We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Alex Okoroji and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Alex, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?

Being an artist is a significant part of my DNA. I’m the daughter of two creatives. I was born into an artistic family. My father is a musician and my mother is a fashion designer. I grew up in a household surrounded by many books, a diverse music collection, fashion catalogues, magazines, and movies. So yes, art has always been a part of my life.

I grew up seeing different forms of expression; I grew up seeing how people used all these different mediums to communicate their beliefs, personal experiences, or perspective of things happening in society. So for me, I think growing up in a home where I could read books, watch movies, and explore fashion and creativity in its entirety motivated me to develop a keen interest in pursuing a career in the arts.

To me, arts create a platform and present opportunities for enhanced communication and amplifies expression. Art provides me with several mediums to express my feelings, thoughts, ideas, and observations. To me–art imitates life. However, art is so much more than just entertainment. Art is education. It is advocacy. It is therapy.

What inspired me to become an actress is the same thing that inspires me to do everything else I have done and continue to do over the course of my creative career and even within my company – The BRAG Media Group and Its creative media agency, The BRAG Media Company. It is the same motivation that drives me whether I am communicating in front of the camera as an actor, on the microphone as a talk radio host, event host, or speaker or communicating with my writing through my books as an author or as a contributing editor or magazine publisher.

I remember watching a scene between Lauryn Hill and Whoopi Goldberg in the 1992 musical film “Sister Act” and how that scene stayed etched on my mind and amplified my desire. However, the real decision to make a career in film came several years later and was spurred by a tragic accident in January 2005 when my family house burned down, losing everything in that fire including poems and songs I had written as a lead singer of an underground girl band challenged my values and started a burning desire to use ALL of my talents and skills to impact and influence the lives of others. So in 2005, I left my mother’s fashion company after working with her for 12 years and with her support, I auditioned for a talent reality tv show focused on aspiring actors in my home country, Nigeria called Amstel Malta Box Office and took part to escape the anguish I was feeling. The show was the beginning of a new direction in my professional journey.

As I mentioned earlier, I was raised in a home surrounded by lots of music, movies, books, and fashion. In college, I was part of the Drama Club, Press Club, and Music Club. I danced and performed choreography on behalf of my college, designed clothes, and learned about the creative business of fashion working in my mother’s fashion company. I have written poetry and performed recitals. I have written songs and performed music as part of a teenage band where I used to be the lead singer. As a writer, I’ve written screenplays for film, television and radio dramas. I’ve voiced and produced documentary films. And I’ve featured in musicals.

As a broadcaster, I have been a TV presenter for 3 different TV programs. I’ve hosted talk radio & podcast shows and continue to work as a voice actor doing narrations, tv & radio commercials, podcast intros, PSA and animation. As an actress, I’ve played some of the best reoccurring characters in Nigerian TV soap operas and drama series. And I’ve played lead and supporting roles in about 25 independent films. As a designer, I’m responsible for a lot of digital art, graphics, product designs and web designs as well as audio-visual productions..

My creative career as a Performing, Literary and Visual Artist—navigating the world of Art, Media and Entertainment for two decades started as that young girl in fashion and then on to television, then I became a movie actor and then delved back into doing more acting in television soap operas and TV dramas. Since then, I’ve built an extensive career in diverse creative fields–dedicating my life and work to multimedia content development across various applications from film to television to radio, digital media, and print working as an Actress, TV Presenter, Talk Radio Host, Speaker, Author, Publisher, Voice Artist, Communication Specialist and Creative Consultant.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

The thing is that I’m both an artist (a creator) and an artist[e] (a performer). It is easier to be one or the other, and some are fortunate enough to be both. I’m one of those. I’m the creator of many original works, ideas, platforms, designs and projects in multiple domains. But I’m also a performer of works that I did not invent, however, I contribute my skills and talents to these projects by being a secondary part of the birthing/creative process, for example, my work as an actor or voice artist in specific projects even though I did not create the characters, I’m still able to interpret the writer’s work or the director’s vision and bring the character to life. So professionally, I’m busy managing the complexity of being both a creator and a performer… In a more tangible and organized way through my media company.
Through my company I’ve been helping high-performing experts around the world, amplify their influence and create a bigger impact with their brands, platforms, message, products or services. As a Creative leader, I’m on a mission to empower people with the freedom to be the highest EXPRESSION of their truth, talent and greatness.

I’m the 100% creative who doesn’t quite fit into any box. I invent ideas. I craft solutions. I design experiences and I produce art in various forms. I’m very proud of my work, tenacity, dedication, and commitment to being a multi-passionate creative on my own terms.

