I’m single, ready to mingle

Known for her hilarious portrayal of Mummy Wa, the patient yet outspoken wife of Mr Macaroni’s Daddy Wa, Kemi Ikuseedun, popularly known as Kemz Mama, has carved a niche for herself in Nigeria’s comedy and entertainment scene.     Beyond the character that brought her widespread recognition, Ikuseedun is also an actress, filmmaker, and independent producer, drawing on her academic background in accounting and management to navigate the entertainment industry’s demands. In this interview with Saturday Sun, she reflects on her journey, personal growth, lessons from playing Mummy Wa, and her future aspirations. ENJOY! How would you rate this year on a scale of 1–10? I’ll say it was quite a lot, but I enjoyed it, if I’m being honest with myself. A lot happened, but I was able to get through it. I think this time, I wasn’t scared of doing certain things. I wasn’t scared of my movie; I was scared of other projects I needed to do. So, it was quite easy for me. On a scale of 1–10, I’ll say this year has been amazing, and I’ll definitely give it a 10. Can you list some of your achievements this year? I would still say my movie because, if there’s anything I’ll carry on my head, it’s any little thing I do. When you first started playing Mummy Wa alongside Mr Macaroni, did you ever expect the character to become popular? To be honest, I didn’t. I just felt like I was coming to act and get paid. I didn’t know the character would be popular, but I’m grateful it is. You and Mr Macaroni have incredible on-screen chemistry. How much of your content is scripted versus spontaneous improvisation? I’ll say most of it is scripted, and that’s from Mr Macaroni. He comes up with most of the content we do together, especially the ones involving Mummy Wa and Daddy Wa. So, yeah, while acting, we add some extra vibe in between, but Mr Macaroni scripts the content. Mummy Wa is loved for being the patient, traditional wife. As a modern, independent woman, how do you balance portraying a traditional persona with staying true to yourself? When I look at the character Mummy Wa, I’m always like, “this is my mum.” She went through a lot. She’s a traditional wife, and a lot of our mothers and grandmothers are like that. I found the balance because I already know what kind of wife I want to be in the future. It’s not that I don’t want to be patient; it’s that I don’t want to be a traditional wife. We’ve seen all the mistakes our parents made, and hopefully we won’t make the same ones. So, I’ll say I’m definitely going to do the opposite of most of what they did. You hold an accounting degree and a master’s degree in management. How does this academic background help you run your brand as an independent producer and business owner? Many women in entertainment are prostitutes – Mummy WaBecoming Mummy Wa was my turning point – Kemi IkuseedunMen also get harassed in Nollywood –Kemi Ikuseedun (Mummy Wa) I feel like I’m not even utilising it well, but it has actually helped me because producing has been a lot. Being a producer comes with a lot of responsibilities, and I think the management aspect has helped me a great deal with everything I’m doing. That’s when I started realising my accounting degree and master’s degree weren’t a waste. Internet fame can be incredibly demanding. How do you protect your mental health and maintain a private personal life away from the heavy scrutiny of social media? I don’t just listen to what people say. That’s just it. This year has been about believing in myself, being proud of myself and hailing myself. So, sometimes, when I see certain things online, I really don’t care about them. I’ve shut down; nothing can make me sad anymore. What has been your biggest disappointment in the Nigerian movie industry, and what remains your greatest source of pride? I want to keep my biggest disappointment quiet because, as a producer and an actor, I wouldn’t want to offend anyone in the industry. My greatest source of pride, I’ll say, is the fact that the Nigerian movie industry moves with the flow. You should expect the unexpected. I have friends shooting short films, very interesting short films on YouTube. I’m just so happy because it feels like I’m seeing my people win. I’m seeing them make movies, create their own series and start their own shows. I’m just so happy in general. Seeing my friends and peers succeed in whatever they put their hands on is incredible. Is there any filmmaker or actor you’re still dreaming of working with? Yes, a whole lot. I’d love to work with Timini. I think recently, everyone’s dream has been to work with Timini. I’d also love to work with Tyler Perry, both as a filmmaker and as an actor. You portray a married woman so convincingly; has that influenced your own views on love, partnership and what you want in a future marriage? Yes, it has. It has made me see marriage from a different perspective. Sometimes it makes me feel like marriage is one scary institution; uhm, the fact that my character is always chasing the other character makes me feel like, ‘Eh, God, I don’t want to be chasing my future husband like this’. I pray my future husband has only eyes for me and me alone. What’s one misconception people have about you that you’d like to correct? I don’t want to correct any misconception. Whatever you think I am or think I did, yes, I did it. It’s okay, whether it’s bad or good. If you believe it, I don’t care anymore. Is Mummy Wa single and ready to mingle? Mummy Wa is single and ready to mingle because Mummy Wa is getting old. Have you ever lost a role you badly wanted, and how did you recover from the disappointment? Yes, I have lost a role I badly wanted, but I don’t want to talk about it because I don’t want the producers looking at me like, ‘Oh, because we didn’t give you the role, you’re now going about talking about this, this and that.’ How did I recover from the disappointment? Well, I watched the movie and was like, ‘Oh, I could have done better.’ You once made a statement about female actors who are also involved in prostitution. What prompted that statement? I want to skip this question because I’ve been getting a lot of messages about it, and I really don’t want to answer it. So, what advice would you give young girls who look up to you and want to join Nollywood? I’ll say, believe in yourself. Believe in your craft. I’m still doing that and still finding my way, so don’t think that anybody has got there yet. We’re all still trying. Tags:

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