Chioma Toplis is not a regular face in the movie industry. Yet she is one of the most-talked about actresses. She tells ’NONYE BEN-NWANKWO about her style and her British husband. You have been around in the country for some time now. Are you finally back home?
It’s not as if I’m back home finally. I came back last September and I’ll be going back this January. It’s just a normal visit. I decided to spend my Christmas here because I’ve not done so in many years. It was an agreement between my husband and I to spend the holidays with my family here.
But we learnt you and your husband were no longer together…
This is so funny I laugh. My husband and I can never separate. Never! The Devil can’t do anything. We never had any problem. There is nothing like that story. You know that Oyinbo people value Christmas a lot. Before now, even if I’m in Nigeria, I’ll make sure I go back to the UK and spend Christmas with my family. But this time around, my husband agreed that I should stay here in Nigeria.
What of your kids?
They are still in the UK.
But where is the rumour coming from?
We’re human beings and people will always talk about you. Once there is life, people must always talk about it.
You don’t look like somebody who is bothered by the rumour.
Why should I be bothered? It is not true. Even if it is true, is there any need to cry over spilt milk?
Some people expected your marriage to the white man to have crashed by now.
My marriage will not crash because it was built on a solid rock. The love is still there. We love each other and we are Christians. He knows God. People are surprised when they come to my house and see that my husband goes to church. He is a real Christian. Even if I misbehave or do anything, he knows how to handle it as the man of the house. But we have not had a problem because we have been busy bringing up the children.
How about your acting career. Do you still get scripts?
I’ve been working. I’ve been doing my business as well; you know the period we are in now. I’ve been shuttling from location to my shop. That is what I’ve been doing lately. The whole world knows there is a lull in the movie industry; if you happen to get a script, you should thank God. I just came back from a movie location. I thank God that at least, I still get jobs once in a while. I’m not the kind of actress that does 20 movies in one month; I’ve always done a few movies; then, I do my business and I go. Now that the industry is somehow, I don’t think it has affected me.
Talking about your business, there was a time you had a problem with the ex-wife of an actor; when you said she hadn’t paid you for the bag she bought from you. What happened?
She has finally paid; though she didn’t complete the payment, I’ve left that. I decided to let the matter die since it was becoming messy. People don’t understand that when you are doing business, you need your money. My business is not going to fold up by the grace of God. I’ve let bygones be bygones. I learnt she had been telling people that she had made up with me. I appreciate that. I’ve forgiven her though she lied against me. I don’t want to revisit that topic any more. People who know me also know that all the stories that came up during that episode were lies.
Her cousin or personal assistant, who claimed she was the one that bought the bag from you, said you snatched her boyfriend and that was why you were making a big deal out of the bag…
There are plenty men in Nigeria to go round. Why would I snatch other people’s men? I don’t know what the fiancé of a PA will be able to do for me. This is a PA that receives N10,000 every month. I don’t know what her fiancé will do for me that will make me fall for him. As I said, I don’t want to talk about it. People say a lot of things about me; I don’t care. I know I’m always good and cheerful to people. I mind my business and I don’t talk about people. But when people step on my toes, I don’t let them go free just like that. If you do, they will just override you.
Doesn’t your husband get riled up when he reads these controversies about you?
My husband doesn’t read Nigerian papers. My husband doesn’t watch Nigerian movies. As a matter of fact, my husband knows that I’m in Nigeria to do business and that is all. He doesn’t care what business I’m doing. He doesn’t care how much I’m getting. He gives me money to do whatever I want to do, but he doesn’t ask me about the outcome. If I ask him for money, he gives me. He does anything for me provided it makes me happy. He hasn’t come one day to ask me to show him the movie I have done. Neither has he checked the Internet to read about me. He is married to his work. He doesn’t care what I’m doing. In the UK, if I stay at home for two weeks, he tells me to go and hang out with my friends. He is an introvert and he doesn’t want me to live that kind of life as well. He works hard. I’m enjoying myself and my husband likes it like that. I don’t give a damn about what people say.
So he likes the way you dress.
Oh yes. The funny thing is that my husband buys most of my dresses. He pays for them. My children tell me they love my clothes. Whatever any other person says doesn’t enter my ears at all. I’ve bought the dress and I must wear it. That is just it. I don’t look bad in the dresses. It is just that people want to backbite and say all sorts of rubbish to bring me down. I don’t care.
But they say you know longer wear revealing and short dresses.
I don’t know where they got that story from. Am I wearing ‘turtle’ neck now? I laughed over it when I heard that story. People must talk. I still wear the kind of clothes I have always worn. If I still see myself looking good to wear any kind of dress, I will wear it. I’m not married to a pastor, neither am I married to a traditional ruler. No! This is me and will always be me until I call it quits. Unless I get too cold back in the UK (that is the only time) I’ll be covered up. Now, I’m still young and I will continue to dress young. I’ve a 16-year-old son, but when I come out with him, people still think he is my brother. My kids are happy that their mum still looks funky.
Do you have a vision?
Most people want the sky to be their limit; I want the sky to be my starting point.
We learnt you had a problem with Oge Okoye.
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