(CELEBRITY) I’m obsessed with being my true, authentic African self – Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Nollywood actress, brand Ambassador

Women embracing who they are, harnessing and achieving their full potential is a philosophy A-list actress Dakore Egbuson-Akande lives by.
The multiple brand ambassador and performing artiste recently added another feather to her many hats as the founder/CEO of DakoreBeauty, an all-natural, sustainable skincare brand. For several years, she stood out as an actress in Nollywood with her dreadlocks which was uncommon back then in the early 2000s. She wore the hairstyle for several years before embracing other hairstyles to maintain her versatility in the fashion and film industry.
In this interview, she spoke about her life, acting career, and why she delved into her beauty brand amongst other issues.

As one of the most admired Nollywood actresses, how did your journey into beauty products begin?

My journey into natural skincare has been a gradual one. It all started with my love for natural hair when I decided to start wearing locs which I faithfully did for over 13 years. It was a natural progression from my hair then. I just became fascinated with all things natural and African. I transitioned into using natural products on my skin but back then there weren’t that many homegrown products being sold locally so I started purchasing when I was living in the UK.

I began to do my research and traced that the shea butter being used in these products was sourced primarily back home in Nigeria and Ghana. Then I was like, this is from my backyard! And it was packaged so nicely. I started connecting the dots and I said to myself that one day I would create my brand because, for me, it’s not only about skincare but also about wellness, which is what differentiates DakoreBeauty from other brands.

Our unique blend of the highest quality essential oils infused into our natural shea butter creates an experience where natural beauty meets wellness due to the aromatherapy benefits and creates a spa-like feel in the comfort of your home/sanctuary!
Again, as a role model in the film industry, when I started wearing my hair in natural locs, it inadvertently gave others the courage to start their natural hair journey. I’m obsessed with being my authentic African self. It’s a no-brainer that using my platform and example I am encouraging people to embrace our natural skin tone.

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For me, that is my mission because we have been programmed and conditioned through colonialism to accept that anything that connotes beauty has to be white/foreign. But I am saying, this is my God-given natural skin tone and it’s beautiful and it is enough. I have never bleached my skin and I never will because I have fully embraced who I am.

So, I want to encourage other women and men to embrace who they are too. I want this to be part of my legacy. From the beginning of my career in the Nigerian film industry, I have been known for being natural, being down to earth and relatable and I want to also extend that to DakoreBeauty.
It breaks my heart that it has become the norm to bleach our skin.

We aspire to change our hair. We do stuff outside of ourselves, and the rest of the world is capitalising on that. So, for me, it’s not just about the brand in terms of sales. It is teaching our young girls that are coming up in the world to know that being beautiful is not just enough. You should also care for your skin naturally. You don’t have to bleach your skin to look beautiful.

You are a brand ambassador to different brands; is that okay with the managers of these brands?

On the contrary, they have all been so gracious and supportive of my efforts. For instance, during my launch last February, they all showed love by supporting and attending, it was marvelous!

You are a good dancer; many were surprised at your dance steps at the recent AMVCA Amstel Fashion Show…

I love dancing. I have calmed down. Growing up, I was always winning dancing competitions in primary school. I started dancing at a very young age.

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Are you still doing movies?

Oh, yes. One of my movies just came out recently on Netflix. It is called “A Sunday Affair” It’s an Ebony Life production. I am still working on films. I still perform my commitments for all the brands that I represent. For example, Amstel, Samsung and Too Sure. All these as well as being a mum of two daughters Zoia and Dasola, and a wife. It’s a lot to juggle but by the special grace of God, I’m doing well and taking it one day at a time.

What advice do you have for young ladies aiming to be in the entertainment industry?

I would advise them to find what makes them tick, to find what makes them come alive and do that. Don’t conform too much to what society expects. Don’t be in a hurry, lasting success takes time. Be modest, be kind and ‘Do You’. It’s important because the world needs to see you for what you have to bring to the table.

How do you cope with stardom and its challenges?

In everything there are challenges. I think, for me, lack of privacy is one of them. (Laughs) I sacrificed that a long time ago. I belong to my people. But I think I have been able to handle it well; so far so good. I have my good times and not-too-good times but I get up and do what I need to do. One day at a time.

At what point did you realise you would become famous as an actress?
I think it was from the reception of my fourth film. It was titled “Emotional Crack” That was the movie that brought me into the limelight. That was in 2002. I played the role of Camilla, a bisexual which was groundbreaking at that time and the rest they say is history.