Naija Men Want to Take Advantage of Me –Actress Collette Orji

Collette Orji is an amiable and articulate Nollywood actress. She tells a reporter some of her challenges:

You acted alongside A-list actors on your first day. Could you share your experience with me?
Oh, my God! Look at Jim Iyke, the American boy. Then, I saw Mama Gee and I was like, Oh my God! It was just great and they were nice. When you come close, you find out that these people are so warm. They were like Collette do this and that. It was all fun.

Has love been fair to you?
I think the answer is yes. But have I been fair to love? I don’t think that the answer there is yes.

How was it like when the guys started coming?

I think from a very young age, I knew I was pretty. At home, my brothers would say, ‘If somebody tells you that you’re beautiful, tell them that you know.’ So, at a very young age, I started saying things like, ‘I know’. People would be like shut up, say ‘Thank you.’ I would be like, ‘yeah, but I know.’ But before I got to be like 15 or 16, most of my brothers were already out of the country to study. So, it was just me, my mom and my friends. But I’ve always been an assertive person. If something is not right, first of all, it’s really hard to get me twisted. It takes time to get me twisted on things that I am not comfortable with. But growing up as a teenager, you had to make your own mistakes.

When was the first time you had your first date?
I was 18 when I had my first date. But before then, I got loads of love letters. I had my first relationship in school when I was doing my advance level.

Is it that you don’t feel that the time is ripe to be in a serious relationship?
I have been in a couple of serious relationships. But you know, it’s just not easy.

Is it harder for an actress?
Yes, it is harder... it affected my relationship with guys because they intentionally come to take.

There was this guy I was dating sometime ago. I remember I was driving his car on this particular day. We needed a phone charger and we were driving to get one. We got to a shop and the guy brought out the charger. They tested it and it worked. And the next thing, he was playing game on his phone and fiddling with his ipad. Then, the phone seller recognised me and was hailing me. It made me uncomfortable. They were calling my name. It was his charger we were buying, yet he couldn’t be bothered; he was just doing something else. I had to dip my hand in my bag and pay for the charger. And we drove off. After a while, I was like, ‘Why did you do that? It’s your charger.” You won’t even believe what he said to me: “Actresses spend money on their husbands. Do you think their husbands are rich enough? They spend money on their husbands and they don’t insult them. But you just bought a charger for me now and you’re insulting me.” I don’t have that kind of money and that is not the life I want...

They are all working, so why should I be the one paying? That’s one thing that affected me in my relationships. I have been in two serious relationships that were all about ‘Collette, bring this and that.’ I go for a movie production and as I’m driving back into the house, the next thing I hear is: what was the fee like? Everyone is just trying to grab from you. And it’s not like you’ve ever bought something for me or you gave me something.

How do you now find real love?