Entertainment

No Man Appreciates Me, I Don’t Know If I’ll Get Married – Nigerian Actress Cries Out

Published

12 months ago

September 14, 2024

…Says, ‘I wash, cook, clean my man’s apartment but what I get in return is scorn’

Fast-rising actress, Joan Johnson has seen it all. From being a house help after the death of her parents, to being a bar attendant and sexually harassed by her masters.

She was also duped of N4.7m by one of her friends who offered to help her process travel documents even as the supposed friend attempted to push her into becoming a stripper in Kenya.

Joan, who was also sexually harassed by her uncle, struggled to rise above her challenges and today, she’s living her dream as a movie star. She shares her touching story with Saturday Vanguard.

How it all started

I lost my parents at the age of 7. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I attended the best of schools and my dad was a pastor before his death. After his death, I lived in different homes as a house help and the husbands in those homes attempted to sleep with me as small as I was then. Even my father’s elder brother sexually harassed me. I never told anyone about it because I want to use my life story as a movie in future. I started out as child-actor at 13.

Then I used to act alongside Regina Daniels. I have always wanted to become a superstar. I stayed at Okpanam near Asaba. Then, I used to visit one of the popular hotels in Asaba where actors gathered for auditions. A friend of mine took me to the place for an audition, while I was still in secondary school. I auditioned for a minor role in a movie. That was my first ever role in a movie. Unfortunately, my grandfather didn’t want me to end up as an actress.

So, it was difficult for me to shuttle between Okpanam and Asaba. Later, I got another opportunity from a director-friend who casted me for a role in the movie, ‘Emergency’ which focused on the plight of the Chibok Girls. Then, I was still living with my grandfather. After my SSS examinations, I started working at a beer parlour, where I was paid N8000 per month.

Not minding my meagre salary, I always stormed the Zenith hotel looking for a movie job. One day, luck smiled on me, when I met a guy who introduced me to Chinyere Wilfred, who employed me as her Personal Assistant and paid me N10,000 per month. That was how I started travelling with her to different states and getting roles in movies. But I was not fulfilled as I wanted to become a superstar. So, one Christmas period, I left for Port Harcourt to see my family, and ended up working as a Sales Representative for Techno. That was how I abandoned acting to chase money. But I returned to acting in 2022.

Travelling abroad and my stripper story

Four years ago, I planned to travel out of the country, but a friend aborted my dream by duping me the sum of N4.7million. She claimed that she was processing my visa after I sold my property and closed my shop in readiness to travel. I didn’t process my visa by myself.

She handled everything for me. When I got to the airport, I was told that my visa was fake, and was advised to contact my agent which I did. She then said it was the fault of the agent and asked me to join her in Cotonou. While in Cotonou, she told me that as a beautiful lady and a good dancer, I should consider travelling to Kenya to become a stripper. I told her that I wanted to become a star and not a stripper.

She told me I can never make it as an actress; rather, my destiny was in the fashion business, that I was just wasting my time. At that point, I asked her concerning the travelling expenses to Kenya and she said N200,000. I transferred the money I made from the pedicure business to her. But later, it dawned on me that she was the person that duped me of N4.7 million as she blocked me from reaching her till date. I still haven’t recovered from the shock.

After that horrible experience, I was bankrupt and homeless. I started squatting with friends, instead of returning to Port-Harcourt. I moved into an apartment in Lagos, where I was paying weekly rents. But being a professional pedicurist, I went back to my pedicure business and started making money again. Later, I travelled to Kenya, and through the help of a friend over there, I was able to stabilize, made some money and returned to Nigeria. I then enrolled in a film academy in Lagos, rented an apartment and since then, life has been good to me. My experience has taught me never to trust anybody or open up to anyone no matter who the person is in my life. It has also taught me never to believe that anyone can help me.

Off screen, I am a crazy kind of girl and at the same time a responsible person. I am not a saint, I have seen life. But I noticed that a lot of producers prefer giving me the role of a bad girl in movies such as drug lord, seduction and carrying guns in movies because of my physical appearance. I have a very sexy body and eyes. Sometimes, I’d play the role of a good girl but the bad girl role has overshadowed all of that.

