UK Nollywood producer and actress, Theodora Ibekwe, in an interview with Osei Akoto for Nollywood Voice, sheds light on her plans as President of the UK Nollywood Actors Guild and the contrast between Nollywood in Nigeria and UK Nollywood.
AV Kindly introduce yourself as our readers would like to know who the real Theodora Ibekwe is?
My name is Theodora Ibekwe Oyebade. I’m an Actress; Publicist; Producer; Activist and Community Leader. Oh, I’m also a traditional Queen.
AV: For how long has the Nollywood Actors Guild UK been around and what has it achieved so far?
Actors Guild of UK Nollywood was formed early last year, 2015. We have managed to bring many UK Nollywood practitioners together to cooperate in putting together successful movie premieres. We have also represented a few of our members in a dispute with a Producer.
AV: What is the purpose of the Nollywood Actors Guild UK and what are the benefi ts to its members?
AGUKN is like any Actors Guild. We are here to represent our members and ensure that they get a fair deal when on location. We also aim to represent our members in negotiations for fair wages and conditions on location. We will protect their welfare through insurance. We will also foster relations with our Actors unions including those in Africa.
AV: What do you hope to achieve during your time as President of the Guild?
Well, the aims that I enumerated previously. I would like to have a Guild with all the UK Nollywood practitioners and have entered into successful negotiations on behalf of our members all over the world. It’s a long haul but I will make a start. I have a good team with me and should be able to make good progress.
AV: Will the Nollywood Actors Guild UK only represent the acting side of the Nollywood film industry?
No, that’s why I mentioned practitioners. The Directors will have their own Guild, so do the Producers, the Actors Guild will represent many other parts of the fi lm industry, cinematographers, editors etc.
AV: How would you say that Nollywood in the UK and the Nollywood in the Nigeria differ?
We all have a passion for the film industry. Nigeria Nollywood is ahead with content and experience and have authentic locations. We over here have better access to technologies but will tell African stories from a UK perspective.
I hope that we will complement one another though. We have actors going from here to film in Nigeria and vice versa.
AV: What activities should we be expecting from the Nollywood Actors Guild UK?
Our Summer Ball on 13th August at Holiday Inn, Coram Street, is the first big event. We will be launching the Guild and have many dignitaries lined up to attend. We plan to launch a TV series which will feature all the Guild members.
