TIPTOPSTARS

She doesn’t come on board so often. The last time she did was in 2009 when she starred in Royal Destiny, a Cameroonian movie that sourced content for book makers in film making. The said movie also starred two of Nollywood’s star actors, Emeka Ike and Tonto Dikeh. But each time Solange Yijika re-emerges, it goes without saying that there is something in the air. Definitely, there is something big coming up. The Yaounde-based actress, who is undoubtedly one of the best the Cameroonian film industry shows, has hit the movie set once again. She has just returned to her ever busy Star Building schedule after shooting Troubled Kingdom directed by Neba Lawrence and co-produced by Mairo Sanda (based in the USA) and Fred Keyanti (living in South Africa).

As usual, Yijika’s performance charmed her producers. “Solange is an easy-going person, yet a formidable actress you’d not afford to miss,” Fred Keyanti, producer of Troubled Kingdom told us when we contacted him from South Africa to comment on the actress. “Despite the limited time she had to prepare for this production due to her crowded schedule, she still gave us the performance we wanted,” he said further. He went on: “She is well behaved and I’d love to work with her again and again.”

Though clamped down by a very tight work schedule, the talented actress would always go an extra mile by accepting to sign up if the story is cajoling. That was the case with Troubled Kingdom. “It was an interesting storyline which would normally attract any actor. And just like any one else, I accepted to go on set and do something a little different from what I’ve done in the past,” Yijika told TIPTOPSTARS Editor on the line to Yaounde. “It was an enriching experience shooting Troubled Kingdom and working again with director Neba Lawrence with whom I’ve done other great productions,” she explained.

Yijika who starred in the 2006 Trials of Passion serial screened on CRTV explained that she was quite comfortable with her role in the movie. “As Diana, the older princess who tries to convince her kid sister to marry a man against her will, I’m letting tradition prevail over emotions. I loved doing that role and I hope viewers would love the way I did it,” she said.

But how different was Troubled Kingdom from the other productions you've taken part in? “I seem to have been more inspired in this production,” Yijika answered. And went on: “The script was equally compelling and I met people I’ve never worked with before who turned out to be wonderful collaborators.” “I enjoyed working with Fred Keyanti and Mairo Sanda for the first time and found out they were great young Cameroonians.” Yijika did not fail to mention her old friends in the field. “Working again with Neba, Bob and Collins was fun, I enjoyed every moment of it,” the actress confessed.

Yijika who says she can’t wait to hit the movie set again has starred in several highly-rated Cameroonian movies. After Trials of Passion, she starred in Mark of the Absolute produced and directed by Asaba Ferdinand in 2008. She later did Land of Shadows, starring Nollywood’s Jim Iyke, produced by Agbor Gilbert, directed by Zack Orji and Neba Lawrence before starring in Great Pain directed by Neba Lawrence, both in 2009. That same year Yijika moved on to shoot Royal Destiny, an Ayi Chatou Inoua production directed by Neba Lawrence and also starring Nollywood’s Emeka Ike and Tonto Dikeh.

She is a graduate from the University of Yaounde II, Soa and first hit the movie set seven years ago. Her performance easily charms her directors, producers and movie lovers and has made her one of the most desired Cameroonian actresses of recent times. She recently modeled on two anti-malaria campaign posters pasted stamped all over Cameroon and sponsored by Global Fund for the fight against Malaria, Tuberculosis and AIDS.