"I am not in the business to just play a goody-goody, I am in the business of playing strong characters, delineated, clear, vibrant, and believable. So whether the person is unhappy or wicked has nothing to do with it. When people who you see as wicked are doing bad things, you should try and see what is worrying them. The character I play, Yahimba, is hurting and she does not have a relationship with her children. Such a woman will be bitter and hurting. What people call wickedness is somebody trying to find her way through life."

"I have been through the fire, I have been through the furnace, I emerged fortified.I have learnt a lot from the universe. Where you have to go, you would go. The universe pushes you in the direction of your thoughts. It helps you actualise what you are thinking in the inner recesses of your mind"

"I knew I was going to get a good education. I was going to be a lawyer. But I knew that I was on my own. My family disowned me. They thought I gave them a bad name because I got pregnant. It was a big deal back then"

"Bad things happen but if you learn from them, they would shape your life positively"

"I studied the nature of sex. The nature of love. I don’t go into relationships for sex because love is paramount to me. There is nothing more riveting than sexual love, together. Real genuine sexual love"

"I was the one doing all the cooking and house work. I kept my head down but I enrolled in evening school. There was no way anyone could stop me from learning"

"Life has treated me robustly. Life is a challenge. Life always leaves you in the eye of the storm. But I was lucky that I was able to rise above the storm. Yes. I have had my storm. It has been turbulent. I have been through the fire. I have been through the furnace. It has not been a quiet sort of life but it has been exciting"

"In life you must always be moving. And you must not feel sorry for yourself because the world doesn’t owe anybody anything. Our parents bring us into this world and we must fend for ourselves. Again, once you have had a good upbringing it will help. And if you stumble in the process, you get up quickly and start moving. In my case, I have been lucky to have the strength, motivation, and guidance to keep going."

"Well, it is by respecting the people who put me in the limelight. You must always be aware that life is not about you. So, if I have been in the limelight for decades and still relevant, it is because people who nurtured me to limelight still see something interesting about me. When I started out as an actor and a journalist, I didn’t think I had a choice but I was chosen. I was turned around. I was made to see my true purpose in life. Apart from that, hard work counts having switched from the corporate world into the arts embracing both journalism and acting simultaneously."

"I am an African. African taught the world how to be beautiful. Europeans were backward as far as that aspect was concerned then."

"I am a feminist and activist. I think women should own the world but nobody wants to accept it, especially the women themselves"

"Who do you think socialize both male and female children? They are mothers. We are responsible for raising our children. We are the ones that help men to subjugate women as second citizens. We are the ones who say to our girls ‘go to the kitchen and cook and tell the boys to go and play football.’ So, the narrative and dialogue must change from us women. Even in Europe and America we are talking about what is the percentage of women in government? How many female heads of government do they have? And in Nigeria, how many women are in the (government’s) cabinet? And a few in the position of authority always look subdued and submissive as if they have to apologize for being intelligent. A man can parade his intelligence and status but a woman has to apologize for being bright because of the way we are raising them. You know we always tell women not to show themselves so that they can find a husband. So, if we want peace and harmony in the world, put women in power because they have in-built divine virtues of nurture, love, tolerance, patient, perseverance. They have lived the life of victims and they know how to handle things better."

"Well, I know there is a power somewhere that exists and I believe there are unseen hands in our lives. I am a student of surrender, who always surrenders to fate"

"I am not dogmatic about anything. I go with the flow. I flow with the tide. And I accept what comes my way. My husband was chosen for me and I called him my ‘Angel Gabriel’. He was a marvelous man who saw the talent I didn’t see and encouraged me to blossom in the arts. He had played his part. If I was meant to marry after his demise another man would have come into my life. And if the man didn’t show up it meant that he wasn’t meant for me. That is how I live my life. My life has been ordered, orchestrated, and going smoothly. I have not lost anything, so I am blessed."

"Do we have politics in Nigeria? Politics everywhere is based on party politics. I work with ideologists but we don’t have political ideologists in Nigeria. Those who find their way into power don’t have what it takes to run the country. I work with the greatest good for the greatest number but I don’t see that here."

"I like people to remember me for being consistent, a woman of integrity and honour."

"Look at me today, I am over it. See, the mind is a beautiful thing. When you hold on to past hurt, you tie yourself down to grief."

