By Sylvester Asoya
Helen Paul is not the everyday performer. This clear-thinking actress, comedienne, singer and teacher, popularly known as Tatafo, (a gossip) holds a doctorate degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Lagos. But Paul is unique in many ways. She clearly has many endowments as an artiste but the most telling is her rare gift of switching her voice to sound naturally like a child or an adult, depending on her director’s instruction. And she is undoubtedly, a major link to lovers of Nigeria’s movie industry and viewers through her engaging interviews with Nollywood actors on television.
This charming comedienne stands out with her voice modulation, confidence and incisive questions to guests during her many encounters. No doubt, she has a good knowledge of an industry she evidently understands as a major player.
Helen the Strong who was born on 29 January, 1978 and trained by an equally strong grandmother in Lagos, remains a shining example of bravery and self-confidence. She obviously understands what life means and what it takes to conquer. She is easily credited for surmounting all the odds and for creating her own world for her good and the good of those who look up to her.
In a male-dominated sector where she is a big player, she stands out as a beacon of inspiration, hope and courage for shy and disadvantaged young women in search of life’s limited opportunities. And she is moving on, conquering territories and braking barriers to prove a point with her actions and carriage. With a PhD, a plethora of endorsements, awards, unimaginable opportunities that she continually creates for herself with her skills and a great career ahead of her, Paul apparently has a future and a world waiting to be conquered. And she knows that not even her petit size or gender has anything to do with her forward journey to the top of her dreams.
There is an unflattering reference to this extraordinary artiste being a product of rape on many news platforms. But this has not in any way, diminished her sense of worth, abilities, courage and disposition to her lofty ideals. Her career, success and life, worthy of emulation, are indications to the fact that the circumstances of one’s birth has little or nothing to do with what a person eventually becomes in life, once there is a will. And as a front-runner in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, Paul is a harbinger of light, a determined and a special breed who is not looking back. She also pays no attention to what people think or say about her background.
She remains a model and an inspiration to every young woman.
*Sylvester Asoya, journalist who once worked with TheNEWS, wrote this piece from Lagos and was originally published in alice, Air Peace inflight magazine