Mercy Aigbe is among the most stylish actresses in the movie industry today. She is also the most followed Yoruba actress on Instagram, coming after Funke Akindele. She is loved by many, especially because of her fashion sense, and also because she interprets her roles so perfectly.
She features in both English and Yoruba movies. Though she was born in Edo State, she spent most of her life in the city of Lagos. She has a degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Lagos. She became a full-time actress in 2006 and she has since featured in over 300 movies and still counting. Her personal movie titled “Osas Omoge Benin” gave her prominence as an actress and producer too. Her superior fashion sense is also coupled with her entrepreneurial mind, she is the CEO of one of the biggest fashion boutique and most followed boutique on Instagram “Mag Divas”.
Mercy is highly celebrated among colleagues and fans, as one of the successful and stylish actresses in the movie industry. The beautiful actress who is in her 40’s but looks 20 is blessed with two beautiful kids Michelle and Juwon, and her daughter Michelle who is an undergraduate is already a successful entrepreneur with her Makeup brand.
In this interview with City People’s BIODUN ALAO and SUNDAY ADIGUN, she talked about how she started her Mag Divas Store and within 4 years, she is already working on the 4th branch. What defines her fashion sense and how she has been able to handle controversies on Instagram. And why she doesn’t have plans of ever settling down with any other man. Below are the excerpts.
What really defines Mercy Aigbe’s fashion style?
I am humbled when I am referred to as one of the most stylish actresses in the movie industry. I have always loved fashion. I love to look good all the time. I like to get a compliment from people. Call me attention seeker, I don’t mind. I just like when people tell me oh you are looking amazing. You are looking good. And for me, Fashion is what you use your money to purchase. And Style is what you do with what you purchased. Style is different, every individual has its own style. My style is comfortable, though not all the time if I tell you, most of those shoes you see me wear are comfortable for me, then am lying. At times fashion is pain, at times you wear heels that are painful, at times you wear clothes that are very tight and uncomfortable, those are the price I have to pay for my looking good, and I don’t really feel the pain anymore, most times, when I get all the positive complement. At times, I also go for comfort, cheek and very urban. It all depends on my mood and the event am attending and that is it.
How have you balanced out your business, acting career and motherhood?
Honestly, it has not been easy. It has been challenging, and overwhelming because acting takes a lot of time. At the same time, as a Fashion Entrepreneur, I have to need a lot of time to operate the business. So at a point it gets so tiring, but I have been able to plan my schedule in a way that, I have certain time, I dedicate to my business, my acting career, and certain time I give to my children because I am also a mother, I have to play a prominent role in my children’s lives, especially now that am a single mother, I need to play those double roles in their lives, check on their homework. My daughter is in school, I also need to check on her, every now and then. God also bless me with a wonderful team, I have very hardworking and dedicated staff in Mag Divas, they are very competent, I equally have very reliable domestic staff that works for me, so with all these workers, they make the work very easy for me.
How has it been managing the Mercy Aigbe Brand?
Mercy Aigbe as a brand has grown over the years. It has evolved over the years, though I am still growing and learning more. I have not even gotten to the quarter of where I am planning to go to, but I give God all the glory, he has been indeed faithful. I am grateful for where I am today, it is all God’s grace, and the support of my loyal fans who stayed loyal and true to the brand all these years, showing me so much support, patronising my business and buying my movies as well. As a brand influencer, any brand I influence, they key into it. The fans are the main people who got me to where I am today. Funny enough Mag Divas started on Instagram, through my followers, you know am a fashionable person and I love to take pictures, I take lots of pictures. Am sure my fans are even tired of my pictures, but because of the love, they just keep liking them. I post lots of pictures. So I started getting comments from my fans that I should open a fashion store, some will be like, am waiting to see what you will post today, so it can inspire me to put my outfit together, so it was at that point that I realised lots of people are on my page because of my style and fashion sense. I suddenly became an inspiration to them, when it comes to fashion and that was what made me open Mag Divas Clothing line. It motivated me into going boutique business.
How old is Mag Divas now?
We are 4 years.
With how many branches?
We have 3 branches now and working on the 4th branch. We have in Lagos, Ibadan and Abeokuta. We are expanding. We have a website, and people order online as well. We are also among the most followed boutique on Instagram, we have over half a million followers. It has been God all the way.
How do you cope with all the controversies you face on Instagram from your followers?
It is fine. I like it. It makes me laugh. At times, when I read some comments, I roll on the floor and laugh it out. It actually makes social media fun, am sure if there were no negative comments like that, social media will be boring, the negative comments makes it all fun, but anybody that I don’t like or gets to me, I delete and block such person. If the comment is not too bad, I only delete and don’t block such a person.
How do you manage to keep cool with lots of controversies linked to you?
Controversies come with the job. Controversies sell and a lot of media knows that, so at times they come up with controversial stories and put it up out there and people will just want to contribute. It’s okay, I have developed a thick skin for all that.
Any plan of remarrying again, considering your looks and attraction from men?
(Laughs!) Honestly, I have no such plans. I am not fully divorced, and I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Never say never. I have put everything in God’s hands. If God says I will go back to my husband, it is fine. If God says am okay like this, then it’s fine too. Let God take absolute control of everything but there’s no plan of ever settling with someone else.
Lots of the younger actresses always say, they can’t talk about their success story, in terms of business without mentioning your name. Why do you always encourage them considering the envy and hate in the industry?
I love to support young, hardworking and enterprising women, not just with actresses alone, in other fields as well, I do it a lot. Even if I don’t know you, I always support them, I derive joy supporting, hardworking, industrious and determined women. I know what I went through to get to where I am today, so I love to use my platform to support them, if that is the only way I can contribute and help them, why not, I know it’s not easy, so I need to encourage them, that is who I am.
What is the secret behind your good looks?
Ah! Ah. I watch what I eat, I eat healthily, drink a lot of water, stay out of trouble as much as I can and I worry less, any problem I cannot solve, I take it to God Almighty and that has really help me to stay happy and beautiful.
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