mean that you are fit for Gulder Ultimate Search?
I was in the Gulder Ultimate Search, Context of Champions, and I was the last girl standing in 2012.
What about Big Brother Naija, did you apply?
I did, this is my fifth time, so I’ve given up. I feel they don’t admit intellectuals anymore.
Do you think the BBN is monetized now?
Not really, but I think they have compromised, while watching I expected to see something more educating that could glue me to my seat but, what I saw was disappointing.
A few years ago when I was asked during the BBN audition; ‘if I go into the house what will I offer?’ My reply was that if we can do debates or something more engaging because I see all of us as role model, whatever we dish out, society learn from it, so what we are seeing now are crazy kinds of stuff that we were not expecting from BBNaija’s role models.
In a nutshell are you disappointed at what BBnaija is dishing out?
To be sincere, there is nothing new under the sun, I expected more from them, let them debate intelligently; let it be a gathering of intellects.
Like what the Empire did, everything is not about sex. Juliet Ekeson my friend won the last edition.
What does it take to date, Geraldine Obi?
Love does not cause a thing.
It depends on the understanding between you and your partner because I don’t look at characteristics when I want to date, I look at the person’s heart if it tallies with mine, and again our visions must be similar so both of us can work together, not necessarily assets because love doesn’t cause a thing.
With your tight schedule, how will you balance your relationship?
You have to create time, we are all busy so, everyone should strike a balance.
Concerning your poetry; filmmaking, how do you get inspired, does a minstrel minister into your subconscious mind?
Ok, I don’t look at things on the surface; I look deep to understand some intellectual things, although it is a misery that I don’t understand, I just managed to get the physics of deep thought together.
Concerning filmmaking, I don’t like working for people because I see the same story every day; like when I wrote ‘Zaira’, it was deep, I like writing deep stories, you need to script out what the World has not seen, these will give producers no choice than to patronize your intellectual works.
Do you do scripts for other producers?
I did all my stories, I’ve got other things to do but on a special request if contacted I can write for them.
What is the biggest risk you took to attain this height?
I sacrificed a lot when my two legs were broken during an accident someone else took the role I was opting for, I couldn’t walk for two years, my legs were drilled and iron rods were fixed in them so I could walk again, as I was there, I was still thinking about my next job.
How did it happen, were you cleared off by an oncoming vehicle?
I was coming from the African Magic Viewers Award in Bayelsa, where my movie ‘Wind of Destiny’ earned me an award, so I was heading towards Owerri for another job, it was a ghastly head-on-collision accident with a trailer, the accident took my legs, I couldn’t use them for two years.
How did it happen?
I was sitting in the front of the car but, because I was tired, and was feeling sleepy, people started complaining that I should leave the front seat so that, I won’t infect the driver with sleep, so I left the seat for a seat behind, that was the saving grace, 10 minutes later the lady that swapped seat with me died in the accident, while I lost my legs.
I thank God, and I appreciated the surgeon that worked on my legs; he did it well, I used a walking stick for a while even while shooting one of my movies.
When I went for Gulder Ultimate Search, there was one of the tasks where I was almost drowning, but when I remembered the N5m grand prize, subconsciously I rejuvenated back to life, (general laughter), the passion was crazy, I was fainting in the water at the same time remembering the Five Million Naira. (Laughs continue)
There is a reason for God to have spared my life, today I have produced six masters, my poetry is out, and I am still moving up the ladder because the World has not seen me despite the tribalism going on in Nollywood, I have my eyes on Hollywood since my first job ‘Zaira’ is nominated on the Global Award. God will give to you as far as your eyes can see.
Who will you want to pair with in Hollywood?
I like to pair with Angelina Jolie, I love her so much because of her strength, that is the kind of strength I want, but Nigeria is not giving me such.
What are the five things you can’t do without?
Prayers, My fruit routine
Reading, Travelling and
Exercise.
Why do you like taking fruits?
Health is wealth; fruits will make you look younger.
Nigerian meals are not too profitable to the system, so you must eat fruits it will help you to clean the junk in your system.
Can you give tips on the kind of diet a model should take?
Vegetables and fruits are good; it helps the heart to pump very well, and you shouldn’t eat at night.
Swimming does that too.
Swimming is an exercise, but many people can’t swim.
It is also good for a model to read too, read with your phone to know how to be an alpha lady with full confidence, water is essential too.
What is the kind of food a model shouldn’t eat?
It is not food o, for me a eat all the food, my advice is that the alcohol intake should be less, and abstain from drugs.
For drugs, some people are just addicted to them.
They should stop since they formed the habit.
Don’t you think it will be difficult to refrain from it?
It is difficult to stop right? But they started it, they can also stop it.
Some people stopped smoking Indian hemp for about Eight months and when they resume it, the consumption level became higher.
That is because they have not left it completely if they know the negative source of cannabis they will leave it; Indian hemp makes people to lose their memories. Doctors should tell them they have six months more to live, they will stop.
I don’t believe in attack, the devil is even busy now.
That time you had an accident did you not think of being attacked?
I felt God kept me alive for a reason, otherwise, I would have gone under, I have a foundation now, Geraldine Obi’s foundation, and it is doing very well. Devil will not leave Mark Zuckerberg to come and be attacking you, do you have money?
Laughter, which destiny you get, with your account in red?
As a growing up pretty little girl what were you thinking of becoming?
Yeah, I had engineering in mind.
And you live up to it.
Yeah, I did part of my youth service at Eleme Petrochemicals in Port Harcourt, at that time I was the one teaching them how to use that plant (Phloretin), after I graduated I went back there as a fresh graduate with hot brain but, I was told the company have been privatized and I couldn’t get a job there. It was sold to Indorama, an Indian company, and in the absence of that, I had to look inward to my talents; acting and poetry.
What is your favourite Nigerian food?
Ofe oha with Apu, vegetable salad and rice is not ruled out.
Do you have a political ambition?
No, I don’t, but I only did poetry for Peter Obi, I will prefer to be the voice of the voiceless; an advocate.
