Pretty beyond compare ENAM TUGBEFIA…talks about why Pageantry in Ghana is never the Gift that Keeps Giving, her moving on after the GMB drama + why she would have preferred to champion #FixTheDoubleStandards instead

If you were in Ghana in 2019, the name ‘ENAM’ would ring a bell in your eardrums because of her involvement in the Ghana’s Most Beautiful of that year which came with a nationwide controversy in regards to who truly deserved the crown.

That year’s mêlée among the Volta Region representative’s fans was as a result of the situation going against all odds, all logic and all sense – they (the fans) felt disappointed…anyways that was two years ago.

Fast forward to 2021, when we caught up with the lady whose charisma is top-notch to write a narrative headline, to talk to us about then and now, what she has been doing partaking in that year’s pageant. Though there was no celebratory party after her involvement then, today she says that she is living her life with renewed hopes of fresh new intents.

With all that’s happening in ENAM TUGBEFIA’s life after that GMB where she painfully lost the crown, it is in order to say that she is marching impeccably towards her imperial coronation – an ambience set before her.

 Enjoy…

SINCE YOUR REIGN AS THE 1ST RUNNER-UP FROM THE GHANA MOST BEAUTIFUL PAGEANT IN 2019, HOW HAVE YOU BEEN TWO YEARS LATER?

I have been absolutely fine, taking life easy and planning something worth celebrating. It’s interesting to know that it is already two years, 2019 was one fantastic year with so many promises; we are hopeful that the future would bring total happiness.

WE CANNOT LOOK AWAY FROM THE CONTROVERSY THAT SURROUNDED THE SHOW THAT YEAR, MAINLY WITH YOUR FANS ARGUING THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE WINNER AND YET YOU WERE ALLEGEDLY ‘ROBBED’ OFF THE CROWN – WHAT’S YOUR REACTION TO THAT CLAIM THEN AND HOW IS THE FEELING NOW?

“Robbed off the crown”? I don’t want to use that particular line because as far as I am concern, we have moved past that era and now focusing on the present and future. My fans felt hurt out of a situation which they followed the process from start to finish – so I sincerely think that they cannot be faulted for how they expressed their displeasure. As to how I reacted to that situation then, I just left the entire happening and decided in my heart that I was going to work hard and smart to crown my effort. The feeling now? I am not bothered with yesterday; rather, today and tomorrow are paramount to my life journey.

A MAN (IN YOUR CASE A WOMAN) IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE LAST GOOD THING HE (SHE) DID – AFTER THE PAGEANT IN 2019, WHAT IS OR ARE THE THING(S) THAT YOU HAVE DONE WORTH KEEPING YOUR FANS CLOSER TO YOU?

So far, so good, we can say that we have kept ourselves busy; doing different things to make sure that the ‘Enam Tugbefia’ brand name doesn’t just come, see and not conquer. We have gladly established the ‘Enam’s Birthday with the Widows’, ‘Christmas with the Orphans courtesy the Enam Foundation’, ‘Covid Safety Tour’, and a couple of Marketing Activation for top celebrated brands across Ghana. As of the early-days of starting all these, we were not making most public, but recently, we have always made some of the ventures public.

BEHIND THE SCENES BEFORE THIS INTERVIEW, YOU WERE TELLING US ABOUT YOUR NEW SCREEN SHOW WHICH IS COMING OUT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR

Yes we are working on a new show and hopeful before the end of 2021, we shall start rolling out commercials for it. The show is simply to give my esteem fans something to call their own, be proud of and also tell my other side of the communication and nursing backgrounds.

AS AN ACTRESS, ENTREPRENEUR, CONTENT CREATOR, A BRAND AMBASSADOR, AND STUDENT, AS WELL – HOW DO YOU JOGGLE THESE PASSIONS AND STILL HAVE TIME FOR YOUR FAMILY?

For me, everyone that knows me know that ‘Family’ is very dear to my heart, so that comes first and then every other things follow. Since I have a Team, they help in the smooth dissemination of roles. We also make sure that time is well managed and respected – because that’s the only way to soar.

