Actress, formerly Liz Anjorin now
known as Aishat who recently converted to Islam in an interview talks
about her recent conversion and her lifestyle.
You woke up one morning and decided to change your name and religion. Is
that how people just switch?
My name is still Liz. I am Elizabeth Aishat Anjorin. I have always been a
Muslim. It is just that I am a very confidential person; not many people know
about it. That is why it sounds new to so many people now.
So how come it became a public knowledge and is even causing side talks
here and there?
It was because I went on Hajj. That was how so many people got to know about
my religion. You know that my name is Elizabeth, a Biblical name; so when I
went on Hajj, everybody had to notice that I practise Islam.
Have you always been a Muslim?
My father was a Christian and my mother was a Muslim. After my mother’s death,
I decided to practise her religion. Even before her death, I had wanted to go
for Hajj but there was no chance.
Stories started flying round when this story broke. Some said you found a
rich ‘Alhaji’ who insisted you must convert to Islam before he married you…
People must talk and if they don’t, they will die. But to answer your
question, I don’t think such can happen. I don’t see why any man would tell me
to change my religion before he can marry me. Funny enough, my boyfriend is not
even an Alhaji. Going on Hajj was something I desired. It is not even meant for
Muslims alone. If you believe in God, go to the Holy City and pray to your God
and your prayers would be answered. People from all over the world come there.
Was your baby’s father a Muslim?
Oh yes. The baby’s late father was a Muslim. He gave my daughter a Muslim
name. We all believe in one God. There is no dichotomy. I don’t have to
judge anybody and say the person’s religion is bad. We are all one before God.
I am still proud of my name, Elizabeth. It is just that when you go for Hajj
and come back, you have to be more modest. It is just that I am human and I am
a young lady who is still single. I am free to live my life. If I get married
and my husband wants me to be Eleha (woman in purdah), then I will do it. If I
marry a pastor and my husband wants me to be a pastor, I will do it. I have to
be submissive to my husband. For now, I am a young girl, so I think I am still
free to follow my heart and do what I want to do. But when you go for hajj, you
have the fear of God and you believe in God.
So you have changed since you came back?
Yes. Before now, I could do anything. I could talk anyhow. But now, I
caution myself. I can’t destroy myself talking the way other people talk.
Did you go to Mecca so that people will perceive you as a nice, holy
lady?
Anybody who is saying such must be jobless. I saw all the comments people
posted on the Internet because of my trip to Mecca. I know some people said I
was a bad girl and I wanted to live a holy life and that was why I had to go to
Hajj. Those people who say such, have they ever seen me in a party? Have they
seen me where I shouldn’t be? I am not a saint but I know I have been a wonderful person. If a lady like me can work and do some other
things without anybody’s knowledge, then people should pray for me. Anybody
saying such negative thing hasn’t seen me. It is not easy. If a guy of 27 can
ask me out, then you know that I am a very decent lady to the core. If you keep
yourself decent, it shows on your body. I don’t fix nails except on location. I
don’t wear fake eye lashes. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink. I cherish my sleep at
night. I don’t club, I cover my body. So why would anybody term me a bad girl?
If I were bad, I would be struggling. I am not saying that I am a saint but I
will say it again and again, I am a very decent girl. I don’t misuse my body.
Do I even have that time?
You don’t smoke, you don’t drink and you don’t do so many bad things but
was it not reported that you and Iyabo Ojo fought over a man back then?
Anybody who says such is just jobless. It is so annoying. You don’t judge
anybody. You don’t even have the right to do that. Let them talk. That is their
headache. I am not going to say anything.
But there is a recent picture where you dressed so sexy. You didn’t wear
the long dresses ….
If I am at a movie location, nothing stops me from dressing that way. Even
when I am not at a location, I have never really dressed seductively. I don’t
reveal my body. I always cover my body. it is very hard for people to know that
I even wear tattoo. It is only at a location or when you see poster pictures
that you would know that. There is a difference between your personality and
your job. For a male gynaecologist who is an Alhaji, don’t women open their
legs for him to check them? It is his profession.
People should please correct this impression. I am an actress. If I am given
a role, I must interpret it. We are preaching and trying to correct anomalies
with our movies. We are just acting. Even without going to Mecca or Jerusalem,
I have never liked dressing seductively. You can still be beautiful without
exposing your body. The more you are even covered up, the more beautiful you
look. So, the picture you saw is a poster picture. I have always worn long
gowns and I bet you, I look more beautiful than those who wear scanty attires.
Attending event is part of my job; if I weren’t a celebrity, I could wear
anything to any event and nobody would notice. But I am a role model. I love to
wear something unique. I am a young lady. The way you dress attracts the
calibre of people that come to you. If you dress decently, mature minds
approach you. If you dress in a funny way, such people will come to you.
So many people would expect you to finally settle down now…
People believe it is one Alhaji that sent me to Mecca. Ok o; when it is time
for me to get married, I will let them know. It might be tomorrow, it might be
next. I don’t know the time but everybody will know when we get there. All I am
interested in is my business.
Have you left acting?
No. I am working on my new movie, Kofo the First Lady. It is a sequel to
Kofo Tinubu. We have the same characters in the movie but different story.
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