I’m enjoying working in multi-disciplinary roles across arts, media, and entertainment. The heart of the work I do is deeply rooted in the art of communication, and I’ve dedicated my life’s work to enhance expression in many media forms and operate in different domains of art. For me, creativity is freedom. It does not like limits. Creativity gives me the power to be limitless and embrace unlimited thinking.

Recently, I’ve spent the last 8 years focused on my creative business and serving clients through my company – publishing books, designing platforms & websites, creating digital and print products, producing audio-visual content for brands and businesses, voicing infomercials, producing digital and hybrid events, providing media support, media advocacy and literacy while consulting and creating more platforms to help professionals like me to grow.
Through my company I’ve been helping high-performing experts around the world, amplify their influence and create a bigger impact with their brands, platforms, message, products or services. As a Creative leader, I’m on a mission to empower people with the freedom to be the highest EXPRESSION of their truth, talent and greatness. This includes challenging the limiting belief that “Jack of All Trades is Master of None”. Not in this era, and not true in my case. I’m the “Jill of Many Talents and Mistress of All”. I’ve mastered finding the common denominator in all my mediums of expression and excelling in these different mediums at my own pace and on my own terms.

I know that I have been blessed with several god-given gifts and the responsibility, as a creative leader, to be the “example” of what it truly means to operate at the highest level of my truth, talent, and greatness. I recognise people look up to me for direction, motivation, and support, and I don’t ever take it for granted.

Of course, CHALLENGES keep me busy. They keep me learning about myself, my industry and others. In the course of my career, I’ve had many conflicting emotions as an artist. As an artist, – the creator’s validation is deeply rooted in self-expression. I create simply as an outlet to communicate, however, as an artist(e) – the performer’s validation is rooted in applause and approval, which creates a dichotomy for someone like me.

There is a genuine part of me that doesn’t care what others think about my art. I’m not here for anyone’s approval, neither am I standing by waiting to be rated, to be given an opportunity, or to be noticed. I JUST AM – the Artist. Still, there is the other part of me (the performance side) that sometimes wants to be acknowledged and celebrated for my work. The subtle part that cares if my art is valued, my message hits home and if it’s having the intended impact. Hence the internal conflict, because as a performer or entertainer, your value is in the hands of your audience. They call the shots and dictate whether you rise or fall or whether you are good enough to receive praise.

As a creator, visionary or inventor, your work in itself is the reward. Your fulfilment at the birth of creation is the prize. For success, you decide your own metrics and whether you are good enough. Most times, your internal joy is always a sign that you indeed feel good enough. You don’t wait for others to create an opportunity or invite you. You are the creator, so you simply take control of your destiny and continue to CREATE.

Yet, if you are both an artist and the artist(e), then the internal struggle becomes real. You risk having your ego constantly bruised by other people’s opinions and you may sometimes crave the attention that the performer inside you desires and thrives on.

Many years ago, at the start of my career as an actor, I initially worried about losing myself completely in a character or role. But I later realized that outstanding actors are in fact truth-tellers, not pretenders. They believe completely in the truth of a character and immerse themselves in order to become the character. Furthermore, an artist in general is a Truth-Teller. We believe in the authenticity of our creation, the honesty of our expression and its ability to make a real difference to whoever is lucky to receive it.

As a more advanced actor, the concerns became more about finding the right roles that challenge me in an industry underscored by a large supply of talents but less demand in the marketplace. Of course, I struggled. Every actor’s dream is to be booked and busy. The hardest part is finding the right projects that not only speak to your creative Zen as an artist but also to your “heart” as a creative who wants to use your work to make a difference in the world. Then you realise an actor may spend 70% of his or her time resting for lack of adequate opportunities and must support their career or income with another vocation. Not resting means being a part of any and every production, choosing mediocrity, and sometimes prioritizing commercial success over your creative fulfilment. Of course, as you become more famous, your opportunities may grow, but you may also struggle with other things like losing your privacy, and that can be a really tough part of the industry. I’ve had my life and relationships sprawled on tabloids and gossip magazines. It was a lot of intrusion.

That said, challenges are part of growing. Your creative spirit, imagination, and out-of-the-box thinking become invaluable. Life requires a high level of creativity because every problem requires innovation. Your challenges require grit and creative solutions for you to overcome them.

In the process, I have understood that the way brands stay relevant is by constantly recreating themselves because reinvention helps you to stay fresh, relevant, on top of the game, and continue to keep the interest of your audience. So I made it a conscious decision to ‘up level’ my game by offering more value in the world. Actively using my multiple talents in multi-disciplinary domains means I create more opportunities for myself and more sources of income.

