I Love It, It’s Beautiful! Halima Abubakar Opens Up On Love, Weddings And The ‘V’ Rumours In KOKO Brides Latest Issue

Award-winning Nollywood actress, Halima Abubakar is a known popular figure in every Nigerian household, we have all seen her films and applauded her acting prowess. However, not much is known about her personal life, so we decided to get the scoop on her love life and her inspiring story of finding fame and everything you all want to know about Halima.

You are so in luck as the 33-year old celebrity is the latest cover star of our KOKO Brides magazine and she shared all the juicy information about herself, including her struggles in the entertainment industry, what it was like for her, her love life and career so far. She also dived into marital abuse and gave her candid advice to people who are experiencing such in an interview with Aremu Idowu Omotoyosi. Read her full interview below…

Who is Halima Abubakar?
Halima Abubakar is from Kogi state in Nigeria. I grew up in Kano state and I am an actress, a farmer, and a lover.
Who was Halima Abubakar before stepping into the limelight?
Just a regular kid who was in primary school, who was watching a lot of Indian movies and TV series, who fell in love with show biz and here we are today.

How has it been like so far in the industry?
Like every other job, it has not been easy. It’s still not easy because you know, there’s nothing in life that is easy, nothing comes easy so, it’s the same thing as well in the industry. You know it takes a lot struggle, a lot of knows, 80 percent knows you know, before you finally crack a little bone, not even making it, the rest is your hard work. But you know, cracking it is the problem and it takes years to build. I was fourteen when I entered the industry, so, it’s been a journey so far.
What were the major challenges you faced in the industry?
Well, I guess now that I look back they are funny and silly and unprofessional for some of those producers who told me this, that I was too short and that I didn’t have the face, that they called epic face to be in a movie. Which is complete unprofessional for them to say that and for my height, it’s inhuman to say things like that, cause number one, no one created themselves. If we all did, I’m sure we would have done better with ourselves. I hopefully pray that they would look back and look into the mirror and see if they like what they see completely. And if they do, that means they really don’t have heart and if they don’t, they can imagine how I felt when they called me that severally. And for a year I was struggling so hard to get a role and I could not because of that, all because you know I met some who were trying to harass me and all that. But I look back, they are no longer in the industry, some of them, I just look at them and like hey we are all producers now, look at me, you know, so yeah, it’s always good to look back and smile.

How were you able to cope with these challenges?
It was terrible! I left for five years because I really couldn’t handle it, the harassment. Don’t mind them when they say there is no sexual harassment, there is sexual harassment, I was harassed, a lot! And I had to quit for five years, and I went back to school to get my degree and get my life right and when I felt like I was a bit matured I said that okay, let me come back and try one more time. If it does not work, I will quit and just do something else, because you know if one thing doesn’t work, another would work. I don’t believe in staying put in one job for life, I can decide to quit Nollywood tomorrow and do something else. So, you know at a point I said okay, this is a stepping stone, all these lessons are for me to rise, when I came back I was not ashamed to start afresh till date.
Rumours have it that you are a virgin, is that true?
Well, that’s my personal life, I don’t know why they keep asking me such questions. If I were a virgin, that should be a great thing ain’t it? And if I’m not that’s still a great thing for myself, I think that’s a personal choice. I’m just talking about people being responsible, people abstaining, people staying put as virgins, it’s not bad, they are just our role models that should be cherished. And people should stop asking me if I’m a virgin or not but should rather advise the young ones to know more about sex and the dangers that comes with it.

What are the qualities of your ideal man for marriage?
Do I have qualities? A good man is a good man that’s all! I don’t have any qualities, at all, chemistry is important though.
What tribe in Nigeria would you like to get married from?
I like to learn languages, so whomever I fall in love with, you know regardless of where he comes from, it does not matter
Are you in a relationship?
Not at the moment.
Wedding bells soon?
Hopefully in the future, yes
What’s your take on destination weddings?
Oh! It’s beautiful, it’s sweet, it’s girly, it’s a dream for a lot of people, but for a lot of people, it’s resources consumed and quite hectic. It does not sound as beautiful as it looks in the picture. In the picture you be like “uh uh, this is so beautiful” but watch what comes behind before they got that destination wedding is really stressful. So, yeah I love it, it’s beautiful! But whatever we can afford, wherever, if we decide not to, fine, whatever.