YOU ARE A BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR LYZY TOMATOES – HOW HAS THAT ‘MARRIAGE’ SAILED SO FAR? 

This ambassadorial relationship has been one of the healthiest that I have gotten into because of their high level of professionalism. Since we started working together, the daily experiences I have gathered is a beautiful one to cherish as I climb the ladder of life.

ANY PLANS FOR MORE AMBASSADORIAL DEALS IN THE FUTURE?

As a person grows, he or she is expected to aim for best things, as well as set his or her eyes on a lot of prizes – that’s exactly what my team and I have set for ourselves as targets; so we have a lot of future plans.

LET’S LOOK AT CONTENTS CREATION – YOU SEEM TO BE ONE BRILLIANT PERSONALITY IN THAT FIELD, HOW DO YOU CHURN OUT SOME OF THE CONCEPTS FROM START TO FINISH TO PLEASE YOUR CLIENTS?

Everything boils down to the TEAM. Any concept I am behind is just a reflection of the hard work and brains from different personas; we deliberate and then come out with the best to suit the message.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE MOVIE INDUSTRY IN GHANA ESPECIALLY WITH THE COMING (AND LET’S SAY GOING) OF THE PANDEMIC, THE CLOSING AND NOT YET OPENING OF THE CINEMAS?

The pandemic truly affected the movie industry worldwide but as we know and can all see that most countries have opened their cinemas, left with some in which Ghana is part of the latter. The movie industry in Ghana has been comme ce, comme ca, it has some production houses providing contents and some not finding it easy. It’s been tough and needs a quick way-out so that life can totally be restored.

AS AN ACTRESS, YOU MUST HAVE FACED SOME CHALLENGES, DIFFICULTIES, WHATNOT – HOW DO YOU COPE AND HANDLE THE PRESSURES OF YOUR INDUSTRY?

Challenges and difficulties are not going to depart our spheres anytime soon, so it is right to be ready with solutions that would redeem situations. You and I know very well about some of the predicaments that we all suffer, yet I must say that wisdom has played a major role in how I have coped.

WHAT ARE YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN LIFE GENERALLY?

 To live upright, to love one another without any iota of selfishness.

BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, THERE ARE TWO GROUPS RIGHT NOW IN GHANA, THE #FIXTHECOUNTRY AND THE #FIXYOURATTITUDE SETS – FIRST OF ALL, WHERE DO YOU STAND?

I stand with fixing our daily double standards and making the nation great. In all this #Fixing of country and self, there is a level of joy derived that at least something positive is about to take place. I stand with positivity, the wellness of the people, the forwardness of the country and everything thereof.

PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT, IF YOU WERE NOT TO BELONG TO EITHER #FIXTHECOUNTRY OR #FIXYOURATTITUDE – WHAT PRINCIPAL MESSAGE WOULD YOU HAVE RATHER CHAMPION?

 I would have championed #FixTheDoubleStandards.

SOMEONE RECENTLY ARGUED WITH US THAT YOU WERE A NIGERIAN BECAUSE SHE SAW ONE OF YOUR CONTENTS WHERE YOU SOUNDED LIKE THE NIGERIANS; FIRSTLY, DO YOU GET SUCH APPROACH OF YOU BEING A NIGERIAN? SECONDLY, HOW DO YOU DEVELOP SUCH PERSONA TO BE ABLE TO PLAY DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES FROM PLACES OUTSIDE YOUR COUNTRY, GHANA?

 I get that, “are you a Nigerian?” tag a lot from different people who sometimes feel or think that I am from the Green-White-Green land. Maybe it’s from the way I talk or express myself, sometimes. Don’t forget that as an actress, I am at liberty to be able to play different life-roles and still be able to portray myself. I have a lot of Nigerians as friends, many of whom have become families, thus, it is very easy to speak or act like them – sometimes.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME WITH US.

The pleasure is always mine.