Actress and entrepreneur, Chika Ike has inspired many young people in Nigeria and beyond. An epitome of beauty, she’s supremely comfortable in her skin, as she exudes and oozes self-confidence.
Recently, Ike added another feather to her cap when she unveiled her cosmetic lines. In an exclusive chat, the Anambra State-born thespian talks about her career, new movie and new brand, Bloom Edition.
You are an actress and entrepreneur, how do you combine acting with cosmetic business?
It’s hard but God will give me the strength. It’s not a walk in the pack. I try to take one step at a time. It’s scale of preference. Whatever is priority to me at a particular time, I put that as priority, whatever is not, I put that behind. Right now, cosmetic is at the front burner, so that’s what is important to me at the moment.
As a movie producer, what should fans expect from you?
They should expect more jobs. I’ve been doing post-production for a year now. I’ve been travelling, trying to get the right film out. I’m doing cinema in January. We already have a date, and I’m so excited about it.
What’s the story all about, what do you like about the character you played in the movie?
I like the fact that my character had this misconception about her, because she’s a dancer. You kind of put her in the box because she’s like every other person. She’s every other small chops, like psychic, she’s not that kind of person because she’s strong and powerful, and she had a dark past.
How would you groom a girl child to be successful?
Basically, I think it starts with the person, if the person wants to be successful. To want it is not enough; you have to fight for it. So, beyond just wanting to be successful, I really need to be on the field to fight for the right to be successful. But definitely, I will want her to be open-minded. I will want her to be brave, as she says she is. I will want her to never give up. She should look at me and say, ‘if you can get here, I can also do it’.
What are the misconceptions people have about you?
One guy recently accosted me and said, ‘they say you’re a snob’. I laughed and said ‘you don’t know me’. Look, everyone is a snob until you meet them. And when you meet them, you’re like ‘this person is not a snob’.
Some of your fans have accused you of not responding to their messages on Instagram. Why?
Do you know how many DMs I get everyday? You can get like 500 DMs everyday. Yes, how do you reply? Sometimes I get 200, sometimes I get 100,000 and sometimes I get 5,000. It’s hard.
What’s the craziest thing a fan has said or done to you physically or on social media?
They say a lot of crazy things about me. Long time ago, I was coming out of the church and a fan, I don’t know him from Adam, just lifted me up. He said ‘pretty sister’ and wanted to kiss me. He then said ‘I love you’.
Can Chika Ike stop and buy corn on the street?
Oh yes, I’ll just tell my driver to stop so that I can buy corn. That’s no big deal. In fact, I love boiled corn.
What do you dislike about Lagos?
I like a lot of things about Lagos. However, what I hate most about Lagos is the traffic jam. The traffic jam is crazy!
How do you cope with it?
You just have to be time conscious. If you have an appointment, you have to leave early so you don’t miss it. Make sure you leave at the time when you will not be caught up in the traffic.
Have you ever done cosmetic surgery?
No, I haven’t. I do a lot of waist training and exercises. I have always been busty, I’ve always had bum; I have always had all that. Just watch my old films, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Which part of your body is most sexy?
I love every part of me. I don’t want to mention just any part.
What makes your product, Bloom Edition, unique?
For me to come out and say I trust this product makes it special, and secondly, the ingredients in the product are not like the regular ingredients. It took me two years of research, of doing different practices around the world, to ensure that I had the right ingredients possible for my products. Also, the packaging is beautiful, you’ll agree with me. For the fact that my name is on the brand means that, to a large extent, I’m putting myself out there to be received or crucified if anything goes wrong with the products.
