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Mercy Aigbe is not a new name in the Nigeria movie industry, especially the Yoruba genre. The mother of two is one of the scandal free Nollywood actresses. In her husband’s hotel in Ikeja, Mercy told mydailynewswatchng about her love life, background, the industry and so many other issues. Excerpts:
Who is Mercy Aigbe?
Mercy Aigbe Gentle is an actress, mother, movie producer and from Edo State. I was born in Lagos though, the second of five children. I am from a Christian background and married to an hotelier-Yoruba man with two children. I studied at The Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State where I obtained my National Diploma before proceeding to the University of Lagos where I got a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts in 2003.
The beginning
I actually had my background in theatre because I studied Theatre Arts. I worked a while before joining the industry. But the film that brought me to limelight was Ara, produced by Wemimo Paul in Ibadan.
What attracted to the movie industry, or was it just a hubby?
No, it was neither an attraction nor a hubby; it was something that I really wanted to do; something I really had passion for.
As an actress what do you consider before accepting a role?
Before I work for anybody, I demand to look at the script. This is because I love a story that I am passionate about, a story people can watch and gain something from; a story that can touch life and save life. After that, I also consider the kind of people I am going to work with, because a good script without good working crew won’t make sense, and it kills the scripts. It is not as if I don t work with people without experience, but the person has to know what he or she is doing, I don’t want to work with just anybody.
How come you found yourself in the Yoruba film industry considering you are not from a Yoruba speaking state?
A lot of people have asked me this particular question and I keep telling them that it is fate because I never planned to be a Yoruba movie actress because I actually started with the English genre. When I joined the industry, I started with a couple of soaps. I featured in Eldorado and Images by Fidelis Duker and another one by Chico Ejiro, then I did a movie with Charles Novia. It was after my appearance in Ara that a lot of people took interest in me, demanding to know who I was because I acted so well, and that was how I fully joined the Yoruba industry. I think Ara made me known, it made me popular.
Was Ara the first Yoruba film you featured in?
Ara was not my first Yoruba film, it was actually the second, but it was Ara that shot me to limelight. And I am happy now in the Yoruba sector.
As a producer how many films have you produced now?
I have produced about four films. The first one I produced was called “Abimbola”, then Afeaye, followed by Hajia Jemila, and then Osas, Omoge Benin. Now I am working on Goose Girls; it is about four streets girls.
People have alleged that you copied the story line of Funke Akindele’s Jenifa in Osas Omoge Benin. Do you have anything to say to that?
People were actually saying that before they watched it. Just like when Jenifa came out, a lot of people were saying it was a copy of what Ronke Oshodi Oke did in Gbajumo. Osas is so different from jenifa, there is no similarity. When you watch Osas you will see that it is completely different from Jenifa. A lot of people who had watched it in cinemas have come to agree that it is completely different from Jenifa in terms of story line and everything. I don t know where that rumour started from.
Can you say Osas Omoge Benin is your best performance so far?
I don’t think I have done my best, but the only reason why I love Osas is that the character allowed me to speak Benin pidgin which is synonymous to people from my place, and it also allowed me to be funny, and that actually is my first comedy movie.
What makes you unique among your colleagues?
I don’t know (laughter), but I think is my features because a lot of people do tell me that I don t look my age, even after giving birth to two kids, that I look younger than my age. You know am blessed with a face that looks younger than my age, I mean a baby face. At times when I tell people my age they will say, ‘waoh! You don’t look it?
So, how old is Mercy?
I am in my late 30s actually. I have a lot of upcoming actresses that always come to tell me that, and I always get to play their friends in a film without even looking older than them. I think as an actress I am blessed with that shape and good look
Tell us the secret?
It is God
Any regret being an actress
No, I don t have any regret.
What attracted you to your man, I mean your husband?
His maturity. He is so mature, and he supports what I do.
How does he feel whenever he sees you in movies been kissed, romanced or caressed?
I don t think he cares, because he knows it is a make-believe sort of thing. There was even a film where I was supposed to kiss somebody, and when he watched the film, he told me that I did not do it very well; he said it was not professionally done. The only thing I cannot do is act nude; I can t act nude.
Even with a million dollars
No, I can t do that, our society do not allow that.
Before you got married, did you have a child?
Yes, I had a kid before I got married.
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