Imeka Ike

It's been very resourceful and business oriented.

What is it that marked your stay in Cameroon?

I will love to remember the genuineness of the people. The people are good people they are not aggressive. I will also always remember that it is some country that s bilingual and then I noticed the negativity of that because two brothers who are not at war cannot relate nicely because the do not speak the same language. I think that is a big minus for Cameroon and I pray that they can understand that it is the colonial master's way of continuing his dictatorship in Africa. Two brothers cannot understand themselves when there is a problem somewhere. That is something I cannot forget about Cameroon.

So how much of Cameroon did Imeka Ike know before you came to the country?

Well I knew much about its football, the indomitable lions, they are aggressive footballers. Thats how much I knew of Cameroon before coming. But now as I just explained I know very much about Cameroon.

You have had the chance of going around the capital city Yaounde, what do you make of it?

Yaounde is a city that is developing. I think is really great and all I can say is that the government is still please do more. Just a little more work and I am sure the government will do the right things. They should also try to create more job opportunities for the young people. I noticed that most Cameroonians are traders. They do buying and selling. You know they (the government) should bring in more industries, collaborate with some international companies and bring about jobs for educated people. I also discovered that Cameroonians go to school. You are talking to somebody and the person is saying he has a masters or he is a doctorate degree holder but he is on the street may be selling. The government should also know how to use the best of its citizens to better the nation.

You must have savoured some of our traditional dishes which one do you cherish?

I love Nkum Nkum and Okro, yes that is it.

The other day it was bobolo and Ndole, so all of a sudden you found something else?

No you can't march Ndole with okro.

Do you find these in Nigeria?

Kum kum is close to what we have in Nigeria but not exactly so the variance in taste is the appetizer.

So Imeka Ike, you came to Cameroon on a movie project, what was your role in the movie?

My role is the role of a prince. I eventually became and the king. Well the king was dying and because he did not have a son. He had a son out of wedlock and you know evil people always plot and he never knew the son was still alive still he died. And one thing let to another and so the son finally took the throne and that was me.

Now you are not only one of the most renowned actors in Nollywood but also one of Africa's best. I will imagine you will not accept any kind of script at least for your image. Why did you accept the Cameroon script?

Its is good it is culturally different from the one I am used to in Nigeria and it will be great to vary your culture and see another man's culture and see what you can make from it. When the ability to work in another culture, pick another talent and make it look standard like what we have in Nollywood, I think that was my main challenge. I think when this movie comes out most of Nollywood who did not expect much from Collywood will be surprised that something like this could come out from here. So my interest is to pick what ever is unqualified, purify it and let it stand international value.

May be it is important for us to know how Aisha, (the film producer) contacted you.

Well it was Lawrence Niba (the film director) kept calling me. Later he gave my number to Aisha, they kept talking with me. Sometimes I never had time to talk with them. So some day they got my attention and I asked them to send me the script so I could read it. I wanted to be sure it was something I wanted to do. So when I got the script, I said this is different from the "igweee". And then wow it was nice. It sounded like coming to America when you speak some other language which is different from what you usually speak. So on set I try very much to add a little bit of you accept to my speech and I love it when I sound like a Cameroonian.

So could you evaluate the work you did with crew?

For now, I think you are about to experience one of the biggest film that has been done in Cameroon. The picture quality is wow. The technicality is well tightened and the storyline is Ok. The acting is well and everything is good. I say you are going to have something great to watch in Cameroon, pretty soon.

So what can you say about Cameroonian actors on set?

Yes they are coming up. They are budding. They are on board. Lets say when I started acting I had butterflies on my tummy. I was also scared. a couple of them could have that. You do not have to overule it. Even Nollywood actors do same. Now I say with a little help, with a little encouraging they are going to hit he crescent.

Now you have had sometime with them but I will just like to mention a few names and lets hear your comments.

I will begin with Solange Yijika, the girl with which you were on set last evening.

She is flexible. She will go places.

Muma Paschal, the guy you dethroned during the movie.

Yes that was a very stubborn king. He has a long way to go to. He is good.

What about Linno lovert, the young guy with whom you were acting.

Oh yes he needs a little bit brush up and a little bit confidence. He is going to unseat people in Nollywood, people like Jim Iyke that think they are something. He is coming up he is going to come up.

