No man bought any house for me, says Mercy Aigbe

... shares amazing acting career journey story
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Popular nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe, has dismissed insinuations that someone bought a house for her.

The actress, at the just concluded maiden edition of the Edo State International Film Festival, said all she achieved from her acting career were through perseverance and doggedness.

Sharing her story to inspire the budding actors from Edo, the 44-year old mother of two recalled how she dumped her lucrative banking job to chase her dream in acting.

She also narrated how she abandoned her Financial Studies at the Ibadan Polytechnic to study Theatre Arts at the University of Lagos, all in the bid to follow her dream.

“I just want to share my story, my journey so far and experience, hoping that it would touch someone positively. I have been a film maker for close to 20 years. It has not been devoid of challenges.

“Before you become a champion, you must have fought many wars. It’s not easy sustaining one’s achievements. That’s what many people don’t understand. This is a young lady who had a passion for acting from childhood.

“From the outset, I have always known what I wanted in life. But when I gained admission into the university, my late father, being a typical Benin man, wanted me to study Accountancy.

“But I told him that I wanted to study Theatre Arts, and he frowned at my choice. He believed that actresses are promiscuous in nature. He vowed that none of his daughters would have anything to do with the course. So, I had no choice than to respect my father’s wish and went on to study Accountancy at Ordinary Diploma level at Ibadan Polytechnic.

“After my OND programme, I couldn’t go back for my Higher National Diploma programme. Instead, I sat for JAMB and gained admission to study Theatre Arts at the University of Lagos. When my JAMB result was released, I couldn’t summon the courage to break the news to my father. But when I finally did, he objected to it, insisting that I must continue with my Accountancy programme.

“According to him, he wanted me to work in the bank. He reminded me that my younger sister was studying Medicine in the university and therefore, I must have nothing to do with Theater Arts. At that point, I pleaded with my uncles to talk to him. But being a traditional Benin man, I slaughtered many goats to make him happy.

“Many of you are on social media and you can’t use the space to your advantage. I wonder why you are on social media and your page doesn’t reflect on what you do for a living. Learn to use social media as a tool to achieve your aim. When I look at the youths of today, using social media to troll celebrities, I’m like they don’t know what they have. When I bought my first house, people thought a man bought it for me. I laughed at their lack of knowledge. I made my money from social media as a fashion icon,” the actress narrated.

On how she delved into business, Aigbe who operates one of the most followed online fashion stores in Nigeria, revealed that she started her business from social media.

She said, “I am a fashionista. I love fashion and I love to look good. I love swag and it gives confidence. So, when Instagram came on board, I was posting alluring photos and a lot of people were following me.

“I am one of the most followed celebrities in Nigeria with over 11 million followers on Instagram. So, when I started posting nice photos on Instagram, a lot of fashion brand owners started giving me their outfits to wear and when I showcased such outfits on my Instagram page, people started patronizing them. At a point, I felt like I was being used by these fashion brands and decided to set up my own fashion online store and clothing line. That was how I set up my own clothing line, MagDivas, one of the most followed fashion stores in Nigeria. I converted my fans to my clients. Imagine having 11 million followers on Instagram, if one million patronize me then I am in money.”

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