Nollywood actress Yvonne Jegede talks about the Super Falcons’ performance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the D’Tigress, her love for MMA star Israel Adesanya, and more in this interview with PETER AKINBO

When you are not on set shooting movies, how do you relax?

I just go home and spend some time with my family, my son especially.

When you were growing up and in school, what sport interested you?

I was never really a sports person. I never played sports, apart from when I was being rebellious, and then I used to play basketball in school, because we were told not to play basketball.

Was there anything that drew you to basketball then?

I was a tomboy back then, and it was the only sport that I could play without having to run around too much and get tired. I could also just watch others play sometimes, and it was a very interesting game.

Were you good at basketball then?

I was not good. I don’t think I am good at anything when it comes to sports, but it was just a lot of fun to have back then, especially since we were being rebellious.

Did you follow the Super Falcons’ journey at the WAFCON?

I couldn’t watch them because I was very busy, but I followed them on social media. I was impressed with the Falcons, really, they did very well, it was very impressive, and I was impressed with them. We are proud of them.

Since you love basketball, did you enjoy the D’Tigress’ win at AfroBasket too?

The D’Tigress also won the Afro Basket title for the fifth year in a row, and it was even with a female coach, Rena Wakama. I just really like what the women are doing this year. I am very impressed with them. I always try to watch these teams a little bit more, and I will continue to support them. I am happy as they both won. The Nigerian government is also making them smile because there’s a lot of work to put in with little or no facilities, and still winning and still breaking bounds and all these things. I hope the people in place are making them all happy. If they are making us proud, we should be making them happy, too. The Federations need to let the money go around. I know there’s money in the sports industry, but they should make it go round. You guys are not the ones playing the ball, you guys are not the ones running on the field, so the people who are doing this should feel the impact of what they are doing, so they should please make the money go round.

Do you have a favourite sportsperson ever?

My favourite sportsperson, I would say, is Kobe Bryant because I’m a big fan of basketball. I like basketball; there is something sexy about the game. It’s not as rough as football, somehow. Kobe was a fine man, a good-looking man.

I saw you posted Israel Adesanya once on your Instagram page. What do you think of him?

I am not really a fan of combat sports, but it was just a moment for me. He really made Nigerians proud, and I could not help but express my happiness. I will not sit down and naturally watch men beat each other and bloody themselves up, but I really think he is making Nigeria proud, and we have to acknowledge him.

You wrote that you had fallen in love with him back then. Do you still feel the same?

Oh my God. Only if he wins again will I feel the same way again. I am not really a fan of men beating each other, but I like it when Nigerians make us proud, so that is why I like Adesanya.

If you got a chance to actually pursue a career in basketball, would you have taken it?

Yeah, I would have. I might just have been the shortest person who will play it very well because there’s nothing I do that I’m not good at.

What’s your favourite basketball team now?

The Los Angeles Lakers, and of course, it is because of Kobe, I am stuck with them.

Do you think they have a chance to win the NBA championship?

Of course they do. They believe in themselves, and they can beat any team. Any team they are facing, I would be by their side, and there’s no way they can lose with me there with them.

When it comes to Nigeria, who are your favourites?

Football is my favourite sport when it comes to Nigeria, and my favourite Nigerian team is Enyimba. I think Enyimba is the biggest Nigerian team. If you ask me, it is the most popular. For me to even know Enyimba with my small knowledge of sports, that means it must be popular. They’ve also not been doing badly, too. The Super Falcons, too, are doing well, and they have my love. So football is my favourite sport in Nigeria, followed by basketball.

Would you encourage your kids to go into sports?

Yes, why not? Gone are those days when parents would say, ‘If you’re not a pharmacist or a doctor or a lawyer, you are not going to make it in life.’ Even these days, you hear people telling you, even if your son likes to paint, get brushes and encourage him. Hearing things like that now, I guess that’s a good step.