N
S
E
HERE
COMES
THE
QUINTESSENTIAL
iva
D
Words By Myke Pam, Hair Style By Nse, Makeup By House Of TARA,
Styled By Elomie Ototobor, Photogaphy By Moussa Moussa
18 HF Magazine Edition 1, Volume 1.
H
F
W
atching her enter
a room for the
first time at close
range, you are
assailed with a
figure so serene
that you wonder if
you are in a highly regulated corporate environment,
instead of her homey abode which she shares with
her equally creative siblings. She also comes across
as a hardnosed, serious minded lady whose mien
can be likened to the legendary British iron lady.
To your pleasant surprise, all these Meir Golda
inspired pictures and thoughts slowly sprints away
from your subconscious mind after a couple of
minutes with her, because when this beautiful and
classy thespian opens her mouth, the ironclad facade
gives way to a fun loving, creative and appealingly
laid back friend, listener and cheerleader.
Nse Ikpe Etim can be the life of a party anytime
she so desires. And she can also be completely
indifferent if the mood so swings. Her eloquently
frank and incisive comportment in dissecting any
topic or question thrown at her will leave even a
highly decorated professor with a dint of envy. One
wonders if the deceptive demeanor is a throwback
from her days as a banker with the nation’s apex
bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A Theatre Arts graduate of famed University of
Calabar, a renowned citadel of higher learning in the
South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria, Nse kicked
off the interview at the studio shoot session with
some lighthearted banters, and of course, a dose of
that disarming smiles you see in some of her movie
scenes. Yes, that same charmer which has endeared
her to a lot fans!
With the alluring smile still in place, Nse got down
to business by recalling her first break in Nollywood;
“I actually broke into the industry twice. The first
time was in 1996, the year I graduated from the
university, I did Venom of Justice (Part Two). After
that of course, there was the issue that acting was
not the job and the family and my mum were going
on and on and I was like okay, let us go ahead and
give you what you want and I got into banking, after
all you guys have been here for me. So I tried my
hands at banking, television, radio and fashion.
Then, in 2008, Emem Isong came around with the
script of Reloaded, I guess I can say that when God
wants you he sends people to you, because that is
what it was”.
Asked if juggling all that jobs makes her a jack of all
trades, Ikpe Etim retorts; “No, I am versatile. The
truth is that you can do anything you want to do.
Let me say something, you were made in an image,
right? God’s image, can God do all things? Yes! Then,
you can do all things in Christ who strengthens you,
Neck-piece and earring- Playtime Jewellery
Tank top- Total wrap boutique
Leather and jersey pants- Total wrap
Shoes –Hot stepper boutique
H
F
HF Magazine Edition 1, Volume 1.
19