‘Why I never wanted to be like Liz Benson’

Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwor, widely known as Mama G, has shared her journey in the film industry and her resistance to being compared to her colleague, Liz Benson.

Mrs. Benson is one of the actresses who steadily rose in Nollywood in the 1990s and recently made a comeback.

She started her career as a child actress in 1971 at age five but gained fame after being featured as Mrs. Agnes Johnson on a television soap opera titled ‘Fortunes’ on NTA in 1993 when she was 27. She appeared in some classic movies in the 1990s. Some of the films that stood her out include Glamour Girls (1994), True Confession (1995), Diamond Rings (1998), and Scores to Settle (1998).

During a recent interview with Nwafor TV, Mrs. Ozokwor recounted the moment she was first likened to her colleague and how she asserted her unique identity in the Nigerian film industry.

Speaking about how she began acting, the 65-year-old Enugu State-born actress said, “I don’t know how it started at all. When people started recognizing my acting skills, they called me “Liz Benson of Enugu.”

She described an instance on set where her peers began referring to her by this moniker. “I said, ‘No, with all due respect, I don’t want to be like Liz Benson, I am Patience Ozokwor of Enugu.”

Mrs. Benson and Mrs. Ozokwor have left indelible marks on the Nigerian movie industry despite starting their careers at different times and following unique paths.

Unlike Mrs. Benson, who started as a child actor, Mrs. Ozokwor began her career as an announcer and broadcaster on Radio Nigeria before transitioning to acting. She rose to fame with her role in the 1999 movie “Authority.” Her first TV drama success came with the soap opera “Someone Cares” on NTA 1999.

Both actresses are known for their powerful performances and have significantly shaped Nollywood, each with her distinct journey and legacy.

However, Mrs. Ozokwor’s determination to carve out her identity doesn’t stop with comparisons to Liz. In the interview, she pointed out how she faced further pressure to change her name.

She said, “Some people came to me and said I don’t need to answer Patience Ozokwor again. They would ask, ‘What is your husband’s name?’ I said, ‘Edmond Ozokwor.’ They said, ‘Answer, Patience Edmond.’ I said no because, in Igbo land, you are not just married by one man; you are married to the family.”

Reflecting on her early career, Mrs. Ozokwor admitted she was unaware of her growing fame. “I didn’t know what it was to become a star when I started, so it didn’t get into my head. I only felt lucky that they gave me a role anytime I went for an audition,” she said. It wasn’t until a producer pointed out her success and growing fan base that she began to grasp her popularity. “I didn’t know what fan base was,” she said, illustrating her initial naivety about the entertainment industry.

Despite her rising fame, Mrs. Ozokwor remained grounded, crediting her humble upbringing. “I come from a very humble and enlightened family. We didn’t pay attention to things like that; we just paid attention to what mummy said and what our father wants us to do today.”

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Challenges

She acknowledged the challenges inherent in the entertainment industry, from financial instability to the pressures of maintaining stardom.

“Every profession has its challenges. In the entertainment industry, the irregularity of income is a significant issue. Whether money comes or not, you have to make time for auditions. Sometimes, producers offer you a price that doesn’t even cover your expenses for transportation and staying on location. You end up going home with peanuts,” she explained.

While noting that maintaining stardom can sometimes challenge some actors, she said, “As actors, you no longer have your life. When you come out, you must please your admirers. Sometimes, it is not even becoming a star that is the problem; it’s maintaining stardom. That one is a huge blow to some of us. If you do not learn that fast or are not oriented quickly, you might start having problems with your fans.”

The award-winning actress is renowned for having appeared in several movies, some of which include ‘Mothering Sunday’ (2001), ‘Ukwa’ (2001), ‘Blood Sisters’ (2003), ‘Alice My First Lady’ (2007), ‘Wedding Party 2′ (2017), ‘Chief Daddy’ (2018), ‘Bad Comment’ (2020), ‘She Must Be Obeyed’ (2023) and many more.