Mercy Aigbe is definitely the top actress in Yoruba movies presently, just the way Opeyemi Aiyeola was a few years ago. Despite her star status, not much is known about her. However, OSEYIZA OOGBODO met with her and she had a lot to say about her love life, the movie industry, lesbianism, etc.

You act only in Yoruba movies

No. No. I’m a crossover artiste. I actually started with the English genre before I, you know, crossed over to the Yoruba movie industry. So, I do both. I’m not just a Yoruba actress.But recently you’ve been acting in just , (Cuts in) More, yeah. More of the Yoruba films.

But they say the English movies pay more.
Yeah, that’s true. The English movies pay more, they pay better, but the Yoruba are more accommodating.

So what you’re saying is that you prefer warmth and togetherness to money?
Em, I prefer a very good working environment. You know ,

And the Yorubas provide that?
They do.But what we always hear is that Yoruba industry is full of jealousy, use of juju, and many bad things.
I’ve not experienced it. I’ve not experienced it. Most of my colleagues that I met in the industry have been ,  in fact, all the people that I met have been very supportive. I’ve never experienced any form of jealousy from anybody.

So, how long have you been in the industry, English and Yoruba combined?
I started acting professionally 2006.

2006? That is recent. And you said you were in English before you came into Yoruba. Now, tell us about the movies you did in English.
I’ve not done much English movies. I’ve done more of soaps.

Soaps like?
I did Treasures with Chico Ejiro. I did Images with Fidelis Duker. Then I did an English movie for Dove Media.

That must be a Christian movie.
Yeah. It was produced by Charles Novia. I featured in Senseless produced by Fidelis Duker. I did Broken Songs, that’s a soap. Then I’ve done Super Story, I’ve worked with the Wale Adenuga family. Those are the ones I can remember.

I don’t remember seeing you in Treasures. What role did you play in it?
I was Benita’s (Nzeribe) friend. Benita was married to ,  what’s his name now? Benita was married and she had two step-children. That’s Tuvi (James) and one other girl. So I was her friend. I was helping her to spite her step-children.

How much do you charge now per role?
I can’t tell you.

Why is it that actors don’t like talking about money?
I don’t have to tell you how much I’m paid on the pages of a newspaper.

But in America, we know that Will Smith was paid $20m for a movie and all that. So why are we different?
That’s in America. Thank God you said it’s in America. You didn’t say some other actors and actresses in Nigeria actually tell you their fees. You said in America. And I’m praying and hoping that one day we would definitely get there. You know Nigeria, by the time you say you get paid so-so and so amount, maybe in the night, after some hoodlums have read it, they now visit you. So we will definitely get there.

Do you think any actor or actress has ever been paid a million naira for a movie role in Nigeria? Because all we keep hearing is that Genevieve, RMD and others in that category earn a million naira per movie. Is it true?
Any movie production that has a total budget of N300,000 is junk. It’s not a movie. I can tell you categorically that there’s absolutely nothing you can achieve with N300,000 to produce a movie.
And as to whether any Nigerian artiste has been paid one million naira or not, I can’t say for sure. Because it’s only people that have received that amount of money that can tell you if it’s true or not. So, I can’t tell you if it’s true. But what I can tell you is that if an artiste in Nigeria gets paid one million naira, I don’t think there’s anything bad in it.
I don’t think it’s too much money for an artiste to get for his or her talent. I don’t think it’s much.

Tell us about lesbianism in the industry. It’s very rampant now, right?
That’s what they say. Thank God you’re the one telling me now. And that’s what people are saying.

Have you been approached?
No. No. I’ve not.

But you’ve been hearing tales. What have you heard?
I’ve not really ,  the thing is, people are saying it. And it’s people like you that are saying it. It’s journalists, everybody that keep saying sexual harassment, lesbianism, and all that. I’ve not been opportuned to see anybody or see people that are lesbians. I’ve not heard that so-so and so people are lesbians so, I can’t really say anything on that issue. Let’s put the issue of lesbianism aside.

Are you saying that there’s no sexual harassment in the industry?
I’m not saying there’s no sexual harassment or not. But number one, what I’m saying is that I haven’t been sexually harassed by anybody. Two, it’s not just in the movie industry that we have what is called sexual harassment. It’s everywhere. Among lawyers, doctors, everywhere. Once you’re a very pretty lady, and probably you’re a job seeker or something. So it depends.

Are you married?
No, I’m not.

Tell us about the man in your life then. At least, you must have that man who’s your one and only sweetheart.
Yeah. Yeah. I have someone in my life. Someone who’s caring, God-fearing, and loving.

Tell us more about him.
I’ve told you everything I can tell you.

