by Kolapo Olapoju

 
Omoni Oboli must be one of the rare Nigerians who don’t have money-motives behind everything they do. Amen!

The Nollywood actress says she did not screen her new flick ‘Being Mrs Elliot’ at Aso rock because of financial gains. She said all she wanted and got from them was their blessing.

“It wasn’t about money. When they told us that they would give us audience to do the screening,they asked me what I wanted and I said I wanted nothing. All I said is that they should see the movie and give their blessings, that, that alone is for the industry. The president even said it at the event that he doesn’t have any money to give. So if anybody is saying something else, it’s their problem. It’s the same small purse I went with that I came back with. After the event, I and my colleagues came back to Lagos the next day.”

Oboli also added that she never expected it to happen, even after writing to the presidency to grant her the opportunity to premiere her movie in front of President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President, Namadi Sambo, and other important personalities.

“I honestly didn’t believe it was going to happen. The Film Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria actually wrote to the presidency. We just thought, Well, they are too busy, they won’t answer us. But to our greatest surprise, they agreed.”

“Even till after the event, I was still telling my assistant that if I woke up and realise that it’s all a dream, I would be very unhappy. I kept thinking it wasn’t happening, that it wasn’t real. I think it’s a very big achievement for Nollywood as a whole, because when things like this happen, it makes other people believe that they can even do more.”

Kolapo Olapoju