‘Making films on motherhood is dream come true’

Jolly Nnenna Abani is into all things; she acts, performs music and now is into modelling. In this interview she says that making a film, titled “Power of Tomorrow”, about motherhood is a dream come true. What is the film all about? Power of Tomorrow which I also love to call Mirror In the Sun […]

Jolly Nnenna Abani is into all things; she acts, performs music and now is into modelling. In this interview she says that making a film, titled “Power of Tomorrow”, about motherhood is a dream come true.
What is the film all about?
Power of Tomorrow which I also love to call Mirror In the Sun is an eye opener. It is a story of what some women in politics have to do in order to succeed. Some women want to become lawmakers, commissioners or special advisers and in the process, they forget their natural and cultural role of being mothers.
Yes, I believe in gender equality but I also believe that a woman should first be a woman. Women should never neglect their role in the family and society, just because they want to make it in life or politics. I don’t think that a woman should go all the way.
The lead character in my movie killed her husband, killed her daughter and sadly, she still didn’t become a senator.
This woman (Mrs. Allen) had to get her husband out of the way after she started using sex as a tool to further her political career. Of course, her husband who discovered she had become unfaithful wouldn’t take her infidelity, so he had to be eliminated. Even with all her desperate actions, she died without her dream of becoming a senator coming to reality. We want to prevent this scenario from happening, hence this movie.
For us, a woman should be a role model to girls and the people around her and that’s why the first film I am producing is targeted at making women remember what is expected of them.
I also want to go beyond the narratives that paint Nigeria in bad light. There are too many stories of crime, ritual killings and all sorts, so I went for something to project my country in good light. For me, making this film is a dream come true.
 Tell us about your attraction to Nollywood
I am an all round entertainer. I am a songstress. I have been into the production of documentaries and music videos. But I decided to go into Nollywood because I want to be that role model who youths can look up to. I want to be one of those that will be celebrating the Nigerian culture through film.
I want to show women that you don’t have to be highly placed to bring about change. You can start from your family to make society better and if God puts you in the corridors of power, you can also use that platform to promote issues that will make life better for all. Women in power shouldn’t just concentrate on acquiring more wealth for themselves, they should focus on making it easier for the young ones to excel.
 Why are you so concerned about promoting motherhood?   
First of all, my name Nnenna, means mother to her father. Where I come from, we believe in reincarnation. So, my father believed that his mother was reborn with my birth. That name my father gave me influenced me greatly. In Ghana, where I started my movement from, I founded the Feed The Child Foundation. We worked on feeding children on the streets. I love playing the role of mother anywhere I find myself. That is why I registered the Mother to Models company. Again, when I had my son, I didn’t find it easy. If I didn’t get the help I was given by people around me, I don’t know where I would have ended up. Because of this,  I am committed to assisting girls who need help to be good mothers.
How do you think you would overcome the challenges of producing a film?
Initially, I was given a budget of N8 million. But the budget went up with post production issues. I had to raise a committee to market the film with the hope of getting sponsors. It wasn’t easy but in the end, two companies, Richfield Limited and the Octopus Group, came to our aid. When we shared the idea behind the film, they supported me. Now that we are planning for the premier of the film, we are also seeking for partnerships that will make it a huge success.
Aside from funding, I equally didn’t find it easy playing the lead role and being the producer of the film at the same time. I had to take care of everything from feeding to making sure that I play my role well. It wasn’t easy, but I thank God everything came out well.