For a long time
after her divorce, screen siren, Monalisa Chinda, has refused to grant press
interviews. But in a rare chance, the beautiful mother of one, who has been at
the centre of various speculations, spoke on a wide range of issues surrounding
her personality and career.
She
spoke extensively on her latest movie, foundation, cosmetic business and her
private life.
You
recently had a successful premiere of your latest movie, Weekend Gateaway.
Could you tell us what the movie is all about?
First
of all, the premiere was good. It went very well. I thank God for that and a
lot of people came out to show their support and the movie was produced by Ini
Edo and Emen Isong and I. It was directed by Desmond Elliot. It parades
A-listers, both young and old in the industry. We had to bring some young and
up and coming actors to act alongside seasoned actors which made it more
unique. The whole package was first class. It is already selling out in
cinemas. As at the time we got the review, we had made substantial amount for
just cinema opening. I really thank God for this project. Aside producing, I
also acted in the movie.
Is
this your second movie as a producer?
No,
this is my third. The first one I ventured in was Kiss and Tell, which was done
in 2010 and was premiered in 2011. The second was Catwalk. It was also recorded
in 2010 and was launched in 2012 and then this one.
Producing
has always been at the back of my mind as an actress and artiste. I think I
should speak the mind of a lot of people who are in the arts. They want to
diversify. They want to try new areas and to also show various capabilities on
what they can do. Naturally, we all want to try other aspects as long as it is
within the genre of what we do: entertainment. I wanted to do something
different. Right now, I am even going into theatre, live performances, which
are already dying in this country. So, people like me and a few others are
trying to resuscitate the already dying theatre culture.
Talking
about theatre, late last year, you featured in a highly promoted dance drama
called, Dance for Life. How soon are we going to see you do that stuff again?
It
was a benefit concert. Because the first one was actually done from my own
pocket, I am also trying to see how I can get corporate bodies to partner me to
bring the second season into life by the grace of God. I am looking at that
date for us to do something bigger than the first one.
Aside
dancing for theatre, do you also dance for leisure?
It
is not really about dancing; it’s a fusion of dance, proper play on stage with
all that stage works and not just necessarily going to dance for dancing sake.
How
often do you wriggle your waist?
As
a theatre artiste, we all do the three arms of theatre. That’s, dance, music
and acting. So, you must do each of the three and then specialise in one or
more. That show was my first time of dancing in public. I have never done
so in my life. Except in the past when I used to dance in the theatre, way back
in school as a theatre artiste. It is like 20 years after performing on
stage in school; I came back and did a grand performance late last year.
How
did you feel that day?
It
was a mixed feeling actually. Because of the massive turn-out and because of
the fact that a lot of people enjoyed themselves and didn’t want to go. I was
in between rolling on the floor with tears of joy and also praying that this
will continue. It was a divine feeling.
So,
in essence you want to revive the theatre with dance?
Yes.
I have always wanted to have an opportunity to revive the theatre, which is
dwindling already in the country. I’d always wanted to do that through dance
and thank God it has started. People look at dance as a non-productive art, but
I don’t think so. Dance is even more rigorous than acting. When you dance, you
tell a story through your body movement and all of that. You are able to send
out message; but if you are not intelligent enough, you cannot understand and
comprehend what message that is being passed. You have to love the art; you
have to love theatre; you have to love singing, opera, and all of that before
you will have a grasp of the message the performer on stage is trying to send
through dance. It was not the regular shows you attend. It was completely
different, it was more intense.
Back
to movies, ever since you started producing movies, how has the experience
been?
It’s
being tough. It is so challenging to think that half the time you are thinking
of how you are going to make back your money. Distribution is one of the things
killing the industry and driving most filmmakers crazy. People want to continue
to be relevant, but you are not going to throw away your talent because people
out there are not ready to support you. So, we try to keep the movie industry
alive by producing quality movies.
