Shirley Igwe doesn’t belong to the category of women who have to be padded, made-up and wear different masks to be beautiful. She has beauty bequeathed on her by nature, so much so that, before she left school she was already the beautiful face of Delta Soap. From modelling, she naturally metamorphosed into acting and now the Principal Protocol Officer to Governor of Imo State not to mention her prominence as a blogger.
As our Showtime Celebrity, Shirley took us through each stage of her life, putting the wrongs right; shedding light on issues and generally allowing us a drive through the beautiful mind that adorns the Imo State House:
What’s your typical day like as the Principal Protocol Officer to the Imo State Governor?
I go to work everyday and after that I return home.
What does your job entail?
I’ve been screaming this: everyone knows what ‘ Principal Protocol’ means, right? Protocol is protocol. People can as well check the dictionary or Google the word to know what it entails. There’s not much explanation to it. The word ‘protocol’ defines itself.
How did you get the job?
People go to offices and submit their CVs and applications. The same way people get jobs in offices is the same way I got mine.
You seemed worked up over something concerning your job?
No, all I am saying is that protocol is all about protocol. My job as a protocol officer to Imo State Governor is not different from any other protocol officer found anywhere in the world.
Do you mean you actually applied for the job?
Yes, I did. I didn’t get that job as an actress. I applied for the job and submitted my CV alongside. Nollywood didn’t get me that job, I got the job as an unemployed youth seeking a job, not with my status as an actress.
Some people were of the opinion that because Nkiru Sylvanus was sacked from the governor’s cabinet, she had to be replaced with another Nollywood face?
I have to tell you that a change of cabinet doesn’t mean one was sacked. There was a change of cabinet which I knew nothing about. I don’t know how her name got into the picture. I think it’s some bloggers trying to do some mischief. It wasn’t an exchange or replacement. And Nkiru Sylvanus’ job had nothing to do with my job.
What has working with the government exposed you to?
A lot of things. I can be able to tell you a lot about politics and governance. It has exposed me to a lot of things that people who are my age don’t know or won’t know even in 10 years to come. It has been a big privilege and I thank God for that.
Having had this experience, would you want to go for an elective position in the future?
Of course, but not now. First of all, one has to be rooted, grounded and know the basics. So, yes I would want to go into politics, but not now.
As an insider, what do you think people need to know about governance that they don’t know?
The thing is, some people in goverment are doing their best, while some just go there and waste resources. Generally speaking, I’m not just talking about Imo State, some people come into goverment and do their best. But sometimes it seems their best is not good enough, because no matter how hard they try, they just can’t please everybody.
My governor is doing his best, I’m not saying this because I’m from Imo State or because I have an appointment with the government. Some states are fortunate to have good governments, while some are not. Imo State has been fortunate in that regard. They might not appreciate it now, but they will later.
What opened your eyes to the business of entertainment?
I started during my university days. As a mass communication student, we had a journalism club known as JCI. In that club, we used to go for lots of competitions. One of the competitions we went for was with a TV in 2007. It was about a movie festival. When we got there, we met a lot of movie people. Gradually, I developed an interest in entertainment. That was how it began for me. After school, when I got back to Lagos, I started making contacts and the rest is history.
How did you get your first professional shot in the entertainment world?
One of the people I met was Otega Obaseki. I don’t know if he’s still in the entertainment industry. When I met him, he said if I wanted to do movies, I would have to take pictures so I could send them out to producers.
So I went for a photo shoot at Shola Creative Studios. After taking the pictures, Shola told me my face was good for Orange Drugs Advert. He also said the auditions will be coming up soon and that he would call me when it commenced.
At that point, my father didn’t want me to act, because I was still in school. So I put acting aside and started modeling. After a week, I got a call from Shola to come for the Orange Drugs advert audition. That was how my first contract started with Orange Drugs. I also did for Multilinks, Oceanic Bank, Skye Bank and others.
Essentially, you started off as a model?
I started off as a model, but my first interest was acting. I had to finish school, since acting is more time consuming, I had to keep it aside and finish up my education. It was easier for me to do modelling alongside schooling.
