Mama-G steals Namibians hearts

DESPITE a change of date at the last minute, many Namibians flocked to the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) on Tuesday evening to see and hear from MTC’s Masters of Success guest, well-known Nigerian actress Patience Ozokwor, best known as Mama-G.

When the show started, people could be heard giggling and screaming in happiness but eventually they became mute with mixed feelings as Mama-G talked about her experience of playing a villain in movies but being a caring mother in real life.

MTC Masters of Success presenter Josy Nghipandua had her questions ready for Mama-G, including every thing that her Namibian fans would have loved to know about her.

Being a born-again Christian as well as a gospel artist, Mama-G’s being typecast as an evil step mother or difficult mother in law has really got nothing to do with who she really is. She’s a woman of substance who obeyed her parents all her life, even when they decided to marry her off to an older man when she was 21 years old.

The actress, whose four biological children are grown and are qualified professionals, advises young girls in Nigeria not to abort their babies but rather hand them over to her. “Just drop them with me,” she said with a chuckle.

Mama-G admits however that she has never had it smooth with her own children.

“I got married quite early and my husband was very sick and I had to keep between raising kids, taking care of a sick husband to attending teachers training college,” she said.

Even though she later tried going into business, the hard-working mother never lost her love for drama. “It is something I did for fun. I have been taking part in dramas since childhood.”

Emotions ran high when the woman whose movie characters are loved and hated by her fans revealed that she got an opportunity to be in university with three of her children at the same time but was forced to drop out in her third year as she couldn’t pay her own school fees.

“I cried a lot,” she says, but adds that she never regretted the decision to drop out because her children are now taking care of her.

Ozokwor, who plans on shooting a movie in Namibia alongside fellow Nigerian actor and previous Masters of Success guest Khem Owoh aka Osuofia, said in order to achieve what other movie industries have achieved, Africa has to unite. “It is time for Africa to be one. Collaborate and bring out our culture to tell our own stories,” said Ozokwor who draws inspiration from veteran actress Liz Benson as well as South Africa’s Miriam Makeba.

Asked why none of her children followed in her footsteps of acting, she said she worked hard for her kids to go to school.

“I gave them a chance to choose what they want,” said Ozokwor, adding that if there is anything she would want to change from her past, it’s not being forced into a marriage with an older man.

Ozokwor promised to be back soon as the Namibian script is ready. She promised to never disappoint her Namibian fans. “Namibia is my home now”.