GIFT BOYO - THE NOLLYWOOD STORY

GIFT BOYO TAKES US THROUGH THE STORY SO FAR IN NOLLYWOOD

 

Nollywood has grown so big and has become a house hold name with a lot of advancements and achievements to it's name.

Grown from the point, where we only had few actors like Kenneth Okonkwo, Clem Ohameze, Genevieve Nnaji, Richard Mofe Damijo, Jim Iyke, Emeka Ike, Liz Benson, Regina Askia Pete Edochie, Olu Jacobs, Sam Loco,  till the point where everyone's got atleast an actor in his or her family.

Well, Swit Summer Blog caught up with one of the most talented Nollywood - International actress/producer of our time Gift Boyo, so we could chitchat a bit about Nollywood and the major advancements she has put in so far.

Enjoy!

How many sections of Nollywood do we have now?

I know about Nollywood UK. Nollywood France. Nollywood Germany, Nollywood America and Nollywood Ghana. I think there are lots more scattered all around the world but it’s all the same

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how it has been so far?

Well, I joined Nollywood officially in 1997 and have featured in a lot of movies over time but in 2004, I relocated to the UK. I joined Nollywood UK in August 2014 after a very long break.

Can you mention a few of those movies/tv series that you have featured in, and how it all began?

I started from stage acts like most professionals and since then I’ve been featured in a lot of movies.

I featured in “Things Fall Apart” as one of the dancers, “Chike & Ngozi” in school stage shows.

My first main Nollywood movie was “Critical Decision”, then “Super Woman 1 & 2, “Beautiful Faces 1 & 2, “Price of Hatred 1 & 2, “First Commandments 1 & 2, “Jaws of Death” 1 & 2, “Mirror in the Sun” and many more like that, before I relocated to the UK.

In the UK I have featured in “Oga Detective”, “Murderer inlaw”, “The Lower Cut”, "Drag him to the altar" and many more.

Tell us about your challenges, as a pioneers of Nollywood.

We really suffered while building up Nollywood. We gave our all. We would walk from Festac town to National Theatre because we had no money.

We struggled a lot to make it work. I remember Emeka Ani and I walking half way from Festac to Surulere with Ejike Asiegbu, Lancelot imaseun, Emeka Duru.

I was just a young girl then and I used to hide away in Emeka Ani s video shop in Surulere waiting for audition time because we had challenges with molestation from male directors.

 

Besides movies, what else do you do?

I’m a nurse and a health worker here in the UK. I studied Health & Social Care in the University.

I am a social activist, who believes in the love for all. And I detest abuse especially abuse on women. I’m also a member of WAR (Women against Rape).

What current projects ARE you working on and how do you intend to give back to the society?

I just recently wrapped up shoot on “The Lower Cut” movie and I’m currently working on my own movies alongside. I’m grooming young, talented actors so I can showcase them to the world also.

 SO HOW CAN YOUR FANS REACH YOU?
You can send all inquiries to gift77745@gmail.com, Follow on Instagram on Gift Boyo or Just Add me on Facebook Gift Boyo.

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