It’s now beginning to be a trend amongst the female Nollywood artistes to reach across the border for a suitor. Actress Ashionye Ugbo-Racca, who is married to a white man in a recent interview talked about her decision to marry her friend of 11 years.
What would you say marriage have done for you?
Marriage have matured me. As a single woman, there were certain things I did that I can’ t do now. Marriage and the birth of my child have made me a lot more patient and matured person. I am a woman now. There are some things that I look at now as a wife and a mother, and I ignore. But back then, I wasn’t matured enough and I thought I was. I have been matured for over three years now.
How did you meet your husband?
I met my husband in 2001, we have known each other for over 11years. We met here, in Lagos.
Is it a new trend where Nollywood stars are falling for the ‘Oyinbos’?
This is not about going for the “Oyinbo’s” or the ‘Oyinbos’ coming for us. It’s about the relationship. It’ s not a matter of whether your husband is black or white. It depends on the relationship you have built over the years with him.
It depends on a lot of of things. And by the way, how many Nollywod actresses are married to the Oyinbos? I don’t see colour as an individual in marriage. My husband doesn’t see colour either. I believe that the actresses that you are referring to, and their husbands don’t see colour too. That’s why they decided to marry. The world is one colour to me, but don’t ask me which colour.
You might see my husband as a white man, but I don’t see him that way. After all, my husband was born in Kano and he speaks Hausa fluently. He is a Nigerian as much as you are a Nigerian too. So, I don’t see colour in our marriage.
What was the reaction of your parents when you introduced him to you?
There was no opposition. My dad knew I have been in a relationship with him for awhile. So, there was no reason for him to oppose the marriage. He was very happy to welcome another son-in-law into our family. The relationship between my husband and my father was fantastic.
Now that you are back in Nollywood, have the scripts started flying into your hands?
I have gotten some offers for movies that will shot early next year. And I have accepted to star in those movies. They are two movies at the moment.
By BENJAMIN NJOKU
