Why I’m Often Cast as a Witch in Nollywood — Mama G

Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwo, popularly known as Mama G, has explained why she has frequently been cast in villainous, wicked and antagonistic roles throughout her long-standing acting career.

The celebrated actress spoke during a live-streamed interview with content creator Carter Efe on Monday, where she addressed the public perception surrounding her recurring portrayal of “wicked women” in Nollywood films.

A clip from the interview has since gained significant attention on social media, with fans discussing the actress’s explanation for her well-known screen persona.

Ozokwo said she believes her ability to convincingly portray such characters is part of a special niche given to her by God.

“I think God gave me that niche,” she said, referring to her frequent roles as a wicked woman or antagonist.

The actress, however, stressed that she personally dislikes evil and strongly opposes injustice, war and rancour.

“I hate every ill because I don’t like injustice, war, and rancour. When you give me those roles, I try to bring everything in them,” she explained.

According to Mama G, her portrayal of evil characters is not intended to glorify wrongdoing but rather to communicate important moral lessons to viewers.

She said her performances are designed to show audiences the consequences of living a bad life and the rewards associated with doing good.

“If you are taking part in any of them, you have to be careful and know the end thereof, for the end justifies the means,” she said.

Ozokwo added that viewers should understand that every action has consequences and that people should be mindful of the kind of life they choose to live.

“Know what will happen to you if you live a terrible life, and know what you will gain if you are a good person,” she added.

The actress’s comments offer insight into how she approaches some of her most memorable Nollywood characters, particularly the intimidating and villainous roles that have become closely associated with her career.

Rather than viewing the roles simply as entertainment, Mama G sees them as opportunities to use storytelling to warn audiences about the dangers of wrongdoing and the consequences of immoral behaviour.