''Guys don't have the energy to woo anymore", Balikis Ibrahim: actor, entrepreneur

 

Life unfolds for every individual in different forms and at different stages. For Balikis Ibrahim, a young Nigerian of two ''realms'' (Hausa and Efik), the unfolding may have begun. Being a graduate of mass communication, she chose to explore the terrain of acting until she discovered her love for massage therapy and event planning which was more of a circumstance than a fore thought. In this interview with Yamilenu Bamgboye, she talks about her uniqueness and why she is a combination of orisirisi: an actor, a certified massage therapist, a certified event planner and a certified data analyst. S'ogun laye ni? Anyway, enjoy.

How would you describe yourself?

I think I’d describe myself as a buffet. I'm a variety of interesting things going on in one plate. I’m just a sucker for knowledge. It’s best you call me a cat. I’m very inquisitive.

Hmm...not bad to be a sucker, hun? Lol. Skin On Skin Mobile Massage, a confirmed massager abi massagist (just kidding though), lol. But skin on skin is kind of suggestive you know. How did you come about it?

Ok...so...I think I came up with this name while I was still while I was still working as an intern where I learnt to massage. While I was working, I think I was having that massage on a lady because she requested for a Sweedish massage and Sweedish is a relaxation massage. Sometimes, when I'm doing a massage, I get lost in it. So, I was lost in it. I think that's where the name came from; my skin on her skin. Although I hadn't thought of owning mine then but  it just came and I was like oh, nice name so I kept the name at the back of my mind. I think two when I thought of getting my business name registered, I have to come up with a name so it wasn't difficult. That name just popped up again. The name is very catchy, very good (laughs). Although it sounds sensual too but it just simply means my skin on someone else's. Nothing sensual.

Have you ever received a massage from a male?

No no no. Anytime I want to have a massage, it's a female. I rarely have a massage. because my body ehn is very soft. So if it's not a lady or a baby, I don't allow anybody to massage me. You know males and their strong hands...because normally, the massages I do for myself is Sweedish massage because of my body. So if it is more hard than the Sweedish, I will be very uncomfortable. So I never collect male professional massage oh.

You're also an actor. How has acting contributed to your growth?

Erhm, I think acting has always been my first love right? So with all of these I'm doing now, I think acting has built my confidence because when you're any kind of  work, you have to deal with talking to people and all that. Some people have to go study eerrm... human management or how to talk to people and I think I've already learnt that in acting; the boldness, the self-confidence, how to interact with people and everything. I think that's how acting has helped me. 

From the content you put out in your skits, one might just say you're a troublesome person.  Is that justified?

Troublesome? Lol. Which of my skits did you see?

Just few...the fighting ones. Lol.

I don't know what content you have seen but the ones I do are basically talking about real life matters. Like ehm...there's one I did sickle cell awareness, there's one I did about a brother selling his sister out for monetary gain, there's another one; alcoholic mother and her kids, you know. It's just some real life stories and I'm working on another one, HIV awareness you know, just basically women empowerment and it'll be out in August. So I don't which one you say that I'm fighting (laughs). Probably the ones I featured in but my personal one, I tend to treat real life issues. 

 The one where a friend fought her friend while living in her house.

 Oh that, okay. No words (laughs).

Why this pattern? Most people do comedy and other silly stuff to trend and be in people's faces.

I can’t make no one laugh even if I try to. That’s their superpower and I don’t envy them for that. As to make Nigerians laugh, na full course on its own. I know where my strength lies and I’m trying to create that niche for myself whilst inspiring and educating people while at it.

So, will it always be about women?

Noooo not just about women. It’s about Humanity in general.

But you have a good sense of humour.

I’ll try screenplay and forward you my humour. Let’s see how hard you’ll laugh first before I sell it to the world (laughs).

Oooh, it won't be a bad idea. So 456Events, right? (LOL) Why add this to your portfolio?

So I single-handedly planned My friend’s Wedding of 500-700 guests. Made it to top blogs for weeks without a foreknowledge of how event planning or management works. Funny how I did all these with ease from scouting for locations to negotiations and all. Didn’t feel like so much work at all as most of the vendors were helpful too.

Wow, and that was it?

After that, when I saw the video of the magic we made. I thought to do it professionally. Then I said God, if this path is also mine, give me a sign. Then, I saw a friend post an event planning training on his status almost immediately! I smiled and said ‘I knew that was you my Guy’. Then I applied, filled a form and paid. I got the best team to put me through. And, it’s Him Events 247, the name of My Event Planning Services)

Ooooh...ohk. How do you relax?

Beach, Beach, Beach.. My bare feet rubbing the sand, a glass of wine, reading or just watching the waves. I love and appreciate my alone time. If not at the beach, I’m home or with family.

                                             

Nice. So not with a guy by the side, hun?

Isn’t that why it’s called alone time?

 Abeggii. You've been in Nollywood for a while. Is it true that many female colleagues who flaunt orisirisi on social media do hook-ups by the side?

I’m the wrong person for this question. I don’t care or want to know what others do to stay relevant. So long it’s not in anyway affecting me, I don’t want to know. Next question please.

You no wan do gbeborun, ok. Now, about memories, which experience was it you had that created either beautiful or bad memories?

I they've all been good memories and the most good memories I have are the ones that remind me of my family. Yeah, it's always interesting, interractive, you know. I tend to be myself, be whatever I want to be with my family. I think I'm even their comedian. Without me ehn, they will all have wrinkles on their faces in their 20s or 30s. But since I'm in the family now, I take off the wrinkles off their faces. 

When it comes to guys and dating, how would you rate our "toasting" skills?

I don’t think they have the energy to woo anymore. Especially if they aren’t getting their energy matched. They just turn you into a status viewer, leaving you wondering where you went wrong. And I love that for them. Make everybody dey form hard to get.

Like they're tired. Lol. We should blame your gender, right?

 Hmm that na full course on its own.

If you met a guy who would camp in your dm for months to have you, what would your perception of him be?

The moment I get a message that I see and errh...I see that it's not just ''hi'' because some people can be  in your dm saying ''hi-hello'' for months or years you know without a proper...without saying something just ''hi-hello'' and it gets really annoying. It gets boring at first hen it gets really annoying. So I love people that go straight to the point. Tell me what you want. If it's something that I want too, and of course we are going to exchange numbers, leave dms and see how it goes from there. I don't like wasting people's time and I don't like people wasting my time.

Ever been on a bad date?

I'm not sure I've been on a lot of dates oh. Even if I have been, there haven't been any bad ones, no. Because before I leave my house, I made sure to set every record straight. Let's know what we're doing. We're going out to eat and then you'll take me back home or I'll get a cab back home. Do you understand? Not that when we get there, things start changing. Do you understand?

Where do you see your businesses in 5 years?

Uhm, for the massage thing, I'm thinking of taking it to another level. I'm thinking of adding scented candle making and diffuser making to it professionally because I learnt that too but I just make them when people order. So in 5 years time, I think the business should be producing and exporting scented candles and diffusers. And then we will take it into tech. So when you need a massage, there is an app for you to order a massage and all. It's just a lot. It's so much money and with many sponsors we can get that achieved even before 5 years God willing.