The first time I met Angela Eguavoen was at the film set for “King Asemota”. She was – and still is – beautiful, radiant and graceful. I remembered that early 2000s dating/pickup line area boys used in “toasting” babes in those days, “Heaven must be missing an angel… because you are so fine”. Believe it or not, a lot of mothers and grandmothers today actually fell for that line. And I believe it is quite fitting for an amazing thespian like Angela who has mastered the fine art of on-screen theatrics. This sophisticated actor will give you class. She will give you lines and deliver like the expert that she is.
So here I was looking at this gorgeous and angelic damsel of an actor that our very good creative Creator has so taken His precious time to creatively create and I was quite impressed by her attitude. Beauty that needs no make-up. Expressions that come effortlessly. Masterful acting that can only be found in Harvard textbooks. And my favourite: Emotional Control. You can have all the talent in this world but if you don’t have good social skills or emotional intelligence, my brothers and sisters, you will go nowhere.
Angela was – and still is – graceful under pressure, which is by the way, the hallmark of a true professional especially in the pressure-cooker situation of making a film, where you can even yell at the very people who can ruin your career. Most people don’t know that it takes a lot of “behind the scenes” drama to make drama. But this fine daughter of Eguavoen was – and is still resolute. Disciplined. And I went back to the archives to see what makes her special. Below are some of her films that I watched and loved and would love to rewatch.
KING ASEMOTA: First of all, Angela did justice to her role as Queen Iziegbe. Secondly, she was the voice behind the original soundtrack. Oh, how I love soundtracks. They bring out all the beautiful emotions of a film with a simple song. I learnt from “King Asemota” to be content with what I have and not seek devious means to solve challenges. Here, she played the villain but did it so masterfully that we even began to sympathize with her cause. Believe it or not, there are indeed good reasons for bad actions.
BLOOD OF ENOGIE: Now, I know I might have mentioned this a billion times before but one of the best original soundtrack from Africa is the soundtrack used for the opening montage of “Blood of Enogie”. Guess who did the vocals. Angela of the Eguavoen dynasty of course! Go back and listen to that voice again. The voice of an angel. The voice that draws out all the pent-up emotions within you. I never get tired of hearing that sweet voice. I never do. Her vocals are so energetic and beautiful, just like its owner. I can‘t get that tune out of my head. That voice. That crystal voice. I hope we sing together someday.
So, in “Blood of Enogie”, Angela plays Duchess Osato, the wife of the Enogie. And she consistently and persistently delivered the role to perfection, which by now, is no longer a thing of surprise. I mean, experts do what experts do, don’t they? Now, one of the first things you need to learn in acting school is: How To Cry On The Spot. Angela does this perfectly. And this is important because without believable emotions in a film, we really won‘t care or remember much about it. The way to succeed at any craft is to spend years working and honing it in secret. And then one day, when you bring it to light, the whole world will marvel. They will open their jaw. They will stand, transfixed to the spot because of the marvel you have become. Angela has done the hard work in private and that’s why she shines so effortlessly. When you work hard, you might think it is mundane but in truth, you are developing skills that will one day be applauded on a global scale. When you are good, you are good. Don’t believe my words, just ask Angela if that is true.
BENEDICTION: Playing Bisola in ROK Studios Original Feature length film, Angela our very own screen darling took us all on a ride. You have to respect her for her emotional range. I mean, this character was a complex one that had to be brought to light in the most delicate manner ever. And guess what? She did. Emotional range in simple terms means you know how and when to laugh; how and when to cry; how and when to be serious; how and when to express shock; how and when to express desire; how and when to express fear or intense delight and to exude these emotions in a way that grabs the audience and leaves them wanting for more. Amongst many other lessons, I learnt from “Benediction” that you can never really tell who your friends are until you get into trouble.
DEAR SISTER: This Etinosa Idemudia film, directed by Uche Agbo, and written by Etinosa Idemudia herself, blew up the cinemas in 2022 when it first came out. Everyone went crazy because of this film as Etinosa used it to put a dent in the universe. This film will blow your mind faster than an explosive device in case you have not watched it. Angela played Ifueko who was invited by the pregnant Isoken (Etinosa Idemudia) to help her at home. And then, like Shallipopi would say, “things on things” began to happen. That‘s all I am allowed to say about this spectacular film without spoiling it. “Things On Things”. I learnt from this film that “appearance is not always reality”.
Conclusion
So, let‘s say you are looking for that beautiful, graceful, delectable Edo babe who can do justice to whatever role you throw at her, one of your best bets should be Angela Eguavoen. She will give you exactly what you want and then put some jara on top and you will be glad you did. Your fans too will love you even more as they tend to judge the quality of a film by the quality of the star boy or star girl. I am so happy to be an Edo man right now and my heart is full of immense gratitude because of our talented stars who are proudly flying Edo State’s banner emblazoned with the words, “Edo To The World”.