It’s
been a good experience and also knowing that I am getting older, I need to just
step aside for the new ones to come and explore. Even at that, it’s still
difficult for them now because there is really no artiste out there. I think we
are all coming for different reasons. We are not coming for the love of the
job. I don’t know; they just have this silly idea that oh, if I come out
they’ll see me and people will like me. No, it is not all about that. You call
an audition, for instance. Four thousand people will come for the audition and
you can only get five people. That five people would have gone through rigorous
screening before they are able to deliver their lines. That is why we keep
recycling the same faces, even when we are getting older and tired. We still
try to look slim and young, while competing with the younger ones, it’s really
not easy but we are going to get there.
Your
current movie was a joint effort. If you were to do any other movie, is it
still going to be tailored towards that direction, joint effort, or you want to
go solo this time round?
I
would like to go solo to see what it’s like. I will still get a seasoned
director to direct my movie, but I want to do it on my own basically, financing
it on my own. Once I can have an additional producer who can assess things and
make sure artistes are on set when they are meant to be on set. I am
looking at this year, by the grace of God.
Why
would you want to finance it yourself when there are grants from government?
I
don’t want to go there. You have to do what you have to do. You cannot wait for
approval that would take years.
Is
it that difficult to access?
It
is not our fault. I think it’s from the top. We make our applications and all
that. We have to go through a lot of due processes before a N10 million grant
would be approved. I Monalisa Chinda will not wait for that. I will see how I
can struggle to put funds together to do my movie. If I wait, I might lose it.
What
is binding you with Emem Isong, Desmond Elliot and Ini Edo?
I
think it is because you have to work with like minds and people who will not
really give you too much issue. These are people who understand. That doesn’t
mean we can’t try other of our colleagues who may want to join us, but I just
like that comfort zone. Sometimes, a lot of us don’t want to explore and then
get disappointed. So, we rather stay with people we are used to, but by the
grace of God, we would try others. If other of our colleagues like to work with
us, we would accept them.
Many
see your friendship with them like a cult thing?
No.
We are not getting funds in the industry from the public; we don’t need the
stress. We are using our own money. When money is involved, there is a lot of
sensitivity and we really need to have that basic understanding. The love of
money is the root of all evil. So, when you are working with people who
understand that this is what you have to bring, you have to have patience
because movie is not about seeing your money in two months’ time. It takes
time. We are looking at a year. How many people want to understand that you
have to wait for a year to see your investments in a movie or even more than
that?
You
recently veered into beauty products, which you kick-started with a perfume
line last year. How far have you gone with the project?
Yes,
I’m currently making plans for the launch, which is the proper thing to do. It
is called Monalisa Mcode beauty product. That is the name we are using for now.
Are
you partnering anybody?
No,
it’s my initiative. I have always wanted to do this. I went to the London
School of Beauty and Consultancy years back. I didn’t finish because my country
wanted me to serve. So, with the experience I got from there, I decided to
start my own thing here in Nigeria and would soon go international.
Who
is producing for you?
We
have a factory in Lagos and outside Lagos. We are doing it in a proper way and
not just getting kerosene and mixing it with something else. We will unveil the
products soon at our launch.
Is
it fragrances alone?
No.
We are doing body cream; we are doing hand cream. What is available now are
hand cream and body spray for men and women. Soap is alo available. It is going
to be affordable and also meant for everybody.
Is
it part of your retirement plan?
Yes,
if you want to look at it that way, yes. I am getting there. It is part of it.
Lets
talk about your Arise Monalisa Foundation. What’s it about?
From
the world go, in fact, when I hit my teens, I have always wanted to give. I
would have no shoes, my cousins would come and take the only shoes I had and I
would be walking barefooted and I wouldn’t feel any inhibition. I wouldn’t even
feel anyhow. My mother would ask me why I was walking without shoes and I would
say, ‘Sisi came and took my shoes.’ And my mother would ask about the other
shoes. I will reply that those ones were old. Basically, I just want to
always share things with people. Even when I started, I didn’t do it for
the public to know. When I was in Port Harcourt, I used to go to the motherless
babies home quietly, give whatever I had to give without waiting for Christmas
or Easter or any special day. It has been a way of life for me.
How
old is your foundation?
