Nengi Adoki on Becoming Joy, the Witch, in Juju Stories
Last December, Conrad Omodiagbe, a writer with Zikoko, reached out to me about my favourite Nollywood performance of the year. They were curating a list and wanted submissions from "Nollywood critics". I didn't have to think about it for long. The answer was Nengi Adoki as Joy in C.J. Obasi's Suffer The Witch from Surreal 16's anthology film Juju Stories. This is what I had to say about her performance: As Joy, Nengi Adoki is as sultry as she is menacing while looking like a Deeper Life babe. How did she achieve this? In the hands of a different actor, Joy could have been over-the-top, theatrical, but Nengi stays in control and keeps her restrained. It helps with the mystery surrounding the character and one could easily have believed her to be “simple, unassuming Joy” but for Nengi’s eyes. They betray Joy. They instil fear and let us know she isn’t exactly as she seems. It is one of the most terrific performances I have ever seen from Nollywood.
It's been months now since I saw Juju Stories but I've remained in awe of Nengi as Joy, so I thought to speak with her about bringing the insane character to life. We also discussed the hurdles of being an actor in Nollywood and shared our grief with losing loved ones. Here's our chat:
Let's begin from the beginning. I think the first time I ever saw you was in the "I am not ready" clip with Elozonam. And i just became fans of the both of you because i found it and subsequent sketches brilliant and hilarious. Could you speak to me about how the idea for it started and possible inspiration?
Aw thank you for that! Elo and I met each other on my friend’s set! Goergia was shooting an ad for one of her products at the time and had me on set as a supporting cast. She had Elo behind the camera and we got to see each other work! His work ethic really stood out to me and he had a great personality! So when it was time to collaborate on a project like Jules and Dozie, it was easy. We had done many professional and personal projects together and wanted to do something short, catchy and different to continue to push our work on and behind the camera. I collaborated with him as an actor, writer and producer. We brainstormed multiple cheeky scenarios between couples to be re-enacted in less than a minute. Because that’s how long instagram allowed for a video at the time without the viewer having to swipe to watch the rest. We challenged ourselves to hit the beginning, climax and end with all our stories in under a minute! And that’s how it started! We really just wanted to get our work out there.
Yo! Thank you for the detailed answer. In my earlier question I said "I think" because I recently found out you had auditioned for the second season of the Voice Nigeria? I watched all the episodes and surely must have seen you there. Did that happen before the sketches? I'd like to know how you felt that day... the judges, not turning. And if it dampened your enthusiasm with pursuing a career in music.
Yes I did audition! I made it through the initial stage in Nigeria before heading to SA for the next bit. And yes, it was before the sketches! I didn’t continue a career in music beyond that after I decided to focus on acting. Music was way too capital intensive then and still is. I’m a trained theatre performer. I act, I dance and I sing. And I genuinely love to do all three. It was a little heartbreaking to have to choose one to focus on. The decision was less about the judges' reactions, though disappointing, and more about what felt like the most feasible path for my career at the time.
Music to me feels timeless and I never really stopped. I just don’t do it as publicly as I do acting.
Fun fact: I changed my audition song last minute from Yemi Alade’s “Na Gode” to Elton John’s “Can you feel the love tonight.”
Wow. I like the honesty with which you approached this conversation. What informed the song change? Did you think it would be sentimental to sing Na Gode since Yemi Alade was one of the judges?
Thank you!
One of the guys working at the studio had suggested the change. I wasn’t yet as confident in my sound then and agreed to be ‘safe’.
Oh sigh. And you've pursued music on stage. I remember watching you in clips from Bolanle Austen-Peters' Wakaa The Musical. I think that was when I properly started stanning.
Ah! Wakaa The Musical has been one of my favourite live shows to perform until this day!
I would like to know how performing for stage and screen differ? Do you approach them differently?
That’s a great question! I have to approach them differently because oftentimes with performance, the medium is also the message. The message for me is the story you’re telling. Doing that well is the most important thing and how I perform, on stage and on screen, must honour and support that effectively.
I find theatre alive and visceral in the many ways that I can interact with the audience during a staged show. I’m given real time nonverbal feedback in the way they respond to certain scenes. I’m aware of their varying levels of empathy for the scene, the story and the character I’m playing. As a result, I can either amp up certain aspects of my performance or tone it down. It sounds simplified putting it this way but there’s a nuance that’s there in theatre. It’s an actors medium I find. There’s a lot more agency in the moment. I can make sure the story is doing what the director intended even if I have to take a slightly different route to get there. It’s magic when I listen to the audience and react.
With film, I tend to lean very heavily on the director. This is why it’s very important who the director is on any film project I’m a part of. I really want to know how they typically see the world through a lens. This is extremely important to me in absence of real time audience feedback. I get desperate for the director’s vision to shine through as I can only watch my performance in the moment through their eyes really. On screen acting is also a lot less dramatic with physical movement. It’s more subtle and as a performer you just have to be the character with a lot less range of physical and other movement. The camera will pick up a lie if you are not devastatingly immersed in who you are supposed to be. On stage, physical movement especially, can hide small ‘lies’ in performance. There is no real time audience feedback in film. That comes months after, sometimes years after the story has been already told. You just have to hope they love it and everything resonates.
I like the bit about the camera picking up a lie. I like that you say in theatre, there's a lot more agency for the actor. I agree. Saw a play recently and I came to the conclusion that theatre is really where actors are allowed to fully express themselves.
I agree! And you have to be hyper aware of what the story needs both from the director’s perspective and the audience’s POV. It’s a fine line.
You went from those minute sketches to creating The Most Toasted Girl in Lagos. Which is frankly one of the most hilarious Nigerian web series. And they are based on real events? Which of the encounters with Lagos men would you say pissed you off the most and inspired the creation of MTGL?
