Nollywood actress Blessing Patrick has successfully built a blooming career. One significant mark of her success is that her parents who opposed her decision to become a thespian rather than a Reverend Sister are now her biggest fans. She has enlarged coast beyond acting to film production with movies like Love Happens, Marriage by Circumstance and Dilemma as evidence of her capability in this regard.
In this interview, indigene of Cross River State talks about her journey to stardom, life as a Barracks girl and other issues.
You took a break from the industry. There were also rumours that you got married. What is the true position?
Married? (Chuckles). I’m not yet married. But I am hopeful that marriage would happen soon. I left the industry to put myself together. I was running a company that deals with contracts and farming machineries. I was also running a baking company. So, leaving the industry then gave me time to focus on these ventures and nurture them. So, spiritually and physically, I was just focusing on God and my businesses. I am back in the industry, acting and producing my movies. I am currently engaged in setting up my YouTube channel. Basically, I’ll be doing more productions and putting them on Blema TV, which is my YouTube channel.
After being away, was it difficult to fit into the industry again?
By God’s grace, it wasn’t difficult with the likes of Uche Mbunabo and Benita Eyiuche. Because, I came back loaded (with money). So, I didn’t have to beg for roles to play and all that. I came back with the mindset of producing my own work and not begging for roles from people. In this entertainment industry, as long as you come with funds, it opens a platform for you and makes everything less stressful for you.
Between acting and producing, which do you cherish more?
They both mean a lot to me, but when asked to pick one, I’d go for production because it gives me a sense of fulfillment and joy. That’s because I see myself giving people opportunities to showcase their talent and get paid as well. So I’d say that acting comes with passion while production gives fulfillment.
In producing your movies, what challenges you face?
The major challenge during production is the availability of actors. But then, the likes of Uche Mbunabo and Ruth Kadiri have made me realize that I don’t really need experienced or known actors for my movies to fly. I have realised that I could harness the talents of upcoming actors and bring them to limelight. All I need to do is just to have a good story and my movies will come out well.
Have you had any embarrassing encounter with an actor while on set?
What turns me off is inconsistency. By that I mean, when you’re doing my movie and you’re still interested in doing other people’s movies at the same time. The one that annoys me the most is when you’re needed to play your role but you’re nowhere to be found probably because you’re involved in the shooting of another person’s movie. It is always very annoying.
Did you play a role in your latest movie, and if yes, what do you love most about the character you played?
The last movie I produced “Dilemma (shackles of marriage)” focused mostly on the ingredients that make a marriage work. In the movie, I played the character of a woman who didn’t care to study and know the kind of man her husband was and that brought a lot of shackles in their marriage. I love that character because I do understand the story very well; it is quite rampant in our society today and was also able to depict the picture so well.
What should fans to expect from you as time goes on?
I’m going to be working on a lot of family stories. I feel that most of the problems Nigeria have their foundation on the kind of families we have now. So, I’m going be working on a lot of family stories and will be exposing lots of truth we don’t tell the society. So, expect more of wonderful family stories on my YouTube Blema TV.
You said you came back to the industry loaded, what is your net worth?
I didn’t say that I came back big. I only said I didn’t come back begging for roles. It is not a must to make a comeback with your pockets loaded but it is wise to do so. I say this because when you don’t, you may find yourself being given some roles you know fully well are beneath you but you just have to take it because you don’t have a choice. To be honest, in the entertainment industry now, people value what they see about you. They treat with contempt when come back still begging for roles than when you come back as a producer.
Do you feel any form of bullying from people just because they feel you don’t measure up to their level?
Of course, I get that a lot and sadly, some colleagues are also involved. These colleagues try their best to make your role difficult because they feel they’ve invested more time than you have and therefore not supposed to operate on same pedestal. For one to be able to deal with such colleagues, his/ her passion for acting must be strong enough. The major factor that helps one come to limelight in Nigeria’s movie industry is the ability to work hard and ignore certain things. When I say work hard, I mean when you’ve gotten to the level of a producer where you make money from companies like DSTV, GOTV and all that and at the same time, pursuing your passion (acting). Sadly, there’s this very big competition going on in the industry and it is quite appalling.
Apart from acting, what else do you do?
Besides acting, I’m a contractor and the CEO of Blema Integrated Investment Nigeria Limited. It’s not really consistent but it has pushed us to a certain level.
I also have a bakery that produces “Blema cakes.” In addition I also run catering services.
Have you ever been sexually harassed in the industry?
Sexual harassment is very rampant these days. It is one’s ability to run away from it that matters. I’d say that in any space that contains people of opposite sex, there’s a high probability of having cases of sexual harassment.
What do you look out for in a man?
For me to be comfortable enough and accept a man he must first of all be a friend, a father and a teacher and above all, he must have the fear of God. That’s what I believe in.
In a relationship, what don’t you like in a man?
I cannot be with a man who doesn’t know what sense of responsibility means or entails. When he doesn’t understand that he must take his place and carry out his responsibilities, I don’t think I can stand it.
There are some aspects of respect that you earn just by doing what you’re meant to do and when you fail in that regard, it eludes you. I wouldn’t want that.
Will you forgive your man if he cheats on you but provides all your needs?
I don’t want to have such a partner. I’ll be glad if my partner values my person in his life. I don’t want to have a rich and cheating partner because there are some men out there who are rich and still value their partner’s feelings. Such men are the type I’d love to choose as my partner.
Were you an entertainer while growing up?
I was only an entertainer in my primary and secondary school. I attended a missionary school and would’ve been a reverend sister. I came from a military background because my dad was a soldier while my mum was a business woman and a lawyer. I’m the first of three children.
What was it like growing up in the barracks? Recall the memory of your first kiss. Was it in the school or in the movie?
My mum was like a Mafia. People were scared to talk to me because they didn’t know what would be the outcome. So, I left the barracks after primary school because I attended a boarding school and from there I went to the convent. So, I didn’t really have that opportunity of being exposed while in the barracks. As I was the only child before my siblings came, my mom was very strict with me.
