I’ve developed thick skin over ugly comments about our marriage-Stan Nze

By Orji Onyekwere

Stanley Ebuka Nzediegwu is a very talented and creative actor popularly called Stan Nze, who has proven his mettle in Nollywood. His wife recently gave birth to a male child despite their expectations that they were going to be blessed with a set of female twins.

This actor opened up to ORJI ONYEKWERE about his marriage to another Nollywood actress Blessing Jessica Obasi, and his journey so far in the industry.

Let’s talk about the movie Afamefuna, where you played the lead character. How does this movie project the culture of business apprenticeship in Igbo land?

I played the character Afamefuna, he is just like the other boys in the movie, who came from nothing to learn the master’s trade and eventually he will be settled. This movie really showed what it’s like in the Igbo apprenticeship system called ‘’Igba Boi’’ in Igbo language, which has been on for several years.

A lot of people can relate to it, especially the Igbos even if you are not an Igbo; but you have a neighbour probably a businessman. And usually how they measure success is through the people they have trained and impacted on.

So, that’s what the whole movie is all about and I have seen the comments on the social media, how people can relate with it,’oh that’s how my family was, we had a lot of nwa boi’, trained by their father or master; who settled them after the apprenticeship.

They go into the society replicate the same with other younger people and the whole system becomes a cycle. The movie will also help to keep the culture going because a lot of business people are now westernizing this nwa boi culture, they are repackaging and rebranding it now.

Notwithstanding, the culture is awesome and I still think that the culture should still remain because this has proven to be successful and powerful over the years.

I think it’s a legacy we should allow to stay because I know that Afamefuna will throw more light on this. Outside the Igbo tribe, this will encourage other tribes like the Yoruba’s to inculcate this in their tradition.

The fact that it’s called the Igbo apprenticeship system does not mean that its only with the Igbos that the thing works, any other tribe can inculcate it. It’s a system that is working and this is studied all over the world, so why won’t other people pick and replicate it.

I think it’s an African movement and a reminder to us about who we are as a people. Apart from it just being the Nwa Boi story, it had a very intriguing story about brotherhood, betrayal and profiling. I really think that it will entertain the viewers and it’s going to be more acceptable outside the country.

It’s very educative and has our culture. That’s what I think should be selling now; the film that shows who we are, our language, our craft and the things we are known for as a people. The movie inculcated other tribes, but the core of it is that it projected our culture.

Interestingly the movie was jointly produced by Igbo and Yoruba producers, then directed by a Yoruba man?

From the production it was already interwoven and I don’t know if they were deliberate about that. When we were making the film, people were like; why is a Yoruba man the director of this movie, he is going to make a mess of this. It is not about that, if somebody is competent regardless of tribe, they should be given the chance to tell the story they want to tell.

It’s our tribal bigotry and dichotomies that will make somebody say that you are not entitled to direct an Igbo movie because you are Yoruba. There are lots of Igbo men that don’t know their culture or how to speak Igbo.

I acted in the movie Rattle Snake that got me the best actor at AMVCA and the man that directed it is a Yoruba man. I don’t think excellence and competence should have discrimination in getting any job done. We are all Nigerians regardless of our languages. I think that we have one culture which is humanity, which is one of the selling points of this new movie.

A Yoruba executive producer invested in an Igbo movie is because she loves Nigeria, the culture, and the Igbo culture is part of the country where she belongs. She should be commended for that and her style of film making should even be studied. This is something that will mold us together as a community and a country.

There is a role in the movie that was played by a Yoruba lady and people were asking why an Igbo woman was not given the role to play. The most important thing is, was the film made to the satisfaction of the audience? Did enough research go into it; is it interesting, educative; not who their father is or where they are from?

Was acting your fantasy from childhood?

To be honesty; growing up I just wanted to be successful, so I admired any career that was successful. I just wanted be a medical doctor and you know how people praised them and I did my best with biology because I just wanted to read medicine and please my mother.

But when I grew, I knew things myself and I was no longer passionate about it. Acting for me happened by chance. I finished secondary school and I thought I needed something to do to keep me busy.

