My ordeal in the hands of Nollywood’s sexual predators – Sandra Onyenemere, actress

 

Model and up-and-coming actress, Sandra
Onyenemere is peeved! Reason: randy movie producers and directors are
giving her a hard time because they want to sleep with her before giving
her a role, and she is not ready to compromise.

In a chat, the hazel-eyed,
light-complexioned beauty and graduate of Economics from Madonna
University opened up on her ordeal, declaring that no matter what
happens, she will never drop her pants in order to secure a role because
a randy movie maker wants her to.

Hear her: “I want to expose randy movie
producers and directors who give the industry a bad name. Most times we
females are the victims. There is so much pressure from directors; they
want to take advantage of you because they know you are passionate about
acting. They know you are vulnerable so they want to take advantage of
that, and that is tragic!”

Bitter experience

Recalling her ordeal, the fast rising
thespian narrated: “It was a bitter experience. I don’t want to go into
details. There was a day I got a call that I should travel to Asaba in
Delta State. And this is someone I haven’t met before. Somebody actually
gave me his number to call him and Asaba is not where I have lived
before.

“He said he would put me in a hotel for
two nights and I was like, ‘two nights doing what?’ I was recommended to
him so why would I have to go through all that; I mean, spend two
nights with him in a hotel? But he was like ‘I like you; you’re a
beautiful girl. Let us have a relationship and work as a family’. It was
really scary.

“There was another one who said that my
‘holy-holy’ attitude won’t get me anywhere, he is a big name in Abuja.
He relocated from America with state-of-the-art equipment with plans to
transform Nollywood, so I was shocked when he made the statement because
I saw him as a professional. It was so bad I had to block his number.

“A lot of times you go for auditions, you
get the role and when it is time for cameras to role, you find out that
you have been dumped like a bag of bad potatoes, because you refused to
do what other girls are doing.

“There was this very big name in
Nollywood who boasted to me that all the big names in the industry
passed through him. In fact, he even boasted that I wasn’t even half as
pretty as them. He told me that if I must get to Jerusalem, I must pass
through him. And besides, he told me that my case was already
complicated because I was not as pretty as the actresses who slept with
him before he transformed their careers.”

Sticking to her guns

Why doesn’t she just give them what they
want and move on with her career? After all, a lot of young girls would
do exactly that. Doesn’t she think she is being timid? Her response: “I
can’t because I am a role model to my siblings. We are seven kids and I
am the first. They say charity begins at home, so I want to extend that
to the world. I don’t need to sleep with any movie maker or director to
land a role.”

Advice to wannabes

So, what does Onyenemere have to say to
girls who believe that sleeping around is the shortest cut to success?
“It is their choice and then we all have our individual priorities and
decisions. They have made their choice, but for me, that is not it. I am
from a strong Christian background and sleeping around is a taboo in my
culture.”

Dreams

Despite her challenges, Onyenemere is
undeterred to achieve success in Nollywood. “I want to do my own movies.
Actually, I want to create awareness about sexual harassment and I also
want them to know that Nollywood is not a bad industry; it is just a
few randy ones giving it a bad name. I can actually find good and
reserved men who don’t sleep around but rely on God and sheer talent to
get to where they are today. It all depends on you.

“I am currently working on my first film,
and by God’s grace, before the middle of next year, it should be ready
for the cinemas. My family is very supportive. My role model is Omoni
Oboli; she is such a hard working woman,” she  stated.