Omoni Oboli shaking President Jonathan
Omoni, who is the director of the movie,
however, caused mixed reactions among her fans as she was criticized
for her outfit at the screening of her movie to President Jonathan and
some members of his cabinet.
The married mother of three in an
interview with Punch replied critics, as she says she will focus on the
positive and not the mixed reactions.
“I styled myself and I thought the
outfit was appropriate because there were no vital parts showing.
Sometimes the angles with which pictures are taken can portray certain
things you do not have intention of portraying. We have pictures from
the event and you won’t see what people are seeing.
“The truth is that a lot of people
are very bitter and when people are bitter they try to look for a lot of
negative things in every positive thing. It is unfortunate that we are
in the limelight because if someone else wears that outfit no one will
say anything. I don’t even read blogs and see the comments. My true fans
know who I am and my intention when I am doing things.”
The presidential screening had top
government dignitaries such as Vice-president Alhaji Namadi Sambo,
Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, Chief Edwin Clark,
Minister of Information, Chief Labaran Maku, Minister of Culture,
Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, Mr Ben Bruce,
Governor-Elect, Ekiti state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, Governor of Ondo state,
Chief. Olusegun Mimiko amongst others.
Addressing the issue that she was given any money by the President.
She said: “Before the screening,
they asked me what I wanted and I said I didn’t want anything but that
the President and his people should see the movie and give their
blessings. For me that is good enough for the industry. The first time I
ever saw the President was at his brother’s burial ceremony, which I
attended. I don’t know him from anywhere or personally.
“During the event, President
Jonathan said the government didn’t have money to give me and he said
this in front of everybody. So if anybody is going aside to say
something else, they are wrong. I returned to Lagos with the small purse
I took to the event and after the event I went back to my hotel room
and left for Lagos the next morning. I didn’t stay back in Aso Rock or
sneak out to meet anybody. I am still hoping they will call us to come
and take something, that they are impressed,” she explains.
Narrating how she got the
‘breakthrough’, she said the Film Producers Marketers Association of
Nigeria actually wrote to the presidency.
Omoni said: “To our greatest
surprise, they said they would do it. The event had the president,
Vice-President, PDP chairman, some senators and ministers and two
governors in attendance. It was huge and it is a big achievement for
Nollywood. I sat on the high table with all these men and never expected
that I would get to this point. The President said Nollywood had put
Nigeria on the world map and contributed to our economy in so many ways
and so could not be ignored.”
Omoni’s movie “Being Mrs Elliot” a
romantic-comedy flick features Nigerian comedian, A.Y Makun, Lepacious
Bose alongside Oboli and Majid Michel.
Oboli, who played two roles in the film, speaking on the cost of the movie said: “I
did get some sponsors, but it cost quite a bit of money and the
logistics took a greater portion of the budget. For me to give an honest
estimate I have to cost the things I got for free and I spent over
N20m. I didn’t know it would be this challenging, but, thank God, I am
not owing any bank. I have shot two other movies, but they are not as
big as this project.”
Oboli, who studied Foreign Languages at the University of Benin, majoring in French, has featured in blockbuster movies the likes of ‘Render to Caesar’, ‘Figurine’ and ‘Anchor Baby’.
It’s no wonder some producers praise her for work while describing her as a play maker.
Culled from naij.com
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