At 50, Obey Etok-Chima finds strength in acting after losing husband, father

VETERAN Nollywood actress Obey Etok-Chima marked her 50th birthday on June 30 quietly, while still navigating the pain of losing both her husband and father in the same year.

In an emotional interview, the Theatre Arts graduate opened up about grief, loneliness, motherhood, her enduring passion for acting, the changing face of Nollywood and why she remains committed to her craft after more than two decades in the industry. She also declared herself an ardent fan of football superstar Lionel Messi.

‘If Not for Movies, I Don’t Know How I Would Have Coped’

Losing her husband and father back-to-back left a deep void in Obey’s life. “It hasn’t been easy. It’s something you can’t easily get over,” she said. “If not for movies, I don’t know how I would have coped.”

She explained that working on movie sets provides a much-needed distraction from the grief.

“Except when I’m on a movie set, where a lot of things occupy my mind—my acting, costume and getting into the character. Aside from that, when I’m alone, I’m always remembering them.”

Birthdays have become particularly difficult. With her children’s birthdays spread across May, June and July, the period constantly reminds her of the role her late husband once played in celebrating their family.

“My late husband didn’t play with his children’s birthdays. So, since his demise, I have been marking their birthdays all alone, and it’s not been easy,” she said. “When I look at my children, especially the one who looks like my husband, I’m always like, ‘Okay, this is what your dad would have done.’”

‘Acting Is My Path’

For Obey, acting is more than a profession; it is a calling she believes was ordained for her.

“Definitely, acting is my path. I’m not crashing. I’m just doing what God ordained for me to do,” she said. “When God has crowned you and said this is where you should be, nothing is going to block you.”

She attributes her longevity to God’s grace, skill and humility. Having started acting in primary school, she says her ability to maintain good relationships has also helped sustain her career.

“Most of the jobs I get are from crew members who usually direct producers and directors to invite me to set. If I was a proud person, nobody would want to recommend me,” she said.

“My calling is to make people happy. I love people a lot, and that has been one of my staying powers.”

On Roles, Cliques and Streaming

Obey says she refuses to be restricted to a particular type of role.

“I do everything. I don’t want to be stagnated in one particular role. If you watch The Yard on Africa Magic, which I featured in last year, you would see that this woman can interpret any kind of role.”

She recently wrapped a comedy project for actor and filmmaker Nosa Rex but insists that tragedy remains one of her strongest areas.

“When it comes to shedding tears, give it to Obey. It’s something that God has deposited in me,” she said.

On the changing dynamics of Nollywood, she identified the rise of cliques as one of the industry’s challenges.

“The industry is about belonging to a clique. Before now, there was nothing like cliques, but today, there are. For me, I’m not in a clique of anybody. So, anywhere I go, anywhere they call me, I’m there.”

She describes her work on The Yard as one of her major career turning points and credits streaming platforms, particularly YouTube, with helping to sustain the industry.

“Without YouTube, it was like Nollywood was gone. That’s where we eat from,” she said, adding that she hopes to work with Netflix and appear in more cinema productions.

“I’ve been praying for it. I’ve been praying for cinema jobs.”

Protecting Her Peace

As a single mother and actress, Obey says she deliberately avoids unnecessary pressure and materialism.

“I don’t get pressurised. I cut my coat according to my size. I’m not a materialistic person,” she said. “I don’t let anything enter my head because all these things, like I always say, they are all vanity.”

On the attention she receives from men, she takes it in stride.

“If you’re good-looking, men will come for you. So you can’t stop it,” she said. “People will tell you, ‘You are beautiful.’ It’s something I should be thanking God for.”

And when it comes to football, Obey makes no attempt to hide her allegiance.

The post At 50, Obey Etok-Chima finds strength in acting after losing husband, father appeared first on Vanguard News.