Sexual harassment in movie industry

I didn’t experience sexual harassment because of the way I joined the movie industry. As a personal assistant to Chinyere Wilfred, I was getting movie roles at random. My craft speaks volumes for me, and when they approach me, they do it politely. And it is my duty to say yes or no.

My life experiences affecting my love life

Relationships do not favour me. I have ended up being hurt badly in love. I am a lover girl. I love genuinely, your pain is my pain. But right now, my career comes first before any other thing. I just want to make money and take care of my family and myself. I don’t even know if I am going to get married.

For love or for money

I’d go for love, but men don’t appreciate me. I wash, cook and clean my man’s apartment just to make him feel like a king. But what I get in return is scorn. No man has ever appreciated me apart from my father and my ex-boyfriend, who was worshiping the ground I walked on. I parted ways with him because of the fact that he was not interested in my career.

More so, he was low-minded in nature as he believes that if he spoils you with gifts, he has done everything for you. But that was not what I wanted. I want to be a global star and one of the biggest actresses to come out of Africa. I don’t need a man with a low mentality. That was how I broke up with him. In all, what I lost in love, I have not only gained in my career, but also, in making money.

Returning to acting

Since I relocated to Lagos two years ago, my career has grown in leaps and bounds. I have worked for different productions. Many directors have told me that I am a promising star. So, I know I am on the right path. I produced my own short movies, acted alongside top Nollywood actors and played lead characters along the line.

VANGUARD

Entertainment

Nigerian Singer Says P-Square Feud Spiritual

Published

9 hours ago

September 2, 2025

Editor

Nigerian singer Obumneme Ali, popularly known as Smash and one-half of the music duo Bracket, has described the long-standing feud between Peter and Paul of P-Square as “spiritual,” revealing insights from his personal experiences with the legendary duo.

P-Square, the Nigerian music duo of twins Peter and Paul Okoye, rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like Do Me and Personally.

Their success peaked in 2011 with the release of the album Invasion, earning them international acclaim.

However, tensions reportedly began surfacing around 2016 over management, royalties, and creative control, culminating in their public split in 2017 when both brothers pursued solo careers as Mr P and Rudeboy.

Despite attempts at reconciliation in 2021, including a brief reunion tour and joint appearances, underlying disagreements persisted, keeping their relationship strained.

Speaking on a recent episode of the AFRIMMA Podcast on August 29th, alongside his bandmate Vast, Smash said Paul himself agreed that the conflict was beyond normal disagreements.

“I’m closer to Paul than Peter, but I always visit Peter’s house, and he listens whenever I speak to him. Honestly, if you ask me as someone inside the circle, I would say the problem is spiritual,” he said.

Smash recounted how he and Vast were given their first big break after encountering P-Square.

“We heard P-Square was coming to Enugu to perform. I booked a bus, went to the venue with two others, and approached them. Jude looked at me and said, ‘Just keep walking, if the right song comes, we’ll call you.’ And that’s exactly what happened,” he said.

He added that after the success of Yori Yori, Paul later invited them to his house, an experience Smash fondly described as ‘like Christmas,’ where the duo even offered him his first taste of whiskey

Reflecting on the current feud, Smash lamented the rift between the brothers, noting how painful it is to witness, given their closeness and passion for P-Square’s brand.

“Jude was part of P-Square, too. Paul and Peter loved that brand with so much passion. If you see Peter building stagecraft, you’d think this one is not human,” he said, recalling Peter’s dedication during video shoots, including dancing for hours straight at the set of “Alingo.”

Smash emphasised that despite the publicised conflict, he and Vast do not take sides. “We can never be on any side, but the last time I met Paul, I told him his problem with Peter isn’t normal, it’s spiritual. Paul agreed,” he said.

The singer’s reflections provide rare insight into the personal and professional dynamics of one of Nigeria’s most iconic music duos. Fans have followed closely as the once inseparable duo navigated personal and professional conflicts, making the P-Square saga one of Nigeria’s most talked-about music feuds.

Entertainment

5 Records Michael Jackson Set That Remain Unbroken

Published

4 days ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Michael Jackson widely known as the “King of Pop,” was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer whose influence reshaped the music and entertainment industry.