Which do you prefer, Court, traditional or white wedding?
Hmm, whichever is acceptable to our tradition and to the future of my children.
What’s your take on celebrity hookups and breakups?
I feel people should stay friends for a while before they start dating, that way you get to know each other a bit, you can tell. You jump into a relationship and you find out a lot of things then you fall out you know, there’s just too much bitterness that comes with it.
What’s your view on domestic violence in marriages?
It’s a terrible thing, the minute you see yourself wanting to hit somebody I assume the love is reducing. I don’t’ want to believe that somebody will say, oh, she disrespected me. If she disrespected you, just walk away, that’s what makes you a man. And for the women I know some of them they have slipmouth, they talk too much, they start shouting while some people have naturally high tone voice that gives different signals. You know, they might not even be shouting but you would think they are shouting, but there are some women whose mouths are really sharp and they can really say things that would hurt you. I understand, but as a man, you just look at her and walk away instead of slapping her. You can slap and kill her and go to jail and you rot in jail for life or they don’t even give you a second chance and just kill you straight away. It’s not worth it, you should not kill yourself over anyone, I don’t think anybody is worth it, sincerely. If you want to die for something useful, probably donate all your blood to those who need it and do something good. Give your kidney to somebody who needs it, give your heart to someone who needs it, that’s if you really want to kill yourself, instead of enduring domestic abuse and still saying you are in love. That’s not love, I define it as manic depression when somebody hits someone they are depressed somehow they just don’t know how to say it. That’s anger and anger is something that is dangerous and should not be tolerated.

What’s your advice to women in violent and abusive marriages?
They should quit, simple! To stay alive, nothing is worth all that trouble for. If people can co-parent, marriage is actually not a do or die affair, nobody is tying you down in that house. If people are laughing at you, well they laugh at so many people, all single mothers are doing well right now. They are minister, senators, nobody insulted them for being that so they should endure all the insults and love their children. Don’t be bitter, don’t fight, just take care of your child and be happy, that’s all. I don’t believe in forcing a man to stay with you and I don’t believe a man should force a lady too. The love is no longer there, they should sit down and talk about it like adults.
What’s your advice to young girls who aspire to go into acting?
They should not be in a hurry, most of them are just coming for the wrong reasons and they say they are not making it, what are they not doing right? What you are not doing right is looking at somebody else’s success when you don’t even know their journey. If you want to be like that person, maybe because the person shows you a picture, and you view your life, oh God does not love you what are you doing wrong? I feel people like that were not brought up well, they were brought up on superficial love, like a lifestyle of if they don’t have it they cannot be okay. I have never in my life say I want to be like anybody. Never seen anybody’s cup and be like, please dash me, I’m just somebody who is content, I love what I have. If you are driving a range rover and I’m driving an FJ cruiser, it’s a jeep! It’s going to take us to the same destination. Probably my own jeep is even more expensive than yours, but why would we start comparing ourselves? Why should people? I just feel like the fans are getting it all wrong and they are using that as a yardstick to compare success which is wrong! Material things does not equal your success. Please don’t be carried away by all the things you see, half of them are fake! Those who are silent are the achievers and they do not show off, by the time you realize they are billionaires!

What should your fans expect from you in 2019?
I have a lot of movies, my own movie, blood battle, you should expect it any moment from now actually. And my series, tomorrow never comes, it’s going to be showing very soon in Africa Magic and all other platforms. We have a lot of content we are putting out, beauty, health, knowledge about the industry that I have and we are going to start doing a lot about that in master classes. I need people to understand the industry from my own point of view, as a filmmaker and as a student still because I am still learning. I have people whom I look up to and I’m still learning, and as a producer, as a youth ambassador, award winner, as a farmer, brand creator, brand ambassador, brand influencer, I’m all there. I want them to share that knowledge, I want to share it with them. Young people, both sexes, it’s not for women alone, it’s for everyone that wants to come into the industry, what they should be prepared for. So, yeah, we have a lot coming!