MTGL? My team has been calling it TMTG! I’ve also seen just MTG and I think it’s great seeing the varying acronyms naming the show! And thank you for saying it’s hilarious! It’s great to hear! At least we know that we weren’t being funny only in our heads because that could have gone very left! And that would have crushed me! But I’d learn from that scenario and find ways to make it better!
This same approach is also how I write for MTGL? TMTG? Whatever she’s called, I just love her! And to honour her story, I have to learn from real life scenarios and enhance them even further with my writing. I love to observe how Nigerian men and women typically approach life and dating in the country.
Because I wrote her to be an “I JUST GOT BACK (IJGB)” babe, I also had to observe abroad returnees learning how to navigate dating Nigerian style. This is the material that gives me context to write for a character like MTGL. I learn from those scenarios . As far as whether or not I’m writing about things that happened to me personally or pissed me off the most? I can neither confirm nor deny.
The last sentence. I love it! 😂 Cool. Please when is season three coming out?
All I can say for now is that season 3 is cooking, just squeeze dollars in my hand when you see me.
LMAO. All right. I will put the word out. To my favourite question: I've raved about your performance in Juju Stories. It's one of my favourite performances from last year. And I'm not just narrowing it down to Nollywood. It's my favourite performance of last year. I was just shocked because it's a role that could have been melodramatic but you choose nuance and subtlety. Joy was sultry, menacing, even though she looked like she couldn't hurt a fly. How were you able to achieve that?
Thank You Dika!
I’ve always praised CJ Obasi’s writing in “Suffer The Witch” because there were so many clues about Joy on paper. Then there was the directing as well. The vision was clear on those two notes and thankfully any questions I had were immediately answered by the director.
On my end, studying the script helped me empathise with Joy as a young girl presently suffering the ultimate fate of her next victim; possession by witchcraft. Doing this allowed me to explore with Joy’s youthfulness and helplessness as an unaware victim, whose body became a vessel for something sinister? Or could it be simply described as a coming of age in the world of witches? There’s an ancient knowledge and elusiveness witchcraft often depicts. Juxtaposing that with the innocence of a young and naive girl in university was the sweet spot in playing Joy.
This approach took off any pressure to be anything other than a fun loving university student who happened to be possessed…and just didn’t know.
Oh great. I like that you approached her with empathy instead of judgement. That's brilliant actually.
I also learnt Juju Stories was your first time in Nigerian cinemas. I was surprised. You've been in the industry for a while now, visible too, and clearly are talented, so ideally I expected that you'd have been in some of the mainstream projects for cinema. And so it brings me to the matter of follower count being a deciding factor with casting in Nollywood and how you feel about that. Would you say you're affected by it?
When it comes to the industry, I have no expectations except for myself. My favourite industry thing to do is finding and working with people who enjoy creating great work!
As far as numbers, I’m a firm believer in talent first. Numbers matter too, they just can’t be the first and only deciding factor at the casting table. And in some instances, you’re much better off without them.
And thank you for the very kind words!
Your response is well thought-out. And our views on this are the same with mine. What would say will give you the greatest sense of fulfilment as an actor?
Making it my career.
What do you mean?
When I transitioned from working full time in the tech industry to acting, there were many concerns from people who loved me. People wondered if acting should remain a hobby despite my training in the field. Structurally, there’s a lot to be done in Nollywood to ensure that many of its players are compensated properly. I’m also speaking to the quality of work we churn out as a collective. Acting provided a path to producing and writing for me making it fairly sustainable. I’m just glad that I pursued this path in spite of the many obstacles. I’m able to do what I love professionally and get compensated for it.
Are you saying that fulfilment comes from working as an actor? That as long as you continue acting, you will forever feel fulfilled?
I feel fulfilled knowing that I can continue acting on my own terms.
Okay. Cool! I'd like to ask a question that it's personal but please let me know first if that's off-limits for you.
I’m usually wary of questions that are too personal 😅. But shoot! I might have an answer depending on what it is.
I totally understand. It's about your father’s passing. So sorry for your loss. How have you been holding up?
I’m still holding up. I’m not quite sure what success looks like in this regard or whether it should even be a goal. I mourn my innocence where grief is concerned. I never mentioned this publicly before but I lost my uncle shortly after and I grieve him too. I have been holding up one day at a time, one task after another. I centre my wellness these days as I carry on. All I know is, I miss my dad very dearly and I want him here with me.
Again, I really am sorry. I wish I knew the best words to comfort you with. But I'm also grieving myself. Lost two of my loved ones in the space of six months and it's been tough. Still processing. Is it alright if I recommended a book that's helped me in the process, especially to come to terms with their death?
Thank you for the kind words. And I mirror them back to you as I’m also lost for words where grief is involved. I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Please take heart. And as for recommendations, I’ll take whatever helps.
All right. Would you mind if I had @helloFlippe send a copy of Chimamanda's Notes on Grief to you?
I’d really appreciate it!
All right! Will text you once they're set to deliver.
Anticipating 🤲🏼🥺
Final question: You're a consummate artist. Actor, singer, writer .... the list extends. If I told you that I am as multifaceted as you are but confused as to what to focus on, where to properly channel my creativity, what would you say to me?
This has been the toughest question to answer. In many ways I’m still figuring things out and can’t say I’m confident of an answer. I can only share what I’ve been doing lately. And it’s a commitment to myself to never stop exploring each area of my creativity. Sometimes it’s taking acting classes, it’s attending dance workshops, or singing at a local event. Other times, it’s figuring out how I can contribute meaningfully to the industry on and off camera.
This was a really enjoyable read. I am personally very happy each time I see Nengi on my screen, she is a brilliant actress and I want to see her more. Welldone Dika!