Did you do the Delta Soap (Orange Drugs) advert before you started acting?
Yes, I did. Actually, before Delta Soap, I did a Multilinks advert which was everywhere in Nigeria. You might not know it was me because the face wasn’t popular then. I also did another advert before the Orange Drugs commercial.
I guess the Orange Drugs commercial was the most popular?
Yes, it was a breakthrough for me
What personal qualities or attributes will you say got you the Orange Drugs deal?
My looks, carriage and personality.
Was that all, wasn’t there anything on the side?
Not at all. There were lots of people there for the audition who were more exposed than I was then. I didn’t even know I’d be picked.
During the audition, were you at any point intimidated by the other beautiful girls?
Of course, I was. I didn’t even know I was going to be picked, because I was shy even though I had the looks. I wasn’t chasing people about. I was just relaxed ,believing that something would happen for me.
What was it like being the Face of Delta Soap?
It was rewarding and it opened a lot of doors for me. It was a breakthrough and I gained more trust from my family.
How were you able to fight off advances from men?
The thing is, first of all, I wasn’t exposed, so I was still like the regular girl next door, except that you could see my face on TV and billboards. It didn’t affect me, nobody had my number, so no one called me. I just lived my normal life.
How were you able to live with the fame on campus?
It earned me a lot of respect.
Did it give you some privileges on campus?
Yes, because some of my lecturers would say ‘We know you are modelling for Orange Drugs, but you have to pay attention’. They picked on me, but not in a bad way.
How did acting start for you?
It was during the long ASUU strike in 2009. While in Lagos, I went for an acting audition and I stood out. When you have the looks and the personality, people will want to see what more you can bring to the table. They were impressed with my performance and that was how acting started for me.
What was your first acting job and how was it like getting your act together?
It was fun. I acted alongside Mike Ezuruonye, Yvonne Nelson and Yvonne Okoro. The movie was shot in Ghana in 2009 and it was an Andy Best Production. The name of the movie, translated in English is ‘I Broke My Heart’. That was my first movie. After the strike, I returned to school, so it wasn’t as if I was moving from one set to the other.
Which movie do you think brought you to limelight?
I would say ‘Facebook Babes’. It got a lot of hype at the time because of the name.
As a very beautiful woman, what has your experience with men been like?
God has been faithful to me. So far, he has given me wisdom to handle men and any issues I have. God has been on my side. He has been the one shielding me.
Have you ever had an unpleasant experience with men?
One day, I was trying not to give a guy my number. But he kept insisting and it was very frustrating and embarrassing because it was in public.
Why are you still single?
I can’t marry myself, someone has to propose. I’m still waiting for someone to propose.
You mean with your beautiful looks, no man has proposed to you?
There was, but it didn’t work out. So, there was no marriage.
What’s your opinion on marriage and divorce?
I don’t want to get married and then divorce. I don’t even pray that for my enemy. I believe in getting married and staying married. I want to get married and stay in my marriage.
Getting married and breaking up seems to be the trend with most Nollywood actors and actresses, why is it so?
People marry for different reasons. Some get married because everyone is getting married, while some got married because at that point they needed comfort, support or a backbone. At the end of the day, when they feel they are strong enough, they pull out. But if one gets married for the right reasons, it will be difficult to break up.
Why did you choose to go into blogging?
I read Mass Communication and online reporting is a field in journalism. I just decided to start something I know I would appreciate in the future. For me, it’s just as if I’m reporting for a media house. I felt I should do a bit of what I studied in school. That’s it. It’s been fun for me.
Would you say prying into other people’s businesses is like second nature to you?
As a matter of fact, I don’t like prying or poking my nose into people’s business. I like being up-to-date. I can sit down all day working on the internet. When I went into blogging, prying into other people’s affairs wasn’t on my mind. I just wanted to be up-to-date.
Has the blogging business been worthwhile to you?
Yes, it has.
How?
It helps me stay up-to-date. I get to know what’s in the news first because I report it. It keeps me busy doing something interesting,even when I’m relaxing at home.
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