Clarion Chukwurah is a household name among Nollywood stars. She has a large following, having been plying her trade on stage, on TV and in home movies for more than three decades. For some time, she took a temporary break from the movie scene so as to lay a strong foundation for her pet project.
However, since her return, the mother of two has received some awards and featured in a number of movies. In this interview with The Nation, she opens up on a number of issues, including why she did not abort the pregnancy that led to the birth of ace film maker, Clarence Peters (Capital Hills)
Given the chance, what would you love to correct about your past?
You know what? It is not because Clarence is successful today. Clarence knows the truth and those who are close to me know the truth. I didn’t have Clarence because I was too helpless to get rid of his pregnancy. I had three sets of friends: there was Dr. Ojikutu( pauses)… when I was in the University of Ife( now Obafemi Awolowo University), he was ready to do it, free of charge. There was St. Lawrence in Ibadan and St. Jude here in Lagos.
But each time, I said no. I lost my father when I was 11 and he left a message that he was going to come back to me through my first kid. So, when I got pregnant, it kept ringing in my head that my father was coming back to me. Even my ex- husband knew how much my father meant to me. It was on his 30th anniversary that I was able to let go of the hurt of his death. Having Clarence was deliberate. I just had the conviction that my father was coming back. And from when he was born, everyone calls him daddy, including my mum.
Is it because of your children that you decided to cut out marriage?
Yes. I made a choice. I had Clarence, but I didn’t get married to his father. I got married to Brian’s father, but it didn’t work out. I made a choice and if I had to be married, my focus will have to be divided and somehow there will be some psychological upheaval in my children. This could be because of the fact that my father died while I was a child and my growing up was about my mum. I grew up in an environment, where the woman was focused on raising her children, so I made a choice. My mum would have gotten married again, but she made a choice.
How do you manage marriage proposals coming your way, knowing that you cannot be considering a relationship?
(Laughs) Why does it have to be marriage? Why can’t it be a relationship? No, no, no! I think a relationship makes it easier for both of us, you know. We each have our different and established lives. There are certain things you don’t start expecting the person to give up. This is because marriage means you have to give up one or two things. When you start expecting somebody to give up something for you, then, you start expecting cramping that person’s style. I think it is more convenient to love each another and each other’s best friend. Just be in a relationship and it will happen.
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