Actress Yvonne Jegede has opened up on how she landed a role in the music video for 2Baba’s hit song ‘African Queen.’
The 41-year-old shared her experience on the Nollywood on Radio podcast, saying she initially turned down the offer to feature in the 2004 music video because she was focused on building an acting career.
“When the director of African Queen first called, I bluntly just said, no, I am not interested,” she said.
“And then, much later that same day, because they were supposed to film the next morning at about 9 am, he (the director) said, okay, let me know if you change your mind.”
Yvonne added that she had not heard any of 2Baba’s solo songs at the time, having only known him as a member of Plantashun Boiz.
“Tuface had just broken out of the Plantashun Boiz, and I had not heard any of his solo songs. So, I did not know what African Queen was; I wondered, what is African Queen, and which song is that?” she said.
She eventually changed her mind after a conversation with a friend.
“A friend of mine and I were speaking later that evening, and it just popped in my head. I was like, hey, Michael, somebody said I should come and do one stupid thing, and I just said African Queen, the guy just screamed, I love that song, go and do it.
“I said okay, let me call the director. And I did, and that very night, he gave me the address, told me what to do, and how to get my hair prepped for the shoot. I got the address and went.
“And lo and behold, I saw that legend Tuface, for the first time, I am like, ‘Ooh, so this is real’.”
Although the video became a major part of her rise to fame, Yvonne said she was not interested in a career as a video vixen.
“But no, I did not want to be a vixen after that. I just wanted to act; I kept telling everyone, ‘I just want to act.’”
She went on to feature in only one other music video Djinee’s ‘Ego’ which she said was done as a favour to a friend.
“It has been fulfilling, I am not going to lie. It has been,” she added.
African Queen, which became 2Baba’s breakout solo hit, was released in 2004 as part of his debut album Face 2 Face. The music video featured three women, including Yvonne Jegede and Annie Macaulay, who would later marry the singer.
Yvonne, who hails from Edo State, has since gone on to establish herself in Nollywood as an actress and producer.
