G&E Personality
she flaunts a look that still gets her the attention most women would love to get. After a long absence from the shores of Nigeria, she made her return home recently, but as always, it soon got tongues wagging about her preference for living abroad these days. Well, she didn’t mince words when she opened up to G&E Publisher, Susan Eyo Honesty, about her life now.
You have been visibly absent from the social scene, where have you been?
In Washington
You seem to have found living in America comforting, like a second home.ls that why you spend more time there?
Yes of course! It’s nice and comforting when one has alternatives in life- whether it be in what you do or where you live.
So how do you keep busy in the US?
Oh I keep busy alright. I’m a firm believer in the constant acquisition of knowledge and I like to keep my brain active, so I take courses
You still take courses even though you have 3 or more degrees?
Cuts in’ I just told you I like to keep my brain busy !
While we are at it, tell me about your educational background, which I’m told is quite intimidating?
you have 3 or more degrees?
Cuts in’ I just told you I like to keep my brain busy !
While we are at it, tell me about your educational background, which I’m told is quite intimidating?
grace & daugther
I have a degree in English, another in TV /Motion Picture from the Uni- versity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Law degree from the University of Buckingham, England. I was called to the Nigerian bar in 1985. I also have a diploma in Satellite Communications from the East- West Center of the University of Hawaii and a diploma in Advertising from Apcon, Lagos.
Do you think having a cv like that can make some insecure about you and thus work against you, in addition to the fact that some see you as only a very pretty face?
An insecure person is an insecure person and is not made insecure by my achievements! Plus whatever others think about me is not my prob- lem but theirs! It is true that some have argued with friends that I’m just a pretty face with no education (no thanks to you guys!!)
That’s probably because we love taking pictures of you and you photo- graph so well! Has being seen often in the pages of magazines had a negative impact on you?
Certainly!! The not- so – discerning think that I do nothing but attend parties! How is that possible?? I have a very wide circle of friends and I’m sometimes obliged to honour their invitations to their birthdays
or kid s weddings, but the problem is the next day, pictures of me are likely to be in all the papers.
But that’s because you photograph so well and readers like to see pic- tures of your style?
grace &
Cuts in – You promised not to talk about style.
Living in the States seems to agree with you, you look so refreshed. Anything special that you do to stay rejuvenated?
Rejuvenated? Sure! Getting away, visiting loved ones, being in another space and time zone- all that can be rejuvenating. Plus it’s easier for me to take more walks and eat healthier.
You must be a very content woman, especially wit how your kids have turned out?
Yes, I am very content. God Has been extremely kind and generous
to me. I attribute my good looks to His generosity and also it’s mostly genetic ( my mom just turned 85 and she looks like 60!!) Women age fast when they have children or husband or work issues. Fortunately, I have neither of those.
Your daughter, Zemaye is turning out to be a celebrated phoptographer,how does that make you feel, since that’s not what she studied in the university?
Proud,very proud
What was your first reaction when she expressed her love for photogra- phy to you,were you disappointed?
Surprised, and a bit apprehensive. My question to her was, why did she waste all that time getting a Bsc in Psychology and a BA in Economics?
she argued that it was her passion and ended with, mummy, let me ask you, do you think you would have spent 28years in NTA if you didn’t love what you do. l also recall that as a child, she used to love to paint. And while she was in high school in Adesoye college, Offa, her paintings were so good that one hung in the principal s office. Many of my friends and family advised me to let her follow her passion and reminded me of how famous and good her friend TY Bello was. I gave up and decided to give her my full support. Isn’t that what mothers do?
I realized that she will do what she wants to do. She is very focused ( and a little bit stubborn), so even if I had not gotten wise and did the right thing, she would have gone right ahead with her photography. But I still worry about the endless hours she spends editing pictures, often working till the wee hours of the morning. Photography Is Hard work!
Luckily, her hard work is paying off as she recently with a friend won 2nd price of 1 million naira at an art exhibition. She is taking part in an art exhibition support- ing cancer and the cover photo on the invitations was taken by her. I was very impressed!
Is there any of your qualities that she shares with you?
She shares the same passion with me in wanting justice – she hates any form of injustice and she likes to help those in needs. She is probably more focused than I am.
You have a way with making your pres- ence felt stylewise,even til date.How have you been able to stay on top your style?
You promised that this interview was not about Style!! But thanks for your compli- ments! I think the whole Grace Egbagbe Style started from been voted The most stylish woman in Nigeria, when City peo- ple conducted the very first Style competi- tion and asked its readers to send in their votes.
So what fashion trend are you into now and why?
I do nothing more but try to look my best. There is a saying that when you go out and you run into your enemy, you better be looking good!! But seriously, I think I inherited my style from both parents- my mom at 85 is still very stylish and my dad was a dashing man with great style.
What has changed with your style?
Nothing has changed. I still equate my style with comfort and I wear what looks
good on me rather than follow foolish fashion trends.
Life has obviously been good to you.What are your expectations,that you would still want to see come to pass?
My expectations now are not many. As
a mother, I want to see my kids settle with their God chosen partners and I’m sooooo looking forward to having grand kids! Something tells me I will enjoy my grand kids more than I did my kids and did I have fun with them.
What are the things you would say are most important to you right now?
I feel fulfilled as God has been really good to me, but I still hope to travel the world more and just live. I hope I can con- tinue to look after the children who look up to me and expect that I’ll be a mother to them throughout their lives.
Right now my kids and my family and
of course a few friends who have been tested and true
Above all, My super super Father- God, who never never failed me and who has taught me that sometimes when He does not answer a prayer- That’s an Answer.
