PH
In an exclusive interview with Punch, Nollywood actor, Ramsey Nouah, shares his life experiences, career intrigues and family life.
Tell us about your background
I was conceived in Costain, Lagos, where I started my teenage life before moving to Aguda, Surulere. I lived with my mom and relative. My dad was never in the photo. I was extremely fun loving and I should concede, it’s rubbing off on my children, and disliking it in particular. I was additionally aesthetically slanted. I was interested by comic books and illustrations, despite the fact that I wasn’t precisely extraordinary at that. My primary education was at Atara Primary School, Orile Iganmu, Lagos, and for my post-basic training, I went to Community Grammar School, Surulere. I additionally got a Diploma in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos. Strangely, my life has been a story of elegance to grass to effortlessness. I was conceived with a silver spoon yet not long after, everything changed and our riches went to zero. This influenced me to comprehend the two sides of life; carrying on with an existence of bounty and an existence of not notwithstanding having enough to eat. As unpleasant as the experience may have appeared, it really helped me pick up an adjust in my calling as a performing artist; having the capacity to serenely switch between the parts of the sovereign and the beggar.
Did you always want to be an actor?
No! Even though I knew I had a dominant creative side, I was sure I was going to become a pilot or an aeronautic engineer. I was obsessed with planes, machines and gadgets that flew and I knew I had to be involved somehow; whether by actually flying them, creating them or building them so other people could fly them.
When did you decide you wanted to become an actor?
I required cash to take my GCE external examination and I just couldn’t get it, regardless of where I went. In this way, I recollected that my companion had let me know over and over that I had talent in acting yet I had never considered it important. When I required cash urgently to pay for my exams, I chose to try it out and source some cash from it. In 1990, I had an appearance part and in 1991, I had a part in the arrangement, Mega Fortunes, which broadcast in 1993 and went on for only multi year. After that came the coming of home recordings and it’s been an exciting ride from that point forward. I extremely just went into acting since I required the cash and not on the grounds that I figured I could act. After some time, I understood that I had a solid energy for acting and pondered internally that acting could extremely simply have been my purpose in life.
What was your mother’s reaction when you told her you wanted to be a full-time actor?
I was at that point Already acting before I chose to advise her and when I advised her, she had an indistinguishable irate response from any parent of that time would have had if their child disclosed to them they needed to go into acting. She inquired as to whether something wasn’t right with my head. Inevitably, the arrangement I acted in went ahead air and when every one of her companions started to reveal to her that they’d seen me on TV, she was content with the honors and constructive responses from individuals.
How did your father’s absence affect you as a child?
Truly, I didn’t feel his nonappearance. I couldn’t tell that my father wasn’t in the photo. That is something that my mom would likely have been more worried about in light of the fact that it would have been less demanding on the off chance that he were there to help her in raising me.
Tell us about your first pay.
We had been filming Mega Fortunes and we didn’t get paid till about the eighth month when I finally got N1,100 (about N80 per episode). As soon as I got the money, I ran to Yaba market to buy a pair of secondhand chinos trousers, leather brass belt, black tee-shirt and moccasins. That’s all I could buy with the money. I couldn’t even afford to get transportation back home; I walked from the market to Aguda, Surulere, but I was very happy with my purchase as it changed my wardrobe.
What was your most ugly moment?
There was a cocktail event many years ago in the United States and I was talking to some dignitaries about business, work and other things when a lady came and whispered in my ear, “You’re so cute” while slipping her hand in my pocket. As she left, I reached for my pocket to see what she had slipped in and right in front of these dignitaries, I pulled out the panties that she had put in my pocket. I didn’t know what to do because I couldn’t put it back in my pocket. It didn’t belong there, and I couldn’t just hold it in my hands. It was an awkward situation but we all just laughed it off.
years ago, there was a ban on some Nollywood actors. How did that affect you?