Rising to fame as a child with the Jackson 5, he went on to achieve unprecedented global success as a solo artist. With groundbreaking albums like Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous, Jackson became the best-selling music artist in history, blending pop, rock, and R&B in a style uniquely his own

Beyond music, he revolutionized music videos with cinematic works such as Thriller, Beat It, and Billie Jean, and his signature dance moves including the iconic moonwalk—set new standards in performance.

Despite controversies in his personal life, his artistry, humanitarian work, and cultural impact continue to inspire artists worldwide

Beyond being known as the ‘King of Pop,’ he also holds five records that remain unbeaten; here are they:

1. Best-Selling Album of All Time (“Thriller”)

Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1982) remains the best-selling album in history, with over 70 million certified copies sold worldwide (and over 100 million claimed). No album has surpassed it globally.

2. Most Grammy Awards Won in a Single Night (Male Artist)

At the 1984 Grammy Awards, Jackson won 8 Grammys in one night for Thriller and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. This remains a record for a male artist (only tied, never beaten).

3. First Artist to Top Billboard Hot 100 in 5 Different Decades

Michael Jackson is the only artist to have No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades (1960s with the Jackson 5, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and posthumously in the 2000s).

4. Most Successful Music Video of All Time (“Thriller”)

The thrillerr short film is still considered the most successful music video ever, recognized by Guinness World Records. It was the first music video inducted into the National Film Registry (U.S. Library of Congress).

Entertainment

Colleagues, Fans Pour Tributes As Funke Akindele Marks

Published

1 week ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Nollywood star Funke Akindele was showered with warm tributes on social media on Sunday as colleagues, protégés, and fans marked her 48th birthday, praising the actress-producer for her friendship, mentorship and contributions to the film industry.

Akindele, best known for her comic creation Jenifa and the popular television series and films that grew from it, has long been celebrated as a mentor and role model to younger talents.

On Sunday, however, tributes poured in beyond her screen achievements to highlight her enduring friendships and influence on emerging entertainers.

In a viral post, skitmaker Akinyoola Ayoola, popularly known as Kamo State, and acclaimed as Akindele’s adopted son, paid tribute to Akindele with a birthday song and an affectionate caption that referred to her as “Grandma Sonia” and “OLUFUNKE Ayotunde.”

He posted, “Happy Birthday Grandma Sonia, lyami Olufunke Ayotunde…Words can’t express how much | appreciate you. You’ve always been more than just a godmother to me, you’ve been a source of strength, love, and unwavering support.

“Thank you for the countless ways you’ve shown me kindness, for believing in me, and for always being there, no matter what. I’m incredibly grateful for your presence in my life…Enjoy your day, lya Beji, Alase gbogbo FaanTV, JENIFA Kan, Lefty Miii,”

Popular actress Eniola Badmus, posting as @eniola_badmus on Instagram, described the box-office star as “more than just a friend,” calling her a “playmate, my gist partner, my safe place” and a source of joy.

“Thank you for all the memories and for making life so much brighter,” Badmus wrote, praying that the new year brings Akindele “endless joy, success, and blessings.”

Another well-wisher, @tobimakinde, lauded Akindele as a “true trailblazer, luminary and exemplar of excellence,” wishing her “greater strength, peace, and overflowing joy” and praying for continued success and good health.

Fans across platforms joined in the celebrations, sharing clips, photos and messages under birthday posts, with many praising her career achievements and role as a mentor in Nollywood.

@Metalistix commented, “Happy 48th Birthday, Funke Akindele! Congratulations to you on this special day. Many of us grew up watching you in our teens, and we’re still watching and celebrating you as adults – and we know we’ll continue cheering you on even in old age. Cheers to a beautiful life, more success, and endless joy. Keep shining, Funke!”

@Tina_rayx described Akindele as “The Wizkid of Nollywood. Number 1. Nobody comes close. Aura upon Aura.”

@TowFunFun posted, “Happy birthday to the most successful actress in Nigerian history. The mother of many of us.”

Meanwhile, the creator of Jenifa used the occasion to reveal details of her next big project.

In a birthday message to fans, she announced her upcoming film Behind the Scenes, set for release in December 2025.

She said, “It’s my birthday today, and I feel so fulfilled. I’m graciously grateful to God for the grace to keep telling our stories… I’m using this special day to reveal my blockbuster movie, which premieres in December 2025, Behind The Scenes.”