Social media is full of things that would make teenagers grow very fast —Actress Frances Okeke

Nollywood actress, Frances Okeke, is known for her role in Funke Akindele’s Jenifa’s Diary as Chichi. The University of Benin graduate, who hails from Imo State, is also a scriptwriter and blogger. Frances is passionate about Nigeria and politics and uses her eponymous blog as tool of expression. She tells Newton-Ray Ukwuoma about her journey into acting, scriptwriting and politics among other things. Excerpts:

You are known for your role as Chichi in Jenifa’s Diary. How would you describe her?

Chichi is a wayward, troubled girl, who tried to use what she has (her body) to get what she wants. In spite of her parents’ efforts to tutor her, she turns out the black sheep of the family. Chichi eventually gets pregnant and is sent to the village. Every family has a Chichi figure somewhat.

 

What do you think the Chichis of this world need before they can come round?

Love and more love. Another thing is understanding. Most parents love their children, while some children are too eccentric to blend in. Love and understanding will bring them round.

 

How was fitting into character for you?

I like to think I am someone who can fit into different characters and own them truthfully. Some people were like, “she cannot play that role. She is too reserved.”  But it was exciting playing the role. It was seamless.

 

Who is Frances Okeke?

Frances is a normal girl, who likes things in black and white. People say she is reserved. There are different facets to Frances anyway, but Chichi is one type of girl. Chichi believes in the ability of her body, the power of seduction and subtle moves. She is very stubborn and reckless while Frances is strong and principled. In the end, Frances and Chichi are two different people.

 

Given the same environment, do you think any girl would do what Chichi does?

I am very interested in child psychology. I am also very passionate about teenagers and what they think. The truth is when you are young; you can’t wait to become an adult. You don’t want people to constantly tell you what to do and how to do things. You want to be a person of your own. I think most teenagers end up doing things they would regret later. And see what the media is putting out there!

So, let’s say that Chichi is a child of her social environment. Chichi depicts a fraction of young people. She is not a fact about all young people in the same environment.

 

Do you think Jenifa’s Diary is influencing young people especially their use of the English Language?

What you would notice is that every episode has a huge message for everyone. It might be about bad friends, promiscuity, abortion, materialism, etcetera. Also, the scenarios painted are real; they represent what is going on in our country and in some parts of the world. That is why people relate to it. Talking about the use of the English Language, we all know that Jenifa’s accent is basically the unique aspect of the series. My boss, Funke Akindele-Bello, also tried to feature different ways Nigerian speak English.

We have characters like Sege, Adaku, Toyosi and Kiki. All of these characters somehow make the Jenifa accent appear to the world as an individual’s, not a people’s, way of using the English Language. But the truth is Jenifa represents a certain enclave in our society: the uneducated, but socially conscious girls, and her English is best described as Yoruba in English clothing. But the interesting thing is that it is spreading and young people are embracing it. Everywhere I go I hear people say things like “How is you? [How are you?]” “Worefa” [whatever], “lera” [later] among others nuances. She is probably popularising a new kind of English.

 

What do you think may be future of this kind of English Language model?

We can never tell now. Let’s watch and see. Lagos State recently accepted to make Yoruba compulsory for all cadre of education. Who knows what more is in store for our local languages and the Nigerian English?

 

What is your relationship with Funke Akindele?

She is very understanding and supportive. She wanted everybody to give their best. If she felt you weren’t doing much, she approaches the matter nicely. Funke is a nice person. I have not had any problem with her. She lets her role rob off on everyone. So, it is always seamless working with her. When you have someone that is that good working with you, you have to bring your A-game in.

 

How was casting for Jenifa’s Diary?

I went for the audition. That was when the series just started. I didn’t hear from them immediately. I was called much later for a reading. That was when I got the role.

 

You won the Homevida award for best screenplay in 2012. How long have you been writing scripts?

Aside from winning Homevida, I have written for BBC radio drama titled “story story”, I wrote Iroko TV sponsored series, Single Ladies. I have written for Charles Novia and I have written for African Magic among others.

 

Between acting and scriptwriting, which do you think you are more suited?

Both actually. I love to act as much as I love to write. So, I want to act and write.

 

Do you select roles?

No. I can play any role. In that regard, Mercy Johnson is my role model.

 

Chichi is temporary off shoot. Do you think she may be called back?

I don’t know. Chichi got pregnant and had to be sent to the village. I think when it is necessary for her to come back, she would. It would depend on the story.

 

What are you doing currently?

I have been writing a lot. I have been writing a lot of screenplays, some will be shot very soon. And I also have been active on my blog. My blog is about motivation, human psychology and politics.

 

You wrote about the statue commissioned by  Goveror Rochas Okorocha recently. Why did you speak up?

I think the reason we keep getting the same types of leaders we have now is because we haven’t woken up to our responsibilities as a people. Corruption as far as I am concerned is a mind-set. And we need to begin to change the way our people think about corruption especially corruption at the grassroots. If we begin to emphasise how things like exam malpractice are part of corruption, if we all spoke out when government officials take a wrong turn, if we made our voices unmistakably heard and loud, then we will be preparing ourselves for the right leaders we truly deserve.

 

Do you intend to go into politics in the future?

Yes. This is because I don’t believe we should always be talking the talk. At some point, those who are talking should take initiative and walk their talk. Someday, I will go into politics.

 

How do you intend to handle the corrupting influence of power?

I believe that only passionate people should go into politics. Like I said, it is all about the mind. Look at the person of the late NAFDAC DG, Dora Akunyili. She went in there, and did not change. In spite of the challenges she faced, she did not give into corruption. I want to be like her. She is my role model. I like what she stood for.