Before that, I had told my associates that we needed structure in the business and that we expected to meet up to construct a considerable power where individuals couldn’t simply take choices over us and what we had manufactured. Along these lines, when the boycott happened, I truly wasn’t anxious about the possibility that that my profession was finished or that I wouldn’t profit any longer, I was more disturbed and hurt. It genuinely was an eye-opener for me and I began to think about an elective market far from DVDs. The DVD advertisers were the ones who met up to settle on the choice; like they had the independence and could do however they wanted. It’s oppression to attempt and make stars at the kindness and allotment of fans out there and still need to rule and control their imaginative lives. Gratefully, the silver screens came in and I got occupied with, working with everybody who needed to take their movies to the films. Presently, we have films, Internet et cetera and DVD is relatively wiped out.
Have you made your own personal projects?
I have produced a few movies. One was called Elephant in the Room with a lady from Sierra Leone, Zainab Sherrif. Another was for Africa Magic and a few short films; one for Rwanda. I do these short films to practise my directorial skills. I’ll like to become a director eventually to try and tell stories from my own point of view. Right now, I’m working on a project. I’ll be directing a sequel to Living in Bondage, with a business partner of mine, Charles Okpaleke of Play Network and Steve Gukas, the director of 93 Days, who’ll be coming in as an executive producer.
Has any female producer tried to sleep with you before giving you a role?
Not at all! Firstly, because most of the producers in the industry are men. Secondly, I was one of the pathfinders of Nollywood, hustling alongside producers to make the industry what it is. I wasn’t at the mercy of any producer.
What’s the biggest moment in your career?
That would have to be when the United Nations invited notable stars from around Africa to persuade the people of Liberia to have a peaceful election before Ellen Johnson became the president of the country. We, the celebrity guests, were at the centre of the main bowl and there were wires parting us from the crowd on the outside, and they were standing drenched in the rain, screaming for me and shouting my name. I was the Nollywood face that got called from Nigeria and it was very touching to see them react that way. Since I had no song or dance to perform for them, I just went around to touch them, hug the ones I could and speak to others from between the wire partition. It was beautiful and I felt them show me much love.
Not much is known of your family. Why do you shield them from the public eye?
It’s just to have sanity and longevity in my marriage. There are definitely people who wish them well, but there are also some others who make horrible remarks and say damaging things that could affect them emotionally. Once in a blue moon, it’s okay to put them out there, but constantly? No. That’s how I’ve been able to keep my marriage for almost 18 years now.
What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard about yourself?
Years ago, a lady came in from Benin, claiming she was my wife. She came to my house, met my wife and mother-in-law while I was somewhere outside town, working. After about four days of her laying camp outside my house with her belongings, my wife had to call in the police. They had difficulty getting her to go till I eventually gave her some money and sent her on her way. It was hilarious.
Apart from acting, what else are you involved in?
I’m a humanitarian. I think it’s important to give back to society any way I can.
Tell us about your power bike accident in 2006.
I recollect that strikingly. I rode my bicycle fast into a BMW X5. I left it and thought I was fine. We completed a x-beam and I continued demanding I was okay and released myself from the clinic, not understanding I had a blood coagulation in my cerebrum, however I had a cut in my mind which had been sewed. When I returned home, I had a serious migraine and torment relievers didn’t appear to work. I couldn’t rest the whole night and by morning, the torment hadn’t halted. We at that point needed to get a MRI. Getting to the clinic, I should have been seen by a master however there was none in-house, so we needed to hold up till one was called. While pausing, they needed to calm me yet I declined in light of the fact that I required the pro to comprehend the criticalness. At long last, he arrived and checked me, and put me on affirmation for around seven days, getting around 12 infusions every day. When I at long last got released, to spare individuals the worry of coming and visit and all, I needed to go to London to rest and be healed properly.
How do you relax when you’re not working?
I play squash, hang out with companions at lounges and go on adventures.
How would you describe your fashion sense?
I call it basic and modern. You can look basic yet modern, not looking tasteless and everywhere..