"I have done some comedy skits and it is loved by so many people. I guess it brings happiness to them. For instance, I have gotten so many messages from people who say they got better after watching my skits from their hospital beds. Some also say that they got out of depression and sadness after watching the skits. Those are the things you hear and you know that you are impacting positively on people’s lives. I will continue doing that. And I will also continue doing my drama and health advocacy"

"When I say I am doing health advocacy through films;that is what I mean really. It is for the common man. And it is not really about sermonizing the message, but also infusing a lot of entertainment into it"

"I think when people see what the possible‎ consequences of unprotected sex and premarital affairs are, they will possibly sit up and amend their ways. It’s a conscience film. It’s supposed to prick people’s conscience and make them think"

"There are so many challenges! Production is hard! There are challenges from the storytelling to the casting to the funding, to power supply, to distribution. Just name it! Every step is a challenge but we’ll continue to do what we do notwithstanding."

"Acting is hard work, that’s a fact. It requires a lot of discipline and dedication. So, it is not easy. There’s also a lot of competition, so one has to constantly reinvent the wheel and prove oneself."

"As soon as I’m done with a role, I try to purge myself of the character. It’s possible to get in so deep that one continues to behave like the character even after filming. I just go back to my life, things and people I love."

"God has been my pillar of success. In addition, hard work is the root of my success story, and thanks to everyone who believes in my abilities and appreciates my works."

"Style is an expression of yourself through the things you wear. So, style is comfort for me"

"Every beautiful creature of God will always be admired. But the ability to live a decent and God-fearing life depends on the ways you handle your admirers. So, I handle men politely, with respect and sensitivity"

"The road to success is not usually smooth; there are obstacles you may meet on your way. You need the grace, mercy, love and fear of God to climb the ladder of success. Again, you must embrace hard work and prayer, because nothing good comes easy."

"If someone is going to take out time to watch your film, then they should be entertained. They should understand what your film is all about. They should not be left confused, wondering why they wasted their time. I am particular about the kind of project I get on, especially if the story is good."

"A lot has changed about me in terms of my way of reasoning and communication skill. Anybody who knows when I started will wonder whether this is the same Mary he or she used to know. The industry has helped in grooming me to become what I am today."

"Everybody is saying that I have an innocent look. Do I really have an innocent look? I guess this is my person and nothing more. For me, to be a good actress I need to be original."

"Everybody’s heart has been broken once in a lifetime. I can’t really pick on anything that really broke my heart. But in as much as I have this innocent outlook, I am a very strong woman. Things don’t get at me the way people may think of me."

"So for me, I want people to come out and see this movie because it lends a voice to the physically challenged."

"“We can’t survive with money made from acting alone … I try to do other things aside acting … The money in the movie ‘thing’ is really not enough for us. I do buying and selling. When I travel, I come back with a whole lot of stuffs to sell and all that""

"At a point, sex became a condition for getting movie roles so I just took a walk … But the passion was so strong … I took time to look for professionals; people who would be interested in my talent and not taking me to bed.”"

"“I may not be a pastor but I am going to be a prophetess. I know that in the end, I am going to do the work of God. I would be a prophetess. Already I dream and it comes to pass...”"

"“I don’t see anyone as a threat in the industry because everybody has his own life to live and things to do for him/herself. Everybody has his style. So, nobody is a threat to me.”"

"“I try to do other things aside acting, … The money in the movie 'thing' is really not enough for us. I do buying and selling. When I travel, I come back with a whole lot of stuffs to sell …”"

"“I’ll always prefer a loving romantic man over one with so much money to throw around but lacks respect for his partner. Because in life, what matters most is having a peace of mind … It’s not all about money or his pockets, she noted.”"

"I was very excited when I got the script of ‘Sandcastle’ from Sylvia because Nollywood producers like to stereotype people a lot. This movie will give people a chance to see the other side of me. I’m versatile but I have been stereotyped.”"

"Sometimes, even some girls that don’t intend to go that way are threatened with their livelihood, their jobs, their scores in school and all that. Let it be a choice not by force."

"Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers in every capacity of mothering. You are a HERO!"

"It is something that inspires you in different ways."

"Talent is never enough, learn the skill and understand the business."

"Growth is always constant."

"One has to be bold enough to assert one’s self and not let the fear of assertiveness penalties cripple your rights as a woman."

"Less is more. Simple yet elegant."

"We are not poor people. Take a good look at me and you would behold an evidence of good living."

"There is danger in letting people misname you. If you’re a fire, do not answer when they call you a spark."

"Drink water, do your squats, wear your wellies, eat your vegetables, wear your lipstick, and don’t let boys be mean to you."

"If we start being honest about our mental health, instead of pretending they don’t exist, then maybe we’ll be the change we desire, and perhaps make the world a better place than we found it."