New Year: Nollywood actors voice their expectations for 2019

The beginning of a New Year offers the opportunity for reflections, resolutions and reemergence. This year, select actors from the Nigerian movie industry were willing to share their highest and lowest points of the previous year and their expectations for the New Year. This is as the 2019 has been projected as the year in which the movie industry in Nigeria will experience positive turn around.

BEDC reconnects 42 communities in Edo, Delta, Ondo, Ekiti

Fabian Adibe– Clearer Vision

I want to get nearer to God. I want to get closer as much as I can to the Almighty Father in Heaven. Professionally, I have an eye defect, known as Glaucoma, which is diminishing my vision. I am hoping that the treatment that the doctors are giving will get my vision back so that I can get back to acting. For the past three years, I haven’t been in shape.

Chinedu Ihedieze –Free and fair election

I ask for grace to finish the project I have mapped out for this year. Secondly, to see Nigerians more united than ever. Lastly longing for a truly free and fair elections come February general elections.

Funky Mallam –Big break in Hausa movie industry

I love to see things happen at the right and appointed time. I want to plan more, I want all the materials and resources to be ready before I undertake any project. I don’t want to do anything because people are doing same. I have learnt a lot in the previous year, especially how to emulate people and not compete with them. so, this year I want to grow better and stronger, I want to checkmate my excesses and try to amend the mistakes of the past.

I don’t accept failure, whatever I do that didn’t work, I see as an experience. Because of the language platform that we have in African Magic – The Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba channels of African magic—there is so much opportunities for people to become producers of movies and TV programmes that are language specific. I will be taking advantage of that aspect of the entertainment industry.

In 2018, I have penetrated into the Hausa movies with a talk show, which is among the best Hausa shows with an international standard. This year, I want to expand: I want to go into home movies for both Hausa and English. I have been part of the most successful movies on cinema from October 1 to The Department, East North, Cross Road, and recently Up North. And I have seen how people react about our movies on cinema and I have been enormously encouraged by that. so, going into the movie production, I want to produce a great story about Nigeria in a way that make people laugh and inspired. I will be paying attention to the picture quality, the sound and the casting.

Mina Horsfall – More movie roles

I was mainly on low profile in 2018. I started a private business. I only worked professionally towards the end of the year, a cinema project. I also relocated to Abuja from Lagos. Then, I had to concentrate on my private business. I am actually trying to build my personal business, something I would rely on apart from acting. 2018 was a lowkey year for me. for 2019, I hope things are better and brighter. I can already feel it, so many things are on board already. I pray for more light both in my career and personal life.

Stephnora Okere (Lady Steph)– Premier of new movie, Roberta

I had a number of setbacks last year regarding my feature film, Roberta. Towards the editing stage, I lost someone that was very strategic to its completion. But nevertheless, I was able to shoot a short film, which will be premiering this year. I am hoping to shoot more films as well as to release my film, Roberta, to the cinemas this year. Work in progress, by February we will be done with the editing.

Sandra Omo –Expansion of pet projects

My highest point in 2018 was being able to come back home very often and being able to initiate my project. Apart from the projects we did in schools, one of the beautiful projects of 2018 was the one we did in one of the slums of Lekki. We went to the slums there to teach young people about sex education, we conducted free HIV tests to young women there who were involved in prostitution.

We also gave out free HIV testing kits, over 2000 pieces of condoms. So, for 2019 I am hoping to build on that. My dream has always been to take the No Sugar Daddy campaign to Kaduna. Early 2019, I will be combing Kaduna to see where we will be reaching. We hope to get sex education to 20,000 young girls in Kaduna. We are already working on it. And for my movie projects, I have been working on a short film in Lagos since last year. I wasn’t able complete it because I needed to raise more funds. But we have been able to secure some funding for it and I am hoping that by February and March we will be able to shoot and release the film.

John Njamah –I want to be loose

2018 was eventful and rewarding and encouraging. Work for me was good in 2018. I had a fresh start, I travelled a lot in 2018. The Sitcom I am directing, Flatmate, went very smoothly. So, in the coming year, I plan to take the bull by the horn and venture into few things. A lot of people have been asking me to do that to act more. I want to have fun in 2019. I want to experiment. I want to breathe. I don’t want 2019 to be uptight. I want to be loose.