It’s
not up to a year, but my giving to the society has always been like forever.
What
is the next step for the foundation?
I
want to concentrate basically on women and the girl-child. A lot of women are
relegated to the background and hence it is affecting the girl-child. Whether
we like it or not, the world is ruled by men. So, some of us are not
necessarily trying to be in any competition whatsoever, we want to see how we
can protect the women from a lot of mishaps happening at the moment. There is
no week that gets by and you don’t hear that a girl is being raped. Those are
issues I personally want to address, hence my Arise Monalisa Foundation.
Also,
my TV talk show comes under the Arise Monalisa Foundation, because I will be
dealing with real life issues. It is not politically based. It is not religion,
but it is going to be dealing with life issues like domestic violence and
children being raped. I am not going to exonerate myself as one of those who
did not go through all of that, hence the passion. I want to see if I can
talk to the women. Sometimes, it’s not the man’s fault. Women also put
themselves in that position where they are always being molested. You need
wisdom to be with your man, whether you like it or not. In any relationship,
love is never ever enough. I don’t like this I love you so much, I cannot do
without you stuff, who wants to hear that?
In
essence, you don’t believe in love?
I
believe in love. Love is the main reason we are even sitting down here. But
sometimes, it is really not enough. You want to get things done. You have to
take that emotion out and be real and address situation as it is.
When
is the talk show coming up?
I
don’t know yet. There are so many things lined up this year already for me.
Honestly, I don’t know, but it will come on air very soon. There is no name for
now, but I have a working title, which I am not going to divulge here.
I have to create time for myself and for my
child by managing the spare time I have judiciously.
If
you are not working, what do you normally do?
If
I am not working, I am out of the country. I am next door here, Ghana or Togo.
Or I’ll just sleep for one week; that’s all.
What
are the things that give you joy?
I
like being in the company of people who are not judgmental, who are real. I
like to be just happy irrespective of what is happening in the country. Even if
everywhere is burning, I just want my space. As long as I am being protected,
I’m fine. I also like to travel to some exotic beaches and being alone with
God.
Not
a man by your side?
If
the man is available, yes, but I just want to be with God.
How
religious is Monalisa?
I
am from a religious background – Anglican. I still remember all the moral
teachings from when I was five or six years old, including my mother’s first
Bible story as I sit here with you. I used to be in the choir way back when I
was seven. I go for choir practices. I went to an Anglican school, Archdeacon
Crowther Memorial Girls School. It’s a convent school. I am quite religious.
Your
father was murdered. Do you still miss him?
Every
other day that goes by, I think of that man and God bless his soul; he was the
reason I am doing what I am doing at the moment. My late dad would give his
last kobo to those who do not have. So, I took after my dad. My mum was a
career woman; my dad was the one that always saw that we were well taken care
of in all ramifications. My dad was a good cook. He studied in Germany and most
of his life was in Germany. In fact, he is a German as far as I am concerned.
He was always making sure that the children were well taken care of. My mum was
a career person before she retired.
You
were once married and the marriage crashed. Is Monalisa having plans of
remarrying? In fact, recently a marriage rumour trailed you, but you denied.
Let’s hear from you. Do you have plans of settling down in the nearest future?
I
would love to. I am designed to be under a man. I am not going to lie that I
like the single mother thing going on, but whereby there is no one at the
moment; it is not like a do-or-die affair for me though. I have been there
before and anything I am going to do now has to be done right. I won’t say
because this one happened and the second one happened okay, I’ll just move on,
no. If I take any bold step to settle down, it has to be right, by the grace of
God. I am not ready to make another mistake, otherwise I will remain the way I
am.
Do
you believe in marriage?
I
believe in marriage. Whether you like it or not, it is the best option.
How
soon will the bells toll?
I
honestly do not know about that and I honestly can’t tell.
But
you will remarry.
I
just told you that I am designed to be under a man.
Have
you found love again?
Why
are you asking me that question? Love is neither here nor there. I am a lover.
I mean, I love to love. When I say that I love to love, what does that tell
you?
