‘Men keep hitting on me even on Facebook, I am not Gay’ – Benson Okonkwo

In the new interview with The Sun, Benson Okonkwo talked about how guys hit on him thinking he is gay, how ladies flock around him, how cute and sexy he is, and many more!
Read the excerpts below:

What is that thing about you that made you win Sexiest Man award twice?

First of all I want to give all the glory to God and my fans for voting for me. I am a very sexy man as you can see. Let me say that I have always been sexy. I started to model at the age of 16 and I did stuff for platforms like Zain, Nestle, and Gold Circle Condoms to mention a few. I had done loads of commercial jobs before hitting Nollywood and guess what, I don’t do runway; I am strictly commercial. I have always been sexy. I started winning the award in secondary school. It’s something you cannot take away from me. The word sexy lives with me. “The word sexy lives with me,” Benson Okonkwo

You just said that the word sexy lives with you. What is the secret to your sex appeal?

The secret is my lovely mum. I don’t have a sister. We are four boys and no girl so I took over from my mum. She is the reason I started acting in Nollywood. She said, ‘Benson, you have been acting all his years in church as Jesus during Stations of The Cross, why don’t you take up acting?’ She said this because every Good Friday in church I acted Jesus during The Stations of The Cross at lent. Also in school, I was in the theatre group so mum advised me to go into acting because she knows it is my dream and it that would make me happy. So I took her advice and here I am today. Ever since it has been loads and loads of shooting of movies.

When did you come into Nollywood and how many movies have you shot to date?

I came in 2008 and to date I have shot over 50 movies. 

Which would you say has been your most challenging?

Well, every character is challenging but the ones that made me Nigeria’s most controversial man are the three gay movies I have done so far entitled Strippers In Love, Pregnant Hawkers and One Dollar with Jim Iyke.

Until the gay movies came along you weren’t really popular…

You know Nigerians and their mentality. A lot of Nigerians are hypocrite; they enjoy porn but pretend about it. It is not like I am supporting the injection of porn into Nollywood but what I am saying is that we should stop pretending and I am going to be very blunt about this because I love saying my mind no matter whose ox is gored.

These Nigerians have porn on their phones and they enjoy all these things behind closed doors but then, they come out and criticise us. Please Nigerians, the movies I did were just movies; I was only acting. This is Benson Okonkwo and I am talking straight. I am an actor and my ability to interpret any role given to me is what makes me the Benson Okonkwo that I am today.

“A lot of Nigerians are hypocrite; they enjoy porn but pretend about it,” Benson says.

You just said that you are not gay, how come you interpret these roles so naturally?

That is because I am an actor and my ability to interpret any role given to me is what makes me a good actor. I have done all the roles under the sun but probably because this is not what our country accepts it is an issue.

What’s your take on homosexuality?

So many questions coming from you, how can I support it? It is 14 years imprisonment. (Laughter)

Have you ever been approached by men?

Why not? I am a cute guy! I am a very sexy guy you know. 

Could you share one experience with us?

I get that on a daily basis but it is not what I am into. When the movie came out everybody was like ‘Benson, what you did is this and that and bla bla bla.’ What I did was just ignore them and smile because I was only acting. Nigerians, please listen to me, I am not gay! Guys keep commenting on my face book page calling me gay. Please, don’t judge me; I am not one of them.

Do you have any regrets about these movies considering the backcloth of controversy and stigma?

No. I cannot, I will never and I won’t. I only did my job and I did it well. And guess what, I was paid good money. 

Let’s look at the issue of women. As the sexy guy you claim to be, how are the women warming up to you?

They are always there though I am not a womaniser. I have a girlfriend and I love her so much but I don’t want to share my private life with the public. Please spare me the headache, I love her so much.

How is she taking the gay rumours?

She knows her lover is not gay.

Let us come back to acting. Was your mum an actress?

No, but she used to do runway in the UK. 

So could we say it runs in the family?

Beauty and modelling run in the family; I am second to the last child.

What project are you working on now?

I am running a unisex salon in Enugu and I pray it gets bigger. I have a couple of scripts before me now so my schedule is quite tight.

What are your dreams?

I want Nigerians to accept me and stop criticising me and calling me gay. Please, Nigerians, open your ears and listen very well; I am not gay. It is not as if it is hurting me but people’s comments though will not put food on my table could be very bad. They should just understand that the gay stuff is hurting me seriously. 

Was there any time you felt like quitting because of the gay talk?

No. This is something my mum has always wanted for me and I have also wanted for myself; mum gave me the push. Without mum there would be no Benson Okonkwo going viral.

People are saying that you are also helping push the rumours by posting suggestive selfies online. What is your take on this?

It is normal for celebrities to post pictures. I only did two sessions without my shirt on but its normal for celebrities because I know these are the things my female fans want to see.

A while ago you posted a picture of yourself with a girl in very suggestive positions. Was it the gay rumours that pushed you to do that? Were you under pressure to prove to the world that you are not gay in pictures?

Nooo, not at all

So, who was the girl in the picture?

She is just a friend. We were once in a relationship; we are still friends.

How often do women hit on you?

All the time.

How do you handle it?

I am used to it and besides, I am not a womaniser. I tell them I have a perfect relationship and most times they understand.