Popular Nigerian comedian, actor, and educationist Helen Paul, who was featured on Channels Television’s breakfast show, The Morning Brief, dishes details about her inspiring story and how the people she met along the way influenced her to be who she is today.
What happened to your baby voice?
Well, the baby voice is there because the One that gave me gives me without repentance so I use it when I’m making money.
A lot of people have heard your starting point, I want you to walk us through your journey, How did you get here?
I’m someone who once I like something, I go for it, I don’t need to come too close, but I’m very observant and I follow the scriptures that say “write the vision, make it plain and men will see and run with”.
I didn’t know I was going to go into presentation at one point, but I like it, I admire it.
I want to learn and I will learn, so that has brought me to a point where people feel that I just got the opportunities, no. If you need to learn, calm down and learn….
I grace people’s ego to get what I want and in your foundation, you must understand what works for you.
I grew up as a child that was rejected and I wanted to be accepted, so what do I need to do?
My foundation has really helped me today. Now, the speed you are going is high, what next? So when you get to that point, you ask “Holy spirit, I need direction” then God speaks to you.
You don’t necessarily have to do skits, you don’t have to run… Its the mercy and grace of God that helps you become successful without any sweat.
So I take it easy, I don’t follow the crowd because of my foundation.
We described you as an actor, a comedian and an academic, none of this is easy; How are you able to prioritise that you are able to accomplish all of these?
When you see something you like, go for it but don’t forget the process of learning. I had mentors who were not into entertainment but were into academics.
I like the way you speak, sir, I like the way you carry yourself, ma. How can I be like you, I like the way people honour you… Your field is what you should go after, so sometimes you need a mentor who can open up not a mentolator that you admire.
The people that you’re learning from really matter. Opportunities would come, I remember one that came, I was a receptionist earning N9000, a company came, they employed people and they said they needed a child; the child that was supposed to come was writing an exam or something.
Then Bukky said, “Helen can imitate this voice”, Shola Kosoko said, “Yes, try her”… I was asked if I could imitate this voice, and I asked why not? You will buy me minerals (soft drink) and they said, Why not? Just come in.
So I went in, took the script and acted the part, upon coming out, I was given a paper to sign, I did not look at it and I just signed and was given a cheque, I think it was N350,000 or N450,000, I can’t remember.
I started good. I will always tell people, I have the gift of men, I did not just start. I cannot tell my story without mentioning people.
What is the future for Helen Paul, what more do you want to achieve in this life?
The plans of God, I cast my cares knowing that His plans is of good and not of evil to bring me to an expected end. It’s good to write your vision but sometimes, you still need to cast your cares. So, I’m in that position of what next. I’m spontaneous; I have never thought of what more, I am just there, it would happen.
We see your colleagues going into politics, is that a direction for you to?
Sincerely, I have not thought of that yet because the position I will like to maintain in politics, they might not want to give me. I don’t like high positions. If I want to be a politician, I might probably be in the agricultural sector, a place they won’t actually look at you. I like INEC… You can’t be a local government chairman and still say you want to be a comedian, they will be stressing you, you are not working …
