The venue for our meeting located on Adeleke Street off Allen Avenue, Ikeja is the right place to meet popular Nollywoood actress and scriptwriter, Ruth Kadiri.
She was full of life as she walks in. Her dressing says a lot about her personality and the kind of job she does. Kadiri studied Business Administration and Mass Communication at the Yaba College of Technology and University of Lagos (UNILAG) respectively before she delved into filmmaking and acting. In 2003, she was endorsed and certified as a great actress by Uche Jombo as a result of her scriptwriting skills and acting prowess. She has successfully completed two movie projects, ‘Matters Arising’ and ‘Somebody Lied.’
“I was raised in the street of Ajegunle,” she says frankly while talking about her childhood. “As a child, I have always known what I wanted. Then, I had a write-up in my room that when I get to 18, I will rent my own house and have my own money. This thinking helped me while growing up and it helped me find my way. So, growing up in the slum helped me find myself.”
Kadiri tells me she had an interesting outing in 2014. “The year 2014 was very successful for me,” she says with a laugh. “I have been blessed. Most of the projects I penned down for the year were actualised. My friend and I started a clothing line called K and R, we went into urban cloths and so far it has been good. I just finished my second movie project. The first was ‘Matters Arising’ and the other is ‘Somebody Lied.’ For me, ‘Matters Arising’ was my first project and my first successful project. The people I worked with were very wonderful people.”
Most practitioners in Nollywood have extolled her great writing skill hence she is considered by many as a great script writer than an actress. “I appreciate every talent that I have,” she explains. “Both writing and acting and I don’t see myself trying to compare them. It is my duty to do my job and it people’s duty to analyse it. Success is getting to a point where you are comfortable with what you have and you are happy with it and this is exactly how I feel.”
With her experience working with many directors in Nollywood, Kadiri says he has been privileged to work with many directors whom she has learnt many things from.
However she says she has enjoyed with many actors and actresses she adores. “For ‘Matters Arising’, Majid Michel is a fantastic actor. He portrayed that characters well and many other have been really good, portraying their part very well.”
While starting out, Kadiri says she has always had her eyes fixed on getting to the top of her career. “Yes, I have always seen myself getting to this level. So far, I have learnt to be patient, I have learnt to understand that people’s destinies are different and I have also learnt to understand that not everybody will appreciate your style and not everyone will understand where you are coming from. All you need as a person is focus. But you just need to keep doing the right thing. And to make it easier for you, you need to follow the trend. If you have a style and you are able to create your own thing, as long as you are doing the right thing; you will be successful.”
With success comes many criticisms hence Kadiri has not been spared from several controversies on the social media. She has been largely criticised for some for her pictures she posted online. “I learnt from a senior colleague that for you to be successful, you will need to keep away from social media comment. So, for me, I try not to read those comments about me. Secondly, I wanted to do a photo shoot and I eventually did it. I really don’t have to listen to everything people say.”
In addition to film making, Kadiri has a clothing line which she says she is using to bring out her business side. “I have been able to reconcile both as a producer and a business woman as well. My new clothing line, K and R also tells it all. Everything you learn as a person comes to play in what you are and what you do as well.”
Kadiri sees a role model in Uche Jumbo and she says she draws inspiration from her environment. “I get inspiration from my environment, people’s experiences and Life generally. Uche Jombo is my role model. I admire her a lot. She is the most hardworking person I know, especially in this industry and she is very sincere. Women naturally would love to show off what they have, which the men may not count as anything. So, the focus are more on the women and that is shy they are considered richer than men in Nollywood.
As a step into the future, Kadiri says she has a new project in the pipeline. “My new project is still in the line of film making. It is a movie with the title, ‘Over the Edge.’ We just finished ‘Somebody Lied.’ Next year, I am hoping other ones will be out.”
In the next five years, the actress says she hopes her production company will become a household name. “I am presently running a production company and I am hoping that in 5 years time, it will be a household name. I am hoping that it will be brand. I see myself as someone who inspires a lot of people and I hope that in the near future, I don’t get to disappoint them.”
Funke Osae-Brown
