Some married actresses sleep with top politicians – Jane Rogers

Jane Thomas Rogers is a Nollywood actress who has shuttled between Kannywood and Nollywood. An amiable personality with a large heart, Jane in this interview with ORJI ONYEKWERE, talks about her transition from Kannywood to Nollywood.

People believe that the superfluous lifestyle your colleagues live especially, the females, is not from acting alone; but by sugar daddies. What’s your opinion on this?

There’s an exception to every rule. A lot of people believe that this is what the industry is all about and it’s true. 80 percent of ladies in the industry both married and single are involved in this and that’s why you see a lot of them having break- ups in their marriages. Because they’re in their husband ‘s house and still looking for one big shot to sponsor their movies or fund their life style.

It’s what’s happening but there are people that have made up their minds, I know of ladies that have given up in the industry and some quitted because they feel like ‘why should I sell my body before I make it’ but the bible said that ‘wisdom is profitable to direct’.

If you have that wisdom and smart enough, you should be able to focus on other areas, look for other things that will generate income for you while you are still in the industry. That’s exactly what I have been doing.

When I came to Lagos, I didn’t start as an actress, I started with a saloon work where I didn’t last one month before I got a secretary work in a laboratory. And God was so merciful to me before the CEO Pa Adeneye of the blessed memory. He was a blessing to me. He stood his ground and insisted that I must go to school. He was a great motivation to me.

That brings me to the idea that Yorubas are not good. A lot of them are good and have supported me. One of them gave me a shop for free. The man pushed me and I could say to a large extent that I excelled academically. It was later when I was rounding off my school that I went into acting. I was pushing through and I saw some of the challenges in the industry, I have to tell myself the truth.

You need another source of income to keep pushing. I have done cleaning services, started putting up events, clothing business as well and into cotton wool production. I supply cotton wool to pharmacies, hospitals and cosmetics stores. With that even if the movie industry does not pay I know I have something to augment

I want to use this opportunity to advise some of our young stars who think that once they come they will blow. They should stop selling their bodies because that’s the deceit they will tell you, ‘I want to make you a star. It’s only God that makes someone a star. Be positive minded and believe in yourself, resist the temptations. Like Zeb Ejiro will say, they will confront you with this, but you will tell them that you don’t want to start this way.

This digital age people are lucky, where they will be at home and create content unlike before when someone will be holding you to ransom.

Do you think you are still an up-and-coming actress because you have not taken up much of lead roles?

Even if you’re joining the industry today, I don’t see you as up and coming. I can only address you as a rising star because there’s power in your tongue. When I started in Kaduna, one of the ladies I met, a musician; felt she has arrived because to her she was popular. She told me she was a star and I also told her that I was a star, but that incident propelled me. It was a challenge for me and today that same lady cannot match up. She will still come to me for one support or the other to push herself.

I remember my first event in Maryland, Lagos, I brought her to come and perform.  A lot of them are there, they will just be performing and most of the events, they don’t bring the media in Kaduna and people don’t really know them outside Kaduna. No matter what people say about me, I am a star.

What’s happening to your private life?

Like I will always say, I am trusting on God and He never makes mistakes. When it’s time, it’s time.

Is it because some men feel intimidated by your success?

It all depends. Some years ago, I remember a politician who was interested in me. When I told him I wanted to join the movie industry because they were shooting Hausa movies, he didn’t like the idea, but I stood my ground. It was later I got to know that some people believe that once you are an actress you sleep around.

There are people that will stand their ground and excel without giving in. I remember we went to shoot in a house one time and this man is from southern Kaduna. He didn’t want his daughter to go into acting but she was passionate about it.

Even the step mother tried to encourage the man but he didn’t agree, until when we went to shoot in their house and the step mother found out that I am from southern Kaduna. We got talking and she knew that we were family friends and the man is like a representative of our overall king in Kaduna.

When the wife took me to him, and we got talking, he knew I was from a decent home and I told him the daughter can excel in this industry without sleeping with anyone. He then entrusted his daughter in my hands and allowed us to come to Lagos. I realised that it’s perception but you don’t blame them because of what’s happening

You see married actresses, they sleep with top politicians and you are wandering is this person not married. You go to their house you see their husbands. A lot of these broken marriages; some of them will not come out to tell you what’s happening. It has eaten deep into the industry. All we need is prayers.

So, it’s the perception that’s stopping some of you from getting married?

I think so to a large extent. I remember some of my bosses I have been with, some people believe we had something. The fact that some people will not help you until they sleep with you, there are others that will go extra mile to help you. The person that gave me a shop some people believe I was sleeping with him until his family got close to me and the wife later knew that this lady is not like this. When I left Lagos and came back again, she encouraged me to come and take over the shop because we bonded and became family friends.

It’s not like the men are not coming but for me, I don’t just want to settle or get married just to impress people or for validation. Men are actually coming and asking my hand in marriage, it’s ironical because the ones I like are not the ones coming to propose or show interest as regards marriage.

The ones I don’t like are the ones coming forward and I will always tell myself; I can’t settle for less or marry someone I don’t love and that has been my standard. God said he will give us our heart desires and I know he will do that. As person, if I don’t like you, you will know

How can I stay with a man I don’t like? I always tell myself; God forbid I marry this person and eventually he has an accident and cannot walk, would I stay in the marriage?