Expect my music compositions soon

Ayobami Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, is an ace Instagram comedian. He speaks on how he ensures proper coordination of the members of his Instagram Parish Ministry (IPM), among others, in this interview. SEGUN KASALI brings excerpts:

 

Tell us about yourself

My name is Ayobami Ajewole, poularly known as Woli Agba. Of course, I claim Osun State as my state of origin but I was born and bred in Ibadan, Oyo State. I had my primary and secondary education in Ibadan and obtained B.Sc Economics at the Lead City University, Ibadan. I am still planning to further. I am the General Overseer of Instagram Parish Ministry (IPM). I anchor events also.

 

Can you please tell us how you started, especially with Alfa Sule drama group?

I started with Alfa Sule drama ministry in 2002 but the history of drama activities has been part of ne since I was very young. I have been doing church drama since I was about 12 years of age. We started a long time ago actually.

 

Are you still part of your brother’s drama group?

Why not?

 

You released a movie recently. Tell us about that

Yes. The title of the movie is Baba Ijo. It was actually as a result of one of our skits that we did  on instagram. I tell people that I run a ministry on Instagram called Instagram Parish Ministry (IPM). So, Baba Ijo was one of the skits where a mad man who came to see Baba Ijo had transformed himself. So, it was actually a skit. We just extended it and made it longer. We made a movie out of the skit.

 

What actually transpired to that creativity?

I tell people that most of my concepts are a product of inspiration. I don’t know but it just comes as inspiration. I get inspired a lot. What is beyond you is also beyond me. I can’t even fathom how I get to think of all those things but it just comes.

•  True love is not found on social media ―RMD

You were on a trip to Jerusalem recently. What lessons did you learn during the trip?

It was a nice trip and my heart is filled with joy and gladness. As at today, I still have a lot of testimonies from the experience. When God has said something about a certain situation and one thought it was never going to be, when you realise that all the things you dreamt about, those things you have believed God for start to manifest. So, all my days there, I was just filled with thanksgiving. I was just thanking God. It was nice to see physically, some of the places I have read about in the bible. It was a great memory. I learnt that it is extremely important to draw oneself closer to God so that the he can draw closer to one too.

 

Have there ever been disagreement between ipm members who gets roles for skits?

Not at all.

 

So, what is the mechanism put in place to ensure proper coordination of members?

God has been helping us. Do you know that each time I get an idea to do a skit, I get to hear the people that will play the role. I get to hear which character will be played by each person. Also, for the fact that the way we were made to understand that vision behind IPM is that it is not about somebody but achieving a collective goal. Regardless of who we are using, it doesn’t matter. The fact remains that we work as a team and we work as a crew. Even if Ronaldo has to score all the goals, the fact remains that Real Madrid is winning and people will say Real Madrid won the match. So, regardless of who is playing, what is important is that we are achieving the established collective goal which is achieving success in all ramifications.

 

Do you forsee any problem with any of your skit members who feels less popular but contribute to the overall success of the group?

I have not made anyone of them feel less popular or important. I tell everyone of them that they are very important. And of course, with or without anybody, we are moving up. So, nobody is placed above any other person. As far as I am concerned, once we get the idea to do something, anybody can do it.

 

What is the mechanism put in place to ensure peaceful co-existence of IPM members?

Like I said earlier, the skits are beyond me. My mind might be empty in the morning, empty in the afternoon and eventually I get the concept in the night. As soon as I call them that we are going to shoot a video, anyone that is available will take the role and no one has ever felt like, “oh no, they did not use me”.

 

What would you have been if not an entertainer?

Ok. If not an entertainer, I would have been a footballer. Laughs! Even till date, I don’t need to be taught. If I get to the field mehn, I will play well.

 

You also sing. Should we expect a musical career launch?

Of course! I do gospel music. Everyone can relate to the fact that I do gospel music. I also do motivational, inspirational and moral songs.

 

Most embarrasing moment as an entertainer.

The most embarrassing moment would be the time we got attacked on the highway by robbers and they told us to come down from the bus  and lie on ourselves. (Laughs) At a point, one of the guys on me was begging that he wanted to stand up and I told him not to stand up because what I thought in my mind was that if any of them on me was shot, I would just pretend like I was dead. It was an embarrassing because you can imagine Woli Agba lying on the expressway and many  of us were just there but we thank God for the gift of life.