Years back before Nollywood and the music industry became such a big deal Nigerian stars were not celebrated, they were more popular in countries outside Nigeria, especially by Nigerians in the diaspora who looked to Nollywood movies as a way of staying connected to their roots. Actresses were looked at as just slightly better than street girls while the new generation male musicians were seen as jobless thugs. The stereotype was unfair because they were just doing a job that needed to be done- entertain people.
Times have changed, now the successful musicians, actors and comedians are superstars with millions of fans, huge endorsements and for some even huger egos.
The first time I ever met a Nollywood actress in the flesh was about ten or so years ago when I saw Regina Askia, the biggest thing in Nollywood at the time at park and shop in Victoria island. I was giddy with excitement and walked up to her to say hi and tell her how gorgeous I thought she was. Big mistake, she basically looked right through me and walked off, I felt sooooo humiliated. That taught me a lesson, after that incident for years I never said a ''hello'' to any celebrity. Eventually I told myself I couldn't judge everybody else from one person's bad behavior so I let it go. Every now and then I see Nigerian celebrities and say hello some are really nice, some not so much. I ran into Ramsey Noah at the NAPEX car park in Victoria Island recently, because I had met him previously at a private engagement and he seemed nice then, I said a very pleasant hello and he just barely acknowledged that anyone talked to him and walked past. I wasn't even upset, I'v grown to learn that attitudes like that show the individual concerned is just a silly, immature human being so things like that don't bug me anymore. For every celebrity that is nasty, there are two that are wonderful and are appreciative of the fact that they are stars because people buy their music, watch their movies and laugh at their jokes. Ali baba, Okey Bakassi and Julius Agwu are three of the nicest people you would ever meet. They actually make you feel like you are the star, not them. I met Tonto Dike once at the Palms mall and walked up to her and said hi, I wouldn't say she was cold but she definitely was not warm. Genevieve on the other hand is reserved but quite nice. I had always been a fan and always bought any movie with Genevieve in it. I was with a friend who happened to be her friend as well. She came into the bar where we were having drinks and my friend walked up to meet her, I stayed put, not knowing what to expect, I was a bit wary. My friend told her how big a fan of her's I was and she walked up to me with the biggest smile and said ''thank you''.
