A Kannywood actress, Maryam Booth, has landed two endorsements in 2019. The actress, who is currently in Lagos for the concluding part of the endorsement agreement with Ajinomoto seasoning, spoke with PREMIUM TIMES on what role she will be playing as an ambassador with the seasoning company.
PT: Maryam, you are in Lagos, what’s going on?
Maryam: Yes, I am in Lagos for a conference meeting with Ajinomoto. I signed a deal with them. So I am here for the final part of the agreement signing and the unveiling of the contract.
I have signed two contract deals this year, one with Airtel and the second one with Ajinomoto.
PT: What do you do for them as an ambassador?
Maryam: Well, I do video shoots for them. I also use my social media pages and platforms to promote their product and many other things.
PT: How about you beautify parlour, do you still operate it?
Maryam: Yes, I do. In fact, it has grown bigger now. I now have expanded it to a training centre for those who are interested in learning how to do make-up. I also expanded it to include spar, hairdressing and a mini restaurant.
PT: You mean you will enrol people to train them and issue them certificates?
Maryam: Yes, of course. My parlour is fully registered and already I have young people who have shown interest in it.
PT: What about acting. Do you still act in Kannywood?
Maryam: Yes, I do. It is just that the Kannywood industry is not as it used to be. Patronage is low and I think many of us have changed course, not completely staying off the Kannywood but expanding into other things. I act and do other things.
But to be honest with you, there is plenty of money in the industry. But the investment is what we require to progress bigger than where we are.
PT: In the movie, Sons of the Caliphate, you are cast as a spoilt child, who smokes, are you truly that spoilt in real life?
Maryam: No, my role was to portray how most young girls behave in our society. This thing happens and it is the duty of the parent to pay more attention to their children especially those schooling abroad.
I schooled abroad, there you see young northern girls doing all sort of things. But when they return home they pretend they are saints. Although when they meet bad friends they still do the same. So my role in the Sons of the Caliphate was to show some of these ills we suffer in the society.
PT: Thank you for your time.