There
is this rumour that you are in love again?
Is
there anything wrong with that?
Is
there any man in your life as we speak?
Yes,
there is.
And
they say he is Lanre Nzeribe. Is he?
No
comment.
When
are you walking down the aisle?
I am not going to be roped into this
controversial question.
People are also alleging that you are pregnant. Is that
true?
You
can see me. I am not pregnant.
What
would you say you regret most about your past?
I
don’t think I regret anything really but the only thing I regret is the fact
that I am divorced. I am from a royal family. Where I come from, I am the first
person to be divorced. There has never been on record that the first daughter
will leave her matrimonial home, though it has to do with life and death,
otherwise I would have stayed put to make it work. I tried to make it work but
this sort of thing is not left for one person alone. Two people would have to
come together and agree. That is the only thing I regret, having to raise my
child without her father. It is painful, but it is better that way than having
a little child growing to see all sorts of violence. She would be
dysfunctional. Apart from that, God has a reason for that.
Between
when you left your former husband and now, what would you say life has taught
you?
I am stronger and wiser now. I have known
how not to get involved in anything emotional. If you are too emotional even in
a relationship, you don’t get to think. You don’t let emotions overrule your
sense of reasoning. I have understood what it means to be very patient and to
persevere and also be careful with people around me. When you think somebody is
your very good friend, you end up finding out that the person is actually the
enemy within. I have learnt all of that because I have been alone and exposed
to all of that. While I was in my marriage, I didn’t really go out. I just do
my work and go back home.
In the midst of all these crisis and challenges, you
have appeared so strong, bold and courageous. What has kept you going?
I
am a very strong-willed person and also an open-minded person at the same time.
I know who I am. It is only when you do not know who you are especially in
Christ that you will succumb to all sorts of pressures. Whether we like it or
not some will say, she is a hypocrite or he is a hypocrite. That is not the
case. I am a godly person. I am not a perfect person either. If I have done
something wrong, I quickly run to see how to make amends or look for solutions
to the problem and repent from whatever sins I may have committed. I am highly
determined and focused. I do not go by what people say. If for instance, you
are my partner, manager or whatever, I don’t see the negative things going
around me, I see the person that I know. I see the truth in the person, I see
sincerity in the person and as long as it is not affecting me adversely, I am
fine with it.
If
your ex-husband comes back sober, will you accept him?
No.
I have moved on. He has moved on. He is married with kids, how is that?
Could
you comment on Nollywood at 20?
Nollywood
at 20 is something a lot of us are looking forward to. We have come a long way.
We are the second biggest movie industry in the world. That is a good
commendation although we have our many challenges. We have gone through a lot
bringing Nollywood to where it is today. It is about time for us to be
celebrated at 20 years of movie making.
Do
you have a political ambition in the nearest future as a famous actress and a
brand?
That
shouldn’t be overruled. I don’t have any for now, but if it comes, I will
accept it.
How
has it been working with Glo as an ambassador?
It
has been rewarding with lots of activities here and there. We are going about
promoting and talking about the brand and all of that and they have made a long
lasting mark. The man on top, Chief Mike Adenuga, has done a great work for
this country. He has made it in such a way that a lot of people can afford to
make calls wherever they are in any part of the country and beyond.
Does
your little daughter miss her father?
She
doesn’t know her father. She was barely a year when I divorced. She is just
five now.
How
would you describe yourself?
I
am just the girl next door with no airs around her. Because I know who I am, I
try to be as humble as I can. I am not a difficult person. I try to reach out
to people always.
What
will make you cry?
I’m moved to tears when I see people who
are really struggling in life. There is so much money in this country, yet
millions are suffering daily in the midst of plenty. I also get moved to tears
when I see innocent people who are being accused and convicted wrongly. Those
are the things that move me to tears, not gifts.
Has love been fair to Monalisa Chinda?
I
don’t know.
How
did you spend the Easter celebrations?
Weekend
Gateaway was my Easter fun. After that, I did a lot of sleeping and took my
daughter out.
Any
plans of becoming a musician?
No.
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