I Have No regrets going into showbiz — Afrocandy

During the week, a message posted by Judith Mazagu (aka Afrocandy) went viral because the message was a plea to her fans for help: “I’m a single mother of two well-behaved, intelligent smart girls. I moved from Africa in 2005 to join their father who abandoned us after one year of living together. Since then, I’ve been struggling on my own without support from any particular person – except some friends that help out sometimes. I’m not on welfare; (I) don’t get child support and not on employment. I am highly talented; I write songs and scripts, edit, produce and even direct. All I need is an opportunity to be discovered.

“I’ve done so many jobs to sustain us but no matter what I do, it seems like I haven’t even started. So, I went back into showbiz – which is what I was doing before I migrated; acted and produced my own movie, after  investing all my money with the hope that I could get a turnover before my first daughter’s time for college. I was messed up by the partners I trusted. The movie was released, and since January, up till now, not even a dime from the distributors I handed (it) over to in Africa. Now my daughter has been accepted into college. I’m going crazy trying to foot the bills, rent, tuition and all other expenses. Please help me now that I am still alive before I lose it. Thank you and God bless you. (http://www.youcaring.com/tuitionfundraiser/help-me-now-i-am-still-alive/161862). It was on this premise that Saturday Tribune’s JOAN OMIONAWELE had a chat with the actress. Excerpts:

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 I read your message on Facebook asking for money for your daughter’s fees. What actually happened.
If you read what I wrote, it’s the way it happened. I can’t answer you now.
But people think you squandered the proceeds from your movie, Destructive Instinct

The fact is I have not received a dime from the marketer I put in charge, as he is telling all sorts of stories.
You should charge him to court.
He was acting like a good man until I collected the Master Copy of the movie from the woman I sent and handed over to him. Once he got it, took it over to the printing company and called me for authorisation to print more.
Since then, he turned off his phone and when I was able to get him, stories started. Not even $1 from my sweat! I had a deadline and invested everything I had in that project and (was) hoping to recoup before my daughter goes to college. I was even banking on paying her tuition because I don’t want her to go through what I’m going through with the student loan.

What did you go through?
I don’t want to go into this, but student loan garnishes your income when you need the money the most.

Is your daughter’s school giving you a deadline for the payment?
Actually, my daughter got a scholarship from the Ivy League universities that accepted her, but we were preparing, her school mates that were supposed to go to the same school opted out because they said the school is too expensive and didn’t get scholarship. So, because of that, my daughter said she did not want to go there alone because it’s far from where we live and more of a white neighbourhood. That was when it dawned on me.

Okay, so you opted for another school, and left the school that offered her (your daughter) scholarship?
Yes, we opted for one of the schools that also accepted her, but the only thing is I have to foot the bills before I am able to get my money – that’s if I will ever get it. The whole thing crushed my plans.

Have people responded to your message for help or they’ve only been abusing you?
I know most people will abuse me, but I count on the support from my fans. Lots of them have been calling in, sending messages, telling me they are worried about my situation. Even though some of them cannot afford to help me, it brings tears to my eyes to see that I’m still loved by so many. That means the world to me. Some of them have even been sending in money through Paypal and bank account. Is that not something? So, I don’t bother about the people laughing at me.

Don’t you think you should come to Nigeria to arrest the marketer?
I can’t come now because my daughters are still in school, but I may have a lawyer in Nigeria (to) contact him; that’s if that works over there.

So, what’s next now?
I believe that when there is life, there is hope. Thank God I’m not ill or dying; so tell my fans that I’ll be fine. I freaked out at that moment, but I will be alright.