The story of Nollywood is not complete without mentioning Zack Orji, former chairman of Actors’ Guild of Nigeria. Ina recent interview with SUN, he taked about his marriage and kids – how he wooed his wifey and how his first son had to wear girl clothes after he was born because they had prepared to have a girl not a boy – see excerpts below:
I have a number of memorable moments. When I proposed to my wife and
she said ‘yes’ was memorable. Prior to that, I had not proposed to any
girl. I still remember the night or early in the morning we have gone to
a party. During the party, I took her outside and right there proposed
to her and she said ‘yes’. I always remember that day.
I also remember
the day my son was born. It was always a memorable day because the
result of the scan had said that baby would be a girl. Based on this we
had bought some clothing for a baby girl, which I took to Eko Hospital.
He was born thereabout 10.28 pm and by which time I had left the
hospital and gone home and by the time I returned to the hospital with
more baby girls wears and the nurses said, ‘congratulations’, you have a
baby boy. I didn’t think I heard them very well until I got to the
ward, that my wife told me and I saw it was a baby boy.
So the first few
days, he wore the clothing of a baby girl. I always remember that day.
There are so many other days that are memorable to me. I always remember
the days when my two daughters were born. My first daughter came ten
years after my son and second daughter two years after the first
daughter.
Also, when I produced my first film, which was Love in Vendetta in 1996 and my directorial debut was a movie called, Web,
which was shot in Lagos and Accra. I was part of the Executive producer
of the film. There are lots of memorable days both in terms of my
career and in terms of your family.
What has been your worst embarrassing moment?
One of the embarrassing moments I have had in my career was when we did the Glamour Girls thereabout 1994, I was in another set, when one man, Alex from Punch newspapers approached
me and asked whether it was true that I have been suspended from my
church. I felt very embarrassed because I knew I had been suspended from
my church. He didn’t get any clarification and went ahead and published
in the newspaper that I have been suspended from the church.
Another time, I was walking along the street, some people accosted me
and asked, ‘is it true that my wife broke my head with a stick?’ It was
quiet embarrassing. Apart from these, I can’t really remember any
embarrassing moment I have had.
How do you relax?
Most of the times, I don’t go out. Except the appointments I had I
wouldn’t have been out today. If I don’t have anything serious to do
outside, I just spend the day with my family, especially now that my two
girls are on holidays. My son graduated two years ago. He studied media
with television at the University of Bradford, England and doing his
national youth service right Nigeria. This period of holiday I just
spend it with my family when there isn’t anything serious to take me
outside. I also relax writing songs, playing guitars and writing movies.
How did you meet your wife, you said proposing and her acceptance was one of your memorable moments?
My wife is from then same place with me, Mgbowo, Awugu local
government in Enugu State. Immediately after my youth service, I met my
wife. I graduated about 30 years ago; I studied Estate Management at
University of Nigeria, Nsukka and also, studied Media Enterprise. So, I
met her immediately after my youth service, we dated for three years and
got married.
How does your wife feel when she watches you in movies playing romantic roles?
My wife understands the occupational demands of the job because she
herself is an actor and a costume designer and so understands the
occupational demands of my job. By the way, it is not every film that I
do that is romantically inclined. It is just a few of them. So, when the
responsibility comes I go ahead and do my job and she doesn’t disturb
me.
Have you left acting because you are hardly involved in movies?
I may not be as active as I used to be because I have a lot of other
responsibilities. I’m a media consultant to some companies, as resource
person organising workshops and training programmes for young people who
are desirous of a career in films in different crafts and lots of other
responsibilities I have. There have been moments I have received
invitations to star in films but my schedule couldn’t accommodate them,
so, I had to turn down the offers. However, I’m still acting, I still
produce and direct movie.
