I never quit acting – Regina Askia

Weekend Magazine: You were once the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. How did you feel when you won the crown way back in 1989?Regina Askia: I can say the fame from that follows me to this day, especially in a society where such a big deal is made of it. I really don’t know what […]

Weekend Magazine: You were once the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. How did you feel when you won the crown way back in 1989?
Regina Askia: I can say the fame from that follows me to this day, especially in a society where such a big deal is made of it. I really don’t know what is happening on that scene now but in my time it was rigorous. You were observed for behaviour, etiquette, poise, intelligence, et cetera. Plus you were observed in the way you tackled difficult situations, like if you were thrown a question which you could not answer.
WM: Does your name still open doors for you?
Askia: I’m not sure, but it still gets me personal recognition. When I go to American events like the AIDS Summit at the Apollo, I get such massive respect when I say I’m a nurse and when I attend Nigerian events and say I’m a Nurse, they say ‘and you are former Ms. Nigeria’. They prefer that one.
WM: Between acting and your present job, nursing, which is more challenging?
Askia: My present job is definitely more challenging because I hold people’s lives in my hands. I am present, mind body and soul. My mind must be clear at all times. There is no ‘take 2’on this job. One false move and heaven may get a visitor. That’s why when I am finally in my bed, I sleep well. I know I was part of several little miracles, I know I made a real difference in someone’s life; I know I learned something new from some patients and I thank God for the opportunity.
WM: How has the transition from showbiz to nursing been?
Askia: My transition represents a change in life perceptions. It marks the time when my thinking went from being all about myself earning mega pay, shopping and living flashy, to actually making my time on earth count. I endured a lot of trash-talking by ignorant folks who think I chose nursing because I had no choice, who think as a profession, it is without any prestige. That is crass ignorance, fuelled by the fact that the scope of practice for nurses in Nigeria is very limited compared to what registered nurses out of Nigeria do. As such, nurses in Nigeria do not command the respect or the solid pay that their counterparts out here do. I would like to see that change.
I have been a nurse many years now, climbing up with the alphabet soup behind my name growing. I still command mega-pay because this society recognizes values and rewards service, but I have learnt patience and empathy.
WM: Why did acting stop appealing to you?
Askia: It never did. I never quit acting; it’s just that there is no time. My life is now between the kids, my job, school, my household and then my bed. Why didn’t I mention the husband? I counted him with the bed. People always ask me if i am ever going to grace the screen again and my response is ‘never say never’. A good script, time on my hands and good pay but the issue is time.  
I was already in the limelight before I began acting, doing newspaper commercials, billboards and TV spots. Mr. Ralph Nwadike, a producer of renown, discovered me. I sucked as an actress in the early days but as time went on I began to enjoy it and actually got to loving it. It helped to have great actresses like Liz Benson as mentors. I must say her singular ingenuity in interpreting her roles made my reaction to her too real. She drew the actress in me out and the rest is history. I got a lot of flak, from how I looked to how I talked, but at 7:00pm of scheduled nights, everyone was going to watch Fortunes. So love it or hate it, we had something there. On that great TV show’s cast, several megastars were born.  
WM: During your acting years, which movie was the most challenging?
Askia: Which one was not? Each one came with its set of problems but I was always queasy about intimate roles. These days I am not nearly as shy as I used to be besides I like to make my husband steam a little.
WM: You are a wife and mother now. What has changed about you?
Askia: I can say for sure I’m now very curvy (laughter). That’s a nice way to say I have packed on a few pounds. Like I said before, it’s no longer all about me.
WM: But you still look fabulous at 47.What’s the secret?
Askia: Thank you for the compliment. Eat right, sleep well, do your job and be a positive role model in your community, trust God for everything else. I want to talk to the young girls and women who may be reading this. Beauty fades, but as long as it’s coming from the inside (meaning you have a good heart, choose to respect yourself and give your life the best shot you can) you will always be beautiful. Get an education, empower yourself financially and be active in your community.
WM: If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be?
Askia: You know, when I watch myself in interviews and read some, I’m a little scared. I say, that chick was bold. She took no enemies, brutal with the truth; I was like a ruthless warrior queen. I must have hurt a number of people and I might regret just that. I could have handled things differently.  But I own it and all I have few regrets. The process was necessary for me to grow into who I am now.
WM: Are any of your children taking an interest in showbiz?
Askia: My children are largely uninterested. They say ‘Mom you were such a show-off’! I did all I could to put my first daughter into modelling because she is so beautiful. She dutifully did as she was told and was succeeding and I saw I was making my child sad. This was not what she wanted to do. She preferred to learn about the interplay of world cultures in international relations and politics. She went the way of Languages and International Relations and she is in her element.
My other daughter has been accepted into high school in a Law program. While her older sister is like a gentle brook, this one is a firebrand, all about justice, women’s empowerment, following me to meetings at United Nations and reading little poems to portray the issues. She is her mother’s daughter, after all, and apparently going through her process too. And finally my son, the apple of Mommy’s eye, wants to be a doctor, reading up on my medical books and asking me questions I can’t answer. My children have fantastic opportunities to be whatever they want to be and I thank God. It is my prayer that the children of Nigeria will enjoy the very same.  
WM: Being away from Nigeria for some years now, what do you miss about home?
Askia: The food! Edikan-Ikong, Afang, Zobo, Suya…I can’t go on.  
WM: How, in your opinion, is Nollywood doing right now?
Askia: They are doing the best they can with what ever technology they have at hand. However scripts might need to be tighter. A lot more needs to be done on the issue of piracy so artists can be rewarded for their talent. Story lines need to reflect contemporary Nigeria. Remember, these videos tell our story, our cultures and beliefs as a people. It can’t always be hocus-pocus stories.