Why I can’t strip fully in films –Cossy Orjiakor...

Popular entertainer, Cossy Orjiakor, blows hot on several issues in this interview with Ademola Olonilua

Do you regard yourself as a musician or an actress?

I’m an all round entertainer. I’m an artiste, actress and also an activist.

You recently released an album. What is the acceptance level?

Yes, I released an album so as to push me to take music seriously. Normally, I can do a song and then hibernate for a long time. With the album, Nutty Queen, a 15-track album out, I have two years to promote before I will do another. So far, I’m taking sexual seduction to the streets. I have done online promotion and my fans and even critics love it. I’m yet to take it round radio stations. Also, when the video is ready, I’ll take it to television stations. I’m kind of busy with other things so I really need someone very capable to manage me as an artiste. When I get that person, my music will get to the grass root because it has good messages.

You once said you are born again, are you still?

I never said that. I’m a sinner and have come short of the glory of God. He that is without sin should cast the first stone. My problem is that I’m too real in the midst of lots of fake people. It is by the special grace of God that people, even pastors, will make heaven. What’s the difference between I that love to show off my cleavage and the pastors that love to show off their flashy cars? The in thing now is private jets. I think I’m better off because with the economic situation, lots of stress and all, some can channel their frustrations and some people can get relieved at the sight that makes them forget the terrible situation. But some of these church owners don’t know how to give back to the society, you don’t need to be a member before you can benefit. Churches can just buy basic foodstuffs and give to the needy. There are a lot of ills in this society. I don’t even want to mention the corporate thieves that get patted on the back for embezzling money meant for the old and retired citizens. Next time you see such people, ask them if they are born again because I’m a sinner. I pray God will give me my heart desires because my flesh is so weak.

Sounds like you are unhappy with the society

I love Nigeria. I’m a proud and true Nigerian. It’s just that I don’t like it when I’m asked that question. It’s so obvious that I’m not born again but with the special grace of God, I will be someday.

There are rumours of you having HIV. Is it true?

I will love to know where the rumour started, so I can sue. Also, the bloggers will write whatever they think will drive people to their sites without verifying if it’s true or not. Like a website just cooked up a story and said that I have HIV twice and I’m afraid to have it the third time. To an educated person, such stories are more like a joke but to those that don’t know better, they may believe it. I don’t have HIV, I don’t have AIDS. That does not mean it’s a death penalty for those that have it.

But I read it somewhere that a friend close to you confirmed the story…

Well, I can come up now and say that Bill Gates is my grandfather; talk is cheap. I will like whoever that said that I have AIDS to come out publicly and say it. I don’t bite. I just need who I can show proofs to, not the public. So if you think and believe I have AIDS, just quote yourself and not base it on rumours. My friends, the few that know me well and come to my place, are not cowards. They stand firm and fight for what they believe in. So if whoever said that can’t come out, then I don’t have who to respond to.

Why these many negative stories about you?

I’m blessed. When God has blessed you abundantly, you will surely have enemies. A lot has been said about my person. The first was when I stopped acting awhile back. Rumours went round that my father shot me. Later, it was that my father disowned me.  It was published in newspapers.  I later went to an event with my daddy.  He even granted an interview. We posed for pictures but that interview was not published. Maybe they want to sell an image that I’m not in good terms with my family. Well, blood is thicker than water. I’m well loved and cherished by my parents and siblings. Also, a movie I did in 2003 called Itohan and directed by Chico Ejiro made headlines in 2009. The dog issue: some mischievous persons that have access to the location pictures connived with a journalist. They called me up about the pictures; after telling them the source, they still went ahead to write a terrible story about my person. Up till now, some people still make mention of it. The video is online and also on my tweet page for people to watch. I’m even tired of trying to defend myself. Then this HIV story by an imaginary friend. I wonder what next. Maybe they will get someone that looks like me to act a sex movie. Whatever happens, I’m strong, I will survive because I have God’s grace and I am immensely blessed.

Talking of blue films, US-based Nigeria actress and producer, Afro Candy, said she would like to feature you in one of her sex movies.

Like I said, talk is cheap. I’ll like to have a dinner date with Richard Branson, it’s just a wishful thinking. It’s when she approaches me then I will know she is serious. I have gone through a lot, now I know better. I can’t condemn her, she is Hollywood standard when it comes to showing off her body. The likes of Janet Jackson, Halle Berry even most of their female musicians have gone nude, and Nigerians adored them. For me, I can’t go totally nude, never. My mum told me never to go nude. If not, I have got a beautiful body and I’m not afraid to flaunt it. Besides other artistes have taken pictures with panties and bra, maybe on the beach. So it looks cool but when you wear and pose on bed, it smells sex.

About the pictures you posted on Twitter, why did you post them only to remove them and apologise?

I took those pictures in a friend’s guesthouse. My photographer took them. I was wearing a g-string and bustier. It was an on the spot thing. I didn’t make up for the pictures and she took them with her Blackberry phone. They were not good enough. I guess I was bored then. I can be up to no good when I’m bored and need a little distraction. So now I watch it when I’m bored; I watch what I do, so I won’t take such pictures again. Not as in looking at the pictures. I don’t have them at all.

Why did you apologise?

My friends and fans didn’t like the pictures; that’s why I apologised.

There was a time a man grabbed your boobs in public and you called him a black monkey, what happened?

Oh! the black monkey knows himself. No need to delve into that.

So what’s Cossy currently working on?

I’m working on my music video, fashion line and also trying to keep fit via pole climbing.