Then I enjoyed watching movies, watching people act and replicating what they have done and I was passionate about acting, but I never thought it’s what I could make a career out of. For me, it’s just drama, it’s just something I wanted to do for fun, however, I was getting a lot of compliments for doing it. I now told myself, why do I want to be a medical doctor when I am already doing something that makes me happy?

I started going for auditions and it was not easy initially because I don’t know anybody in the industry. I was going for audition, sometimes getting rejected and sometimes l beg to be cast, but I was happy doing that.

My first shoot, I had to beg to be on it. I have said many times that I am an actor, but have nothing to show for it. As a budding actor, do you have a reel, at least; now there is social media now; then there was no iphone, and the social media was not strong then. You only had Facebook. That time, I remember I was in my year one and the phone we had then were like Sagem and Nokia 3310 etc.

I used to take nice pictures and do modeling and say maybe I can start with modeling for commercials. I started going to locations and jobs started coming, from one job to another. For me, once I did one film, it brought another and that’s how it has been going till now.

I put same passion in all my films whether it’s a small or big film. I do every film like it’s my last film. For me, there is no difference in what I am doing now on big screens and cinemas compared to what I was doing when I was doing small films. The only difference is that these big films are more publicized; more eyes are seeing it and it has more international market. It has better picture quality, better sound and our actors are doing better now. I always believe that one of my most powerful performances is in small film.

My mantra is to give my best in every film I feature in the way it will affect life positively. Even in small films, there are the ones that may not go to cinemas, but they have access to YouTube, Iroko and other smaller platforms. So longs as there are platforms, the ones people can afford, I have been able to affect lives across board.

On social media, I can do my skits or do my thrillers or upload my videos for public consumption.

You met your wife in the industry, tell us about your first meeting and when you made up your mind that this is the woman you want to marry?

The first time I met my wife I really did not remember her, she has to show me the picture. I met her at the Eko Film Festival and that was in 2017. I think she approached me and even greeted, but I did not give her attention that time though she mentioned it to me later.

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The next time we met, I remember that day was my birthday, I had gone to the Africa Magic office to sell content, a film I made and it happened that she was also there. She said she is a filmmaker and I was like, ‘madam put me in your film also’ and we laughed over it. That day like I said, was my birthday which is on the 15th of May and a lot of people were calling and she taunted me that I was taking calls like a market man.

That was how we met again. After that we went to movie premieres and events and that was how we became close friends with no strings attached. I like her and I remember I was looking out for a husband for her, but that time she was in no relationship and I became worried.

I was like nobody wants to marry this good girl and I remember she told me then that somebody has shown interest in her and that the person likes her. I was like, reply him now, is he a good guy? It continued and my mind was like why not give it a shot. I have a particular ideology and picture of how my ideal wife should be. So, spending more time with her, I saw she had all the qualities I needed as a wife and she ticked all the boxes. So, I had to make the move and today everything is history.

How have you handled the barrage of criticism concerning the age difference between you and your wife?

From my own side I am man of my own. I don’t like this idea that this is how it must be. Everybody must do this, and everybody must do it. I don’t believe in such. I have a very different ideology and I am a very liberal person. Already, I have developed a thick skin and my ideology is different. I am very liberal and that’s my personal issue. So, when I hear all these criticisms and talk, it just reminds me of the kind of people that we have in this country.

The first time the media said how could I have married somebody that is 42 years then, I was worried that she might not be able to handle it well. That day she was not around, but she came back and was making jokes about it and we laughed it out and we had fun discussing it. We have already developed thick skin about this, but the media sometimes get to you. Once you are in the public eyes, people will always have something to say about you.

Take us into your experience as a new father?

It’s a thrilling experience. Yes, we dreamed about it that we were expecting twins and we always pray for twins, eventually, he came as a boy and every special gift comes from God. I have not had a child before, but it’s a wonderful experience and I am really excited about it.

Have you been changing pampers?

Haaaa! I am doing that now. It’s quite an interesting experience.

QUOTE:

I met her at the Eko Film Festival and that was in 2017. I think she approached me and even greeted, but I did not give her attention.