I have observed that so many creatives focus on simply being “the talent”, they mostly don’t consider being the business. For example, while an actor might be the most visible contributor in the production chain, the actor is also the most vulnerable in the supply chain. Unless an actor has a high financial stake in the business of the said production, chances are no matter how great they are on camera, they are simply a contractor. Truth is, there is a dime of many talents out there. There is always someone gifted with just as much skill to take your place, but when you are also ‘the business and your behaviour is in alignment with the type of brand you want to become, you walk in your own unique lane – and nobody can take the honor or reward that belongs to you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

For me, it depends on where I am, whether I’m in the United States or my home country, Nigeria. However, I’m a foodie, so my idea of a fun place is anywhere there is delightful music and delicious food. Somewhere I can have stimulating conversations and enjoy the ambience. Depending on where I am – In Dallas, Legacy West in the heart of Plano is a lovely place to hang out with friends and we can dine at Fogo De Chao or Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse.

In New York City, I would go to Ben & Jack Steakhouse on East 44th St. I discovered it and absolutely loved their pasta and lobsters for upscale causal dining on a weekday. For Mexican or Spanish – I would go to Donjito (thanks to my younger sister, Barbie for introducing me to them). I would order their Brownie Sundae for desserts or outdoor dine-in at Bartaco and order the grilled pork belly and roasted duck tacos.

In Baltimore, MD, for fine dining, I would take my friends to The Capital Grille in Downtown or The Prime ribs, order some steak and maybe head off to play some jack at the LIVE Casino. I’m not a good player but I’ll do it for the laughs. For regular casual dining in Baltimore, I would do Olive Garden or Longhorn. Their salads and fresh breadsticks are amazing.

In Lagos, Nigeria, there are many places on the Island to go to. There are lots of great restaurants and bars, cultural and historic landmarks, as well as great shopping locations. We can take a water taxi to Tarkwa Bay Beach which is a sheltered beach near the Lagos Harbour, just across from Victoria Island or have dinner at Voyage Restaurant, savor a meal outside on the terrace at Surface Bar & Grill inside the stylish Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel in VI on the banks of the pristine Lagos Lagoon. We can also visit Lekki Lake or go to the Lekki Conservation center and climb the canopy trees, in the longest canopy bridge in Africa (well technically, I won’t do it again, I just want to hear them scream. Lol). We can also simply visit the Nike Art Gallery for creative inspiration. Other times it could be somewhere simple as a bar or restaurant on the mainland at the Ikeja City Mall or just stay indoors, order Indian takeout, some wine and watch Netflix.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Too many people to shout out over the course of my career. I have heard references that I’m self-made but I don’t believe anyone is truly self-made. No man is an island, even though we may plant the seeds and do most of the grunt work needed to spur our life’s trajectory, there is always someone whose prayers, kind words or support has been the anchor we needed to steer the wheels of success (however we define success).

So yes, I’m very grateful to my family, friends, fans, supporters, collaborators and clients who have supported me in one way or another and continue to support me with love, encouragement and resources that help me advance in my mission.

However, at this moment, I want to use this opportunity to thank Rai University, Ahmedabad in India for the recent Doctorate Degree awarded to me in July 2022 with full rights and privileges, in honor of my work, impact and achievements in arts, research, public service and philanthropy. It is an honor that I do not trivialize or take for granted. And I will forever cherish it with the same level of high regard it was bestowed upon me.

I also want to shout out to all the amazing global women leaders and He-for-She Champions in G100 and within my Global wing, the G100 Media Arts & Communication (G100-MAC) for the amazing support they give me, as we collectively work towards achieving more social and economic impact for women globally and within our sector.

I want to shout out my clients who continue to believe in me and my company, many of whom have become friends and collaborators who cheer me on, clap for me, recommend me and over time have become very important to me. I want to thank my executive assistant, Yvonne Okenwa, for the extra time and support she gives me personally and professionally and my family at The BRAG Media Company who make my crazy life somewhat sane and meaningful.

To be honest, my list is endless. I can go on and on reeling out names.

Last but not least, I want to shout out to my dear family (nuclear & extended), my darling son, Ray for being my muse, my wonderful siblings, their spouses and my parents for the love, prayers and support over the years. And above all, God, who’s unwavering love and never ending grace, is always, ALWAYS sufficient for me.

Website: https://www.alexokoroji.me

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexokoroji

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexokoroji

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexOkoroji

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAlexOkoroji

Image Credits
Chika Obodozie. G100.

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