Lilian Amah: Every Home Must Have Its Culture

If you are yet to agree to the saying that you are what you wear, then, you must read this. “Most ladies easily forget that their appearance is a signal to the exact person they are. It tells others whether you are responsible or not, That’s why each home needs to have its rule, its culture “says actress Lilian Amah Aluko in this close up with YEMISI ADENIRAN.

Where did you grow up and what are some of the fond memories you would love to share?

I was born in Lagos but grew up in Freetown Sierra Leone. I schooled at Federal Government CollegeWarri for my secondary school and the University of Lagos for both my first degree and masters in English Language. I am one of five children born to Chief P.S. Amah who was a naval officer before and during the civil war. My mum Elizabeth Amah was a teacher. My loving parents brought us up to be the best we can be always bearing in mind that we must ultimately bear responsibility for all our actions.

How did you meet your husband and how has the journey in marriage being?

I met my husband through my cousin here in Lagos. Though, I would rather not talk about my private life, I would say God has been good to us.

What kind of parents were your parents?

My parents are the best any child can wish for. We lost our beloved rock – my father in 2011 but my mum is still alive and well. My parents were very responsible and would spare no rod to have us spoilt. They never left us under any other person’s care, they took up the responsibility of training and tutoring us.

They ensured that we lived well. They taught us so much to last us a lifetime. Some of mum’s words that would never be off my memory are; be true to yourself, control your temper and live your life in such a way that you will achieve the purpose of your earthly existence. She taught me how to take charge of my life, the best way to handle situations, the ways to listen to one’s inner heart and how to cope with life challenges. I want to believe that these training I got from them worked positively for me. It helped me to be focused, determined and not feel jittery when faced with life challenges.

What effect would you say all of these have had on your life style?

A lot I must confess. The fact that I was raised up by very principled and responsible parents who attach great honour to their name in the society, has taught me to always comport myself in a responsible way wherever I am. I don’t just wear anything just because of anything, I don’t just go anywhere, talk anyhow or associate myself with anybody just for the fun of it. I have a name o protect. To crown this, is the fact that I am again married into a responsible family. I wouldn’t want to misrepresent them. As a matter of fact, I also want this legacy to keep flowing in my generation.

But most ladies today are oblivious of this fact. They dress and behave anyhow. What would you attribute this to?

Like I said, it has to do with the kind of home and the environment one comes from. Most ladies easily forget that their appearance is a signal to the exact person they are. It tells others whether you are responsible or not. That’s why it is good for every home to have its own rule, culture that will guide all members.

What‘s your advice on this?

My advice on this is that parents should do more on the discipline of their children. Charity, they say begins at home. If we, parents will take time out to instil the right attitude and behavioural patterns in our children, they will grow up with a good conscience. They will be able to divide between what is right and what is not. Whether we are there or not, they would have known the real reasons they must live right. Parents should devote more time to their wards, give more training and live a life of good example. We must strive to gain our children’s trust and respect.

You have a trimmed frame in spite of the challenges of motherhood and marriage. Do you eat anything special?

No, I don’t. I have no favourite food. I eat what I see whatever that excites me. However, I am one person who eats with moods. If am happy, I feel like eating more and eats well. If I am not happy, I don’t eat. My mood influences what I eat.

As a child, what were some of your dreams for life?

I had many childhood dreams. I wanted to be an air hostess, a doctor, a lawyer, an actress, a banker and a nun. You know it is common with children to want to be a particular person or something at different times as they grow up. When they finally grew up, they might just end doing or becoming something very different. For me, it is not so. I have lived most of my dreams. The only one I have not tried is medicine and being a nun. I was with ADC Airline for about two years as a hostess before joining the banking industry. While worked in the bank, I nurtured my acting ambition.

I was lucky with the bank I was with. There were no frigid rules; we worked as one big family. This was one of the main reasons I could succeed in my acting career. I was allowed to do all that needed to be done concerning acting until I finally resigned in 2005. It was while I was there that I featured in “Doctor’s Quarter. This is why I have continually been grateful to God and that bank for their support. It is not common with any bank or organization to allow such move.

Of all these choices, one would have expected you to remain in banking. Why did you leave the banking profession?

Like I have said before, all these careers were my dreams that God only allowed me to experience. But as usual, it is expected of me to pick one out of them and make a maximum exploit of it. That is exactly what happened. I discovered that acting is the only career that gave me real fulfilment. I did not need anyone to tell me this because it all involved me and I am expected to assess and evaluate well. Money, whether anyone wants to believe it or not is not everything. I was in the banking career for ten good years but didn’t find fulfilment. But when I threw my all into acting, I begun to have that sense of fulfilment. I feel happy within me, I feel excited doing the job and am always refreshened for every new day. I have never been bereaved of creativity and that has kept me on.

Haven’t you observed that money to many people, young or old has become everything in Nigeria of today?

Yes, that is obvious but really it is wrong. Finding fulfilment in what one is doing at a particular time and in a life time is supposed to be the utmost. No doubt, we al need money to live well and fulfil one obligation or the other but we are not supposed to make it a do-or-die affair that many are making it these days. Doing what one enjoys is the best. That is the only time one can contribute to his or her own world, make impact on the sand of time, get real productive and feel good. It is also until then that one can say he or she has fulfilled destiny. Money is good but the love for it is dangerous. That is why many will go any length to have it; that is why the entire nation is experience more crime than ever.

What do you have to say about this to up-coming actors and actresses?

I will repeat the same thing. They should feel their pulses and be sure it is signalling acting otherwise they wouldn’t be relevant least of all find fulfilment. When you discover that you do more of struggling in a particular profession, forget it, you need to move on. That is not to say there won’t be a time when you have to learn or pass through some teaching or learning process. But if after all said and done, you still struggle and feel depressed on the job, then; you might need to ask yourself if you are in the right place. Acting is not for everyone, just as it is the case in other careers.

The fact someone is making waves in acting does not say it comes cheap to everyone. You must have a flair for it and you must have an inner conviction about it. But once you are sure acting is it for you, be focused and determined to pay the price. Without a simple heart and determination, it is difficult to achieve success in acting. It is always good to take one’s destiny in one’s hand and very early in life too because time is not a friend of anyone. Besides, an individual is in the best position to evaluate and judge oneself.

How would you describe your journey into acting?

Just like the journey of life, it has been smooth, rough, good and bad. One thing I am grateful about is the fact that it has given me the opportunity to express my creativity to my generation. I have been opportune to rise in the career; I have been able to produce movies, write sripts too. . Acting is something I enjoy immensely. The more challenging the role, the more I enjoy it. That said, my most challenging role is yet to come. I have enjoyed all the roles I have played and I appreciate all the producers who allowed me play a part in bringing their dreams to life.

But you seldom appear in movies these days, why?

It is because I am being careful where I allow my face to appear. After spending over three decades in the industry, I should know that the screen lives longer than its participants. Whatever we do today is a story, a legacy for people coming after us. It is only reasonable that I get choosy or screen the movies I will be part of as much as possible.

Tell us some of the films you have produced.

I have actually produced more than five. The first was Sweet Revenge with Emem Isong in 2000/2001, She Devil in 2002, The Triangle in 2005 and Jungle Ride in 2010, a docudrama Runs in 2012 with Samantha Iwowo and Benedict Alli. All of them were challenging in different ways.

Source: NationalMirror