So what can Cameroonian actors do to ameliorate their styles? Is there something special they need to add to what they are doing?

They need to have role model, somebody from whom to pick. Thatwill somebody whose style they fancy and begin to recue their minds, watch their minds and see the way the go about it. See what makes them grow strong. And watch their expressions and their delivery and them they will be able to know ho to go. They do not have to act like them. But when you see the way they express themselves it could help you know how to express yourselves too.

Talking about role Models, many Cameroonians have you as their idol, what do you think about that?

(I tell them) Welcome on board. I am happy you are here and together we will hit the crescent.

There is also some one I will like to talk about that is the director of the movie, that's Niba Lawrence. How will you appreciate his work?

He is subtle but a t the same time he is deep. He is a very soft man. He talks softly he knows what he is doing but he strikes me like someone who knows what he is doing. He has a long way to go in the industry.

Would you like to work with him again?

Why not. We will want to do a lot more collaboration with him and Cameroonians.

Talking about collaboration with Cameroonians: We understand that during your stay in the country you had time to meet the Cameroonian minister of culture with whom you discussed issues buttressing the partnership between Nollywood and Collywood. Now just how far do you intend to go with that?

We want to look at the possibility of creating jobs for young Cameroonians. You find out that when Nollywood came up it was like we were folioing around. But before we knew it over 50% of the youths were absorbed. We can absorb a whole number of youths if properly placed. What I am looking at is that it takes away crime other vices from the youths. Now we talked about how we can use the relationship between Cameroon and Nigeria to push a great "viva Africa" where we can be the brothers that we are supposed to be. Now politics has away of separating people making them separating people making them feel that they are different in culture and so they should be different in opinion and the way the think. But arts are supposed to bring people together. When we tell our story we sought the common grounds where we can amend issues. When Nollywood started in Nigeria there were so many people who raised social anomalies. But by the time we started making movies these movies were well bought. We sold on charts busters. You do not know what those charts have done to my nation. They were correcting people. People were seing themselves in our movies. Like step mother, step son issues used to be very big issues in Nigeria. If you are married to a man with another woman, you see one woman trying to kill the other's children so that hers could inherit everything. And then it will be brutal. It was worse for orphans. But by the time videos intensively treated these issues, people started shedding tears. People pitied actors and I don' think they still wanted to do those things to other people. So its going to be a way of pushing youths from many ills and correcting social anomalies, recycling and rebuilding the minds of the society, repackaging Cameroon, letting Cameroon be understood from another angle from the different images it has now. Before, my country was known only for crime and corruption. And may be football but today all over the world they are known for Nollywood and Nollywood is plus plus.

Now let's talk about your own personal contribution because we understand you have gone above acting and you are now a producer?

By coming here alone is a lot support for the young industry. By coming back again I think will do more for the youths. And we are also going to have seminars. We will be asking them whether they really want to do those things. Where are the guilds and who are the guild heads and what do you think you can do.

How many movies do you shoot in a year is it plus or minus for the growth of the industry.  It will all be about how we can grow. We will be trying to blow up Cameroon on the Cemac zone. Such will bring about interest that will bring in investors to give a viable industry. This will bring about employment hat can engage the youths.

Comments (3)

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A GOOD BEGINNING
written by Don Marc, August 17, 2010

I want to say that this is a good begining for the Cameroonian Movie Industry (COLLYWOOD).With this it will ecourage our fellows to develop that habit to love and to watch our home movies.A pipeline movie productions house (DON MARC PRODUCTIONS) is on and will grace the face of our film industry.
As the founder and a C.E.O of DON MARC PRODUCTIONS,encourage all talented writers,actors and actresses to contact our office at
Road 4.649 Bonaberi-Douala.
tell:+237 75 93 21 26
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,
for more information and guestions.

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written by denis, December 12, 2010

No foreigner knows anything about being a Cameroonian.even in the US they have same problems with co-habitation as we do.i think Nigeria is not better is it?And feel Cameroonians should learn from the best.Nollywood is far from a model an aspirant should look up to.

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written by ENOW FRANCIS AYUK, June 15, 2011

its a thing too gracious see the effords you guys put dailly to raise the countrys' flag and to uplift the standards of your fellow compatiots.i pray you guys never relent this marvelous effords os yours.search and bring out all the hidious talent this country has.GOOD BEGINNING indeed.

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