There is the news going the round that Mercy Aigbe and Yomi Fash-Lanso are going out. This is your opportunity to clarify that.
That’s what I’m saying. I’ve just told you. I confirmed that I have somebody in my life. I’m in a very serious relationship. I have someone that I love and who loves me.

How long has this secret relationship been going on?
For over a year now.

I hope it’s not one of these foreign-based guys?
But is there anything bad in having a fiancé abroad?

There’s nothing bad in it. But a good relationship shouldn’t have that much distance between the two involved.
When there is love, distance is nothing, once there’s love. Because love definitely will keep the relationship going strong.

So you believe in love?
Yes I do.Some people say understanding matters more than love now.

Then there’s this other thing. Most of these guys, when they marry you girls, they can’t cope with your stardom. So where’s does the love come into that? Someone who loved you before he married you, and after he marries you, he feels you’re a threat to him.
That means the person never loved me. If you love me, then you’ll love what I do. You’ll love my job because you know it’s what I do. You probably met me as an actress or even if you didn’t meet me as an actress, you know my dream as an actress, if you love me, you’ll stand by me. I believe in what you believe in. You have to believe in what I believe in. Together we can, you know, achieve all our goals. I believe so much in love.

How did you come into acting?
I’ve always wanted to be an actress right from my growing up days. When I was young, I felt I had the talent, so I was involved in stage dramas as a kid.

Where were you then?
I was in primary school.

Lagos? Abuja?
I was born in Lagos. I went to St. Anthony’s Primary School, Maryland. But when I actually was of age and I wanted to go to university, my father was like no, he doesn’t want me to study Theatre Arts. He actually wanted me to go for financial studies. That is Accountancy, because I was very, very brilliant.

Brains and beauty combination. Wow!
So fine, I did as my father said. I went to The Polytechnic Ibadan and studied Accounting. After my Ordinary National Diploma (OND), I was supposed to go for my Higher National Diploma (HND), but there’s this thing about showbiz, if it’ s in your blood, if you don’t do it, at the end of the day, you’re not a fulfilled person. So I decided to go for my BA in Theatre Arts at UNILAG where I graduated in Creative Arts and thank God today, I’m doing what I love doing.When did you graduate from UNILAG?2003.

So what were you doing between then and 2006 that you went into Nollywood full-time?
I worked for a while after I left school. You know I told you the problems I had with my father. I’m from a very serious Christian home. I’m from Edo State. And Benin men can be proud. Fine, I know he loves me, but you know they always want you to do what they want because they feel they know the best for you. After a while, he allowed me to read Theatre Arts, consoling himself that fine, in Nigeria, it’s not what you study that you end up working with. When I got a job and was working, he was happy. But I later had to resign and follow my calling.

What’s your relationship with your father now?
Ah, he’s proud of me now. He’s always saying I should please do more of English films, that I’m not a Yoruba girl now.
Though he’s really proud of my Yoruba roles, he encourages me to do more of English. He actually doesn’t understand Yoruba so, most of the time, he has to read the subtitle. He wants me to act in a medium that he can understand immediately. But at least he encourages me now and I give God the glory.

As an actress in Yoruba Nollywood, do you feel inferior to those in English Nollywood?
No I don’t.

But they seem to be accorded more respect.
Point of correction. I’m not an actress in Yoruba Nollywood. I’m an actress in Nigeria, in Nollywood. It’s just the medium that is different. Because I act and speak in Yoruba language doesn’t mean I can’t act in English movies or that it makes me lesser to people that act in English movies.
No. I don’t see myself as inferior. Number one, I’m a professional in my calling. I have a degree. And I have talent. I have everything it takes to be an actress.
So, why should I see myself as inferior to anybody? I don’t. If the time comes for me to prove myself, I will. I just think everything is time. There’s a time for everybody and I’ve never ever been treated as inferior to anybody in Yoruba or English genre.

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I fell in love with this actress late last year i was even wondering why is not in nollywood or some naija soaps
but seeing her this year she's ballooned, seems like she has been to the fattening rooms of calabar, nothing wrong with being thick but when you go from slim to mama with three months then theres a big problem! and im very sure shes didnt put on the weight for any specific role! _{I also notice shes got double k leg}

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tpia:

she's still ok though even with the alleged weight gain.

as for the k leg-I'm not seeing any in these pictures but I'm sure you noticed her legs while checking her out.

yes she's still Alrite, perhaps my eye clear small _{typical eh}

Yes o I went to my aunts store to pick some DVDs so I picked one with my new-old favourite
either she has a k leg on both legs or she has a very bad standing posture

ahhh thats my baby mehn I love edo babes

and her yoruba sounds sweet like Doris that gidi tone eko yoruba.