Having worked under great names like: Dagogo Diminas Jack, the late Amatu Braide and a few other veterans in the creative department of Nollywood, AMA Awards 2009 nominated make-up artist, Sandra Ejikeme, is poised to rule the world and move her thriving career to the next level.
With over a decade experience in tinsel town, Ejikeme, who started first as an actress before veering into make up, is also a costumier and stylist of repute.
With age still on her side, the unassuming spinster with eyes on the global scene, is, however, of the view that Nollywood can also produce an Oscar winner in the Make Up category if properly harnessed, based on the abundant talents available in the industry.
Speaking with us, in her first major interview, during a recent courtesy visit to our corporate head office in Apapa, Ejikeme, from Obosi, Anambra State, bared her mind and further told us what makes her unique, as well as the nasty things she has done in her quest for true love.
You were among the nominees at this year’s AMA Awards, but ended up not winning. Did you feel bad?
No, I didn’t feel bad, being nominated for me, was as good as winning the prize itself. No doubt, I came to the awards expecting or hoping to win like every other nominee. I was and still very proud of myself and career in Nollywood and has even started working very hard to win in the next year’s edition.
Tell us more about The Assassins, the film that fetched you the nomination?
Okay! Assassins is a big budget film that we shot in Sierra Leone, for over a month. I even sacrificed my Xmas, which I normally spend with my family here in Nigeria, for this particular movie. Sincerely, I sacrificed a lot on the set of that movie. In fact, I did not only handle makeup on that set, I was also in charge of the costume and it was a large cast. The costume person did not make the trip, so I had to assist her.
When you saw your name as one of the nominees in that category, how did you feel?
I felt on top of the world and thanked God for making it possible. It is not easy being recognized and appreciated as one of the very best not only in Nigeria, but the whole of Africa. For me, the wait was worth the while. Though, I feel happy and excited, but winning would have been the icing on the cake for me.
Between make up and costume, which did you start first?
I started with costuming first and the late Amatu Braide trained me. I later worked with Millicent Jack and several other big names, before veering into make up with Dagogo Jack’s 13 Fat Man. I look young, but this is my 13th years in Nollywood and seven solid years as a make-up artist that has been on her own. Surprisingly, a journalist like you, Mr. Chu Nwankwo, brought me into the industry, he used to be with MBI.
So, what now informed your love for make up?
Ekenna Igwe, who is one of my mentors in Nollywood, was the person that suggested that I should go into make up, after seeing how passionate I’m in helping people to look good always. He eventually handed me over to Dagogo Diminas, who groomed and nurtured my growth and career in Nollywood, till I left him to establish Sandito Creations, which is my outfit.
My first set of make-ups were in movies like: God Is A Joker, several of Chico Ejiro movies and many others, some seven to eight years ago. Actually, I do more of make up than costuming because of my passion for making people up and seeing them look good. I also like looking good and intend travelling out soon to go and study more about make up in Europe or South Africa. I will say it for the umpteenth time, I love make up. Making up people or even myself, makes me to be creative. I like to create new things and also experiment whenever I’m on set. I can turn people into monsters or Monalisas on set, depending on what the script says.
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