‘I’m here to make a difference’ – Chisom Oz-Lee
Posted on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 12:17 pmBy Bola Aduwo
The wind of change continues to blow over Nollywood as more and more professionals are crossing over to swell its ranks. The latest entrant is Chisom Oz-lee, a pretty up-coming U.S based producer/actress. She was in the country recently to shoot a new film starring Ramsey Nouah, Uche Jombo and Mona Lisa Chinda. I had a few words with her and this is what went down.
BA: Hi Chisom!
C: Hi Bola, how you doin’?
BA: Fine…for the benefit of those who don’t know you, can you please introduce yourself to us?
C: Well, I’m Chisom Oz-lee, a Nigerian based in the U.S. I’m a film producer and actress by calling and a professional registered nurse by training.
BA: Hmm…interesting combination. How do you manage both nursing and film producing?
C: Quite easily. I produce films about once a year and work regularly as a nurse for the remaining part. That’s what I do for a living.
BA: Why the romance with film making? Why not just stick to nursing?
C: Nursing is a job but film making is a passion. I also combine it with acting…. I have been acting since my secondary school … even while in I was in UNN studying English. I took part in a lot of drama programmes.
BA: Is this the first film you have ever produced? The one you are currently shooting?
C: No its not. In 2006, I produced ‘In a Stranger’s Arms’ starring Desmond Elliot, Kalu Ikeagwu and myself. Then in 2008, I produced ‘Lost Maiden’ which starred Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Bimbo Akintola and Kalu Ikeagwu.
BA: Kalu again!….you seem to like making use of him a lot…I mean in your films.
C: (laughs) Yes, I like Kalu…. I mean, I like his acting and I would have used him again, in this new movie I’m doing but I decided to opt for variety.
BA: He’s single y’know…
C: So? BA: Maybe you two could hook up?
C: What ARE you saying?! (General laughter) Bola, behave yourself!
BA: Don’t mind me.. I like to have fun with my interviewees…
C: No problem… just make sure you get the facts right.
BA: So are you single? By the way has anybody told you… you look a lot like Lil’ Kim
C: Yes they have and I take it as a compliment and Yes, I’m but not searching.
BA: What if others are …. searching?
C: Can we get on with the interview please…this is getting…uncomfortable (general laughter).
BA: Okay, back to your projects…. Tell us about ‘Lost Maiden; your last film.
C: ‘Lost Maiden’ is something Im very passionate about. It talks about the scourge of female circumcision.
BA: Tell me more.
C: As a nurse in the U.S. I have seen a lot of cases. Even those of circumcision.
BA: Of Americans?
C: No, ofcourse not. The women I saw, were living in America but came from other countries like Egypt, Senegal and one was from Nigeria. Their cases were pretty pathetic, I tell you.
BA: Im listening…
C: Im going to get rather graphic here….
BA: Go ahead…if it can save a life or sensitize people, the better…
C: Okay, there are actually different types of circumcision; there’s the one where just the clitoris of the woman is cut off. Then there’s the one where the clitoris, labia minora are cut off. Mind you this is done without any anesthesia, and in very unsanitary conditions. Also cut are tissues, nerves….
BA: Whaaaat! Chisom, abeg e don do!
C: You have heard anything yet…. After this is done, the woman is then sewn up crudely leaving only a little space for her to urinate. She is only opened on her wedding night by her husband. What then happens is that scar tissue forms and makes birth very difficult and painful because there is no more elasticity for that place to stretch when the woman is giving birth.
BA: This affects child birth, right?
Chisom Oz-Lee, Producer 'Lost Maiden
C: Definitely! When the woman gets pregnant and wants to deliver, complications arise because the baby ca
n
’t come out on time, gets distressed and dies. Sometimes she dies too..
BA: But why is it done at all?
C: They say to curb the sexuality of the woman…
BA: And this is still being practiced?
C: Yes… even in this country so I decided to do a film about it called ‘Lost Maiden’ to educate people on
the dangers of the practice.
BA: Hmmm… this is
heavy stuff…so when is the film going to be released?
C: It has been released in the U.S but it will be released in Nigeria soon.
BA: Thanks for chatting with me Chisom. I wish you the best in this crusade again female circumcision.
C: Thank you, Bola
Tags: chisom Ozlee, female circumcision, Lost Maiden, nollywood
This is a good one Chisom. My name is Chioma Dike’ of Makaechi Union, humanitarian US- based organization. Please get into contact with us, we would like to discuss more on your efforts towards this cause. To save another’s life, body and mind, we need to come together on this one. Becauseoftomorrowmu@gmail.com or Chiomadk@gmail.com
Nollywood is definitely beginning to gather the momentum and investment it needs to make the next step up internationally. Does anybody know when this movie is out?
An interesting and ethically relevant issue.
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she’s so smart, and i like the way she looks. I am tired of seeing all this skinnyness protrayed around me. its always good to see a beautiful fleshy lady.
Chisom is so talented. i hv watched this movie and i believed its one of the most relevant movies Nollywood has produced. Thumbs up Nollywood
This lady sounds very intelligent and she is pretty too. Perfect combination. I will buy this movie to show my support b/c female genital mutilation (fgm) is one of the worst forms of female oppression and must be stopped. It serves no purpose other than to be used by some societies as a means to control female behavior especially in the area of sexual choice. The assumption is, if it is too painful to have sex then women will avoid the act. The practice assumes that women are promiscuos and therefore must be controlled (while men are free to do what they wish). This is a clear double standard.
A very informative movie, way to go nollywood
Will females still be butchered for male pleasure and ignorance. This practise has to stop immediately abeg, we have suffered enough. I can’t wait to see the movie and we thank you for this exposure, hoping it will curb all this nonsense (in the face of culture) and stop all this unnecessary pain and death.
Female genital cutting was covered by Blue Cross insurance in the USA until the mid 1970s. Male genital cutting is still practiced.
very educative and sincere movie.keep up the good work.
Wow! I saw the movie, it was cool
I saw the movie: too long, too boring, terrible. Bad acting, bad directing, bad shooting, bad effects. Could have been done much better for such a challenging subject !