I was fortunate to be invited to the RokMe Tour London fan party last weekend in Marble Arch. Fans were greeted to Naija-inspired canapés whilst they took selfies and gushed over their favourite Nollywood stars. Stars, including: Bolanle Ninalowo, Desmond Elliot, Mercy Aigbe, Efe Irele and Jackie Appiah who undoubtedly make the Rok brand strong for its premium content of African movies.
https://instagram.com/p/Bv_kxpyAgoD/
I had a chat with the CEO, Mary Njoku, on all things Rok, roles and responsibilities:
CAO: What are the ups and downs of working and living with your business partner/ husband Jason?
MN: My husband, Jason, is extremely supportive of my work which makes life a lot easier for me; we have a great partnership and work well together, which is incredibly important to our combined success.
CAO: How do you keep a handle on the different ROK brands around the world?
MN: I’m very fortunate to have a fantastic team at ROK whom I can rely on to take on many of the difficult tasks. We have teams based in London, Lagos and Accra constantly working together to provide great content for Nollywood lovers around the world. We have a unified presence across all territories and I think we are at the stage now that people really understand that ROK is quality storytelling for Africa.
CAO: As Christians, we reflect on sacrifice and the resurrection during the upcoming Holy season. What sacrifices have you made to build ROK and what failures have you risen from?
MN: Balancing motherhood and my career is quite challenging but I have a great partner, my husband Jason, and we make it work by sharing responsibilities, this way we don’t lose any important moments with our children. Having a great team also helps!
Also, I’ve heard a lot of no’s in my time but I’ve been able to use the experience to create something, which is ROK, ROK2 and ROK3 on DSTV across Africa and SKY in the UK. People questioned whether or not I would be able to produce movies, after my career as an actress. I’ve done it, over and over again, and I have given those who were rejected, or looking for a platform, an opportunity to succeed. What is the point of having all this success if you cannot share with others.
Festac Town was a major breakthrough for me as I was 7 months pregnant when I shot and it took a lot out of me, it showed me I was unstoppable! I worked with aspiring filmmakers who were creative and hungry for success, and together, in just a few short years, we have built an instantly recognisable entertainment brand for Africa.
CAO: ROK is on tour, it was fab to meet you, the stars and the fans. Where are you off to next?
MN: We are going home to Lagos, where it all began, and then we will visit our neighbours in Ghana right after. The tour will end in Accra.
CAO: I asked you about British Nigerian content on the channel, what are your plans for adding more films and programmes from outside of Africa?
MN: This is the whole reason for the ROK ME Tour. We are travelling to locations where most of our fans are based and getting feedback. We have to do what the fans want and if that means British Nigerian content, then that is what they will get.
You heard it hear first, Rok may be venturing into new productions outside of Africa! Mary, we wish you and your family plus the team much success in all of your channels.