Nollywood Actress, Amara Maduka shares her life story, career, growing up, and more with Tosin Clegg
Growing up was fun and interesting
I was always artistic as a child. I would draw and paint cartoons all over my room and my father encouraged me keep finding my art. I was born in Aba. Had my primary school there and afterwards, I went to Port Harcourt for secondary and tertiary education. Growing up in Aba, in my opinion, was fun and scary at the same time. I was a fat kid and I got bullied a lot both in school and in the streets. It wasn’t a good feeling then but now I remember them and just laugh.
I was born with a silver spoon
I come from the type of family where you lacked nothing as a child. But I wouldn’t say my background shaped my life. I was barely with my family as a kid or growing up as a teenager. After primary school, I left for secondary in Port Harcourt, which was a boarding school. My secondary school shaped my life; more or less.
As a boarder, you spend more time in school than at home and you learn to be your own person and be independent because your Mom or Dad isn’t there to baby-sit you. I pretty much shaped myself and am still shaping myself.
Memorable gift as a child
That would be my first phone. I was in SS1 then and even though phones were contrabands, my dad got me a Samsung flip. It was the best gift any child, as of then, would dream of.
I don’t believe in mistakes or coincidences
I really don’t have any experience I’d describe as very difficult. I have a strong gut feeling, I’ve learned to trust and listen to it and it has always guided me. I’m a spiritual person.
I don’t believe in mistakes or coincidences. Everything happens for a reason, even things people classify as mistakes were put there by the universe for a reason. I just find what the universe is trying to tell me in every situation.
For me, Fear is a limitation
The good thing about being spiritual is you lose fear, mostly about the future, which you have no control over. When you realise that you are nothing and you are in charge of nothing but at the same time, you are everything. You surrender to the divine power; God. And with that comes gratitude and humility, not fear.
I desire a lot of things
I really want to touch and change lives. That has been one reason that keeps me pushing to get to the point where I can look at someone and literally make their dreams come true. It would be amazing to get to that point.
Life has taught me quite a lot
The world will adjust. Believe in yourself even when no one believes in you, because nobody can see what you see even when they see it too.
Tomorrow isn’t promised. Live your truth today. Love those around you and let them know how much you love them.
Your life is your story to tell, you must choose how you tell it and not let other people’s